Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning TA- Romania

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Technical Adviser- Romania

ROLE PURPOSE:

Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, more than 800,000 people fled to Romania. Save the Children International sent in an initial response team to assess the needs of children and their families in Romania and is scaling up its programmatic response with Save the Children Romania Member Office (Salvati Copiii), which has been working with asylum seekers and children for over 30 years and has a strong network with local civil society organization and national authorities. The program includes operating safe space for children and mothers in reception and asylum centres, provision of NFI and key information at border crossing points, mental health and psychosocial support and prevention of trafficking and GBV, integration of children in formal and informal education system, supporting child protection system when required, providing counselling support to families in need. Save the Children implements a regional cash and voucher programme in Ukraine and neighbouring countries including targeting people on the move and settling in Romania.

Under the leadership of the Save the Children Romania CEO, the MEAL TA will be expected to lead on MEAL system design and implementation, evaluations, MEAL master budgeting, coordination, and support relevant fundraising, procurement and recruitment processes as well as proposal writing and strategy and log frame development at national level. Save the Children is committed to accountability to affected people and meaningful child engagement during humanitarian responses. The MEAL TA will be expected to lead on establishing and strengthening appropriate accountability mechanisms and supporting child participation within the response. In most circumstances, the postholder will be expected to mentor and/or capacity build the response team (staff and volunteers from Save the Children Romania). The post holder is responsible for ensuring program quality and evidence-based programming in line with international standards and best practices from a range of Save the Children’s emergency responses world-wide. The MEAL TA will ensure systems and procedures are in place and support their roll out with the SC Romania team. A key element of the role will be to ensure successful integration of the SCI team within the SC Romania team, working towards common goals in line with the humanitarian strategy for the response. This position will report to the Deputy Team Leader Programs.

The post holder will be expected, with limited support, to lead on multi-sectorial assessments, programme design, coordination, capacity building, planning, coordination and representation, and support fundraising and relevant recruitment in support of the SC Romania led response.

Location: Bucharest, Romania

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

General Programme Support:

• Lead the development/revision of response-level MEAL strategy, frameworks and systems and ensure roll out of core SCI MEAL tools, in line with Save the Children’s MEAL in Emergencies (MiE) System Quality Benchmarks and SC MiE Procedure;
• Working with thematic Technical Advisers, support the development/revision of the response Master Logframe to support proposal logframes, MEAL frameworks, plans and budgets;
• Develop MEAL master-budget and work with awards management, fundraising and technical teams to ensure MEAL activities and costs are adequately covered;
• Ensure the development/revision of data collection tools and forms, the timely completion of Indicator Performance Tracking Tools for each award and the Output Tracker and total reach.
• Support response staff to manage monitoring and evaluation of programme/project activities as agreed in MEAL frameworks or plans. Capacity build technical field staff in carrying out the work and ensure participatory and child-friendly approaches adopted wherever possible;
• Ensure technology is efficiently used for data collection and analysis (e.g. through KoBo Toolbox), as well as for data management, supporting the design and development of databases;
• Set up systems to manage complex information generated by MEAL activities, such as feedback databases and qualitative outcome monitoring data systems;
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis to inform course correction of responses. Present and disseminate information to inform senior management decision-making;

Assessments and Monitoring:

• Lead planning, delivery and analysis of (multi-sectoral) needs assessments in coordination with other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings include an analysis of children’s needs;
• Work with thematic Technical Advisers to lead development of programme baseline surveys and endlines where required;
• Lead on development of systems and tools to roll out of quality benchmarks for core activities of the response;
• Support the Deputy Team Leader PDQ to analyse progress against response objectives and strategies.
• Lead in the process of undertaking regular data quality assessment and providing feedback on data improvement.

Accountability:

• Lead on design and delivery of contextually appropriate response-level accountability mechanisms that are child-friendly (including feedback and reporting mechanisms, information sharing and participation opportunities);
• Drive and ensure the analysis of feedback data, the reporting of findings through the accountability report, the use of findings for decision-making, and the closing of the feedback loop on an individual and/or community level;
• Support participatory programme design and delivery processes alongside technical sector specialists to ensure programmes/projects are carried out with participation from all crisis-affected communities (including children).

Evaluations and Learning:

• Follow the Humanitarian Evaluation Synthesis guidance to know which projects should be evaluated and which do not have to be. Responsible for the response level synthesis of evaluation reports.
• With support from senior staff, lead planning, design, implementation and follow-up of response-level reviews/evaluations (e.g. Real Time Reviews for Category 1 and 2 responses) and provide support to technical teams on the design and implementation of sector/project specific evaluations;
• Lead on response-specific learning activities e.g. facilitating the development of the Response Learning Agenda, prepare lessons learnt reports etc.;
• Ensure that evaluations and documents capturing learning are centrally stored, that their main findings are communicated to response management for decision-making, and that their main findings feed into programme design and future responses;

Capacity Building and MEAL team management:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for SC Romania staff and deliver trainings accordingly.
• Work as a mentor and role model for less experienced SC Romania staff.
• Together with other sectors, identify sector-integrated capacity building opportunities and deliver trainings accordingly to SC Romania staff.
• Manage the MEAL team, including identifying MEAL staffing needs for emergency responses, and lead rapid recruitment, induction, performance management and training alongside HR, when required.

Representation & Advocacy:

Ensure that SC’s work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and support Interagency Coordination forums (Information Management Working Group), advocating for the specific needs of children.

COMPETENCIES FOR THIS ROLE:

1. Applying Technical and Professional Expertise
   Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shared best practice within and outside the organisation
   Level required: Accomplished
2. Delivering Results
   Takes personal responsibility and holds others accountable for delivering our ambitious goals for children, continually improving their own performance or that of the team / organisation.
   Level required: Accomplished
3. Problem Solving and Decision-Making
   Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organisation

Level required: Accomplished

1. Leading and Inspiring Others
   Demonstrates leadership in all our work, embodies our values, and articulates a compelling vision to inspire others to achieve our goals for children.

Level required: Skilled

1. Developing Self and Others

Invests time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realist their full potential, and to build the organisation’s capability for the future

Level Required: Skilled

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Bachelors or Masters’ degree in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience
• 5+ years experience of working in technical MEAL roles
• Previous humanitarian response experience in response country or overseas
• Demonstrated ability to design and establish MEAL systems in for emergencies
• Strong skills in collecting, analysing, interpreting and encouraging the use of both qualitative and quantitative data.
• Experience in data collection through technology (e.g. KoBo Toolbox)
• Proven ability in using data and analysis to influence programmatic change.
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach/mentor staff
• Proven experience of managing a team and project(s)
• Experience of working through systems of community participation and accountability, including training staff in relevant approaches
• A high level of written and spoken English and local language, including an ability to write clear and well-argued reports.
• Excellent communication, influencing and representational skills
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.

Desirable

• Experience of using child-friendly participatory methodologies
• Experience in statistical and qualitative analysis software e.g. NVivo and SPSS

We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector. This Role is offered on the basis of International terms and conditions. Also, interviews will be held on ongoing basis, adverts will be closed once a person is identified.

For non- EU citizens; Visa is to be obtained.

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.