Roving MEAL Advisor – Ukraine Response

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

In March 2022, Oxfam launched its response to the influx of refugees and other people forced to flee from Ukraine in Romania, Moldova and Poland. A Programme Management Unit (PMU) has been established to provide leadership, oversee, support and provide technical assistance to the response in the affected countries.

The PMU will be led by an Operational Lead and includes dedicated advocacy and influencing capacity; business support functions, and a programme quality team with technical support on gender in emergencies, protection, cash and voucher programming, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and safeguarding.

Poland / Romania / Moldova Programmes.

Oxfam is supporting a partner-led humanitarian response for the assistance and protection of refugees and other vulnerable people from Ukraine and the communities, organisations and authorities that are hosting and supporting them in neighbouring countries. The response is strongly driven by the protection needs of refugees and the need for national organisations and authorities to be supporting in scaling up for the refugee response, delivering quality protection support, as well as advocacy for the rights and protection of all refugees and people on the move needing protection.

The Role

• The Roving MEAL Advisor is responsible for providing oversight on the planning, designing and implementing a robust MEAL system for the Ukraine Response. S/he is responsible for the MEAL framework development, encompassing all programs and projects, to enhance program quality, to demonstrate and enhance the impact of the response’ interventions.
• The role supports Oxfam’s and partners’ impact local, regionally and globally through ensuring evidence-based influencing of policies and strategies concerning people on the move and those affected by the crisis; particularly on their plight and the different issues they have to contend with.
• Provides strategic leadership and ensures the promotion of women’s rights is at the heart of Oxfam and partners’ program work.

Location: Based in Krakow, Poland with frequent travel up to 70% to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine in a roving capacity

Job Type: Fixed Term, 12 months

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

MEAL System development and management

• Lead and/or support the PMU and country programmes– in the development of a programme Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Framework with indicators for output, outcome and impact.
• Lead the development/revision of a MEAL strategy that informs effective programme delivery.
• Work closely with country MEAL coordinator (or cover for in case of absence) in the development/review and harmonisation of MEAL tools and processes for existing and new projects and programmes.
• Provide MEAL technical support and surge capacity as needed to develop and roll-out MEAL activity plan, methodological design, different assessments, post distribution monitoring (PDMs), evaluations, and performance data collection and other MEAL processes for all projects. This includes reviewing proposals of country team and partners.
• In consultation with the other PMU technical team advisers and MEAL coordinators, develop and conduct effective and appropriate evaluation plan and design.
• Ensure that all MEAL work is managed and carried out in line with to Oxfam’s policies, standards and approaches on GIE, localisation, safe programming and safeguarding, feminist approaches and others.

Manage, coordinate and strengthen the data management, data analysis, reporting and information system of projects

• Compile, provide inputs and follow-up submissions for different internal reports, including donor reports, sitreps, monthly accountability reports, PDM reports and other periodic reports that may be required.
• Support the Technical Programme Lead in preparing donor reports, monthly, quarterly and other periodic reports in the line with the reporting schedule and MEAL Framework and Plan.
• Support the Technical Programme Leads in developing/reviewing log frame/results framework, MEAL plan and Indicator Performance Reporting Table (IPTT) of existing projects and in the sharing of a monthly IPTT report.
• Supervises the IDMC and ensures compilation and reporting on the total number of reach (both direct and indirect) as per respective guidelines; This includes updating of the dashboard
• Coordinate and support the documentation of best practices in line with Oxfam internal and donor communication and visibility guidelines.
• Work with technical advisers and Country MEAL coordinators on sector focused assessments/studies/research, when relevant, co-lead and supervise field data collection, data cleaning and analysis and interpretations and produce reports.
• Review and coordinate finalisation of survey and evaluation reports and ensure data quality including timeliness, relevance, accuracy, completeness and consistency of all program and project data of Oxfam. Ensure and coordinate the management response for these evaluation processes and the sharing of final evaluation reports.
• Support the country programme teams in the collection of quality monitoring data in a timely manner and collate/organise data received for reporting and ensure compliance with donor guidelines. This includes adaptation of inclusive approaches, SADD in particular
• Support programme teams’ internal reporting and ensure quality of the reports produced including proper utilisation of OPAL

Program Quality, Learning and Accountability

• Set up and demonstrate evidence-based processes that capture and report on overall programme quality and strategic indicators of the regional response strategy.
• Facilitate and support PMU and the country programme teams in planning and conduct of learning reviews (including RTR), reflection workshops, programme quality spaces and other programmatic learning processes and products.
• Work closely with the humanitarian learning advisor to support strategic learning processes.
• Collecting best practices, case studies which documents pathways to and how change happens as a result of programmatic interventions and partnerships.
• Support robust data collection, storage and dissemination for wider learning across all teams (intranet, communities-of-practice, mobile-based application, M&E management information system and e-learning platforms).
• Ensure knowledge management by maintaining proper storage of internal reports including PDMs, monitoring and evaluation reports; lessons learned documentations and related documents.
• Work closely with Country MEAL Coordinator partners, where appropriate, in the establishment of a safe and functional feedback and accountability mechanism per country. This includes ensuring that consultations with target reach on appropriateness of the mechanism; timeliness of responding to feedback and concerns raised; analysis of trends and commonly occurring complaints, referring them to relevant programme teams; and the producing and sharing of monthly accountability reports.
• Ensure the establishment of a functional feedback and accountability mechanism across Ukraine Response that is appropriate, safe to access and responds to concerns raised in a timely manner. Work closely with MEAL coordinators to guide and support partners establish and harmonise mechanisms that are timely, appropriate and responsive to the target reach and programme/project participants.
• Work on and consolidate analysis of trends and commonly occurring feedback, referring them to relevant programme teams as needed and support country MEAL coordinators on how to respond.
• Strengthen and promote a culture of Accountability among staff.
• Coordinating and working closely with the Safeguarding Advisor, ensure that appropriate channels for raising related issues and concerns are established, ensuring safety and confidentiality.
• Closely support the country and ensure establishment of adequate resources and processes in relation to phase-out and/or closures of programmes, projects and partnerships.

Surge and Roving Support to Country, Capacity Building, Networking and Representation

• Participate in the selection and recruitment of country MEAL staff them and other relevant programme/ partners’ staff.
• In consultation and collaboration with PMU Technical Advisers, co- lead the capacity building of staff on Oxfam Common Approach to MEL and Social Accountability (CAMSA), MEAL frameworks, tools, data collection, analysis and reporting and ensure adoption of appropriate data monitoring tools and quality of data collected.
• Facilitate capacity building using effective methods to socialise and implement MEAL framework, MEAL strategy and Accountability mechanisms to both Oxfam and partner staff.
• Attending Coordination forum, periodic internal and external meetings related to MEAL.
• Sustain effective relationship to GHT, EA and other relevant team in Oxfam.
• Act as the MEAL Coordinator for the country program during an extended absence or vacancy.
• Provide specialist M&E support to existing MEAL teams for special projects or for during increases in workload, including but not limited to:
  • Design, planning or execution of project monitoring and evaluations;
  • Leading or supporting needs assessment activities;
  • Provide technical leadership for the design, method, and conduct of surveys such as baselines and end line as well as other studies/research;
  • Providing training, guidance and technical support to staff and partners;
  • Timely reporting;
  • Accountability and learning mechanisms.

Experience, Knowledge & Competencies

Essential:

• MSc or BSc in Economics, Development Studies, Statistics/Management or another related field.
• At least five years of proven ability and experience in programme monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), preferably in the context of conflict and fragility.
• Knowledge and practice of Safe Programming and international standards like Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), SPHERE, Do no Harm, etc.
• Proven experience in gender analysis and integrating gender, safe programming and protection into programmes.
• Excellent computer skills and proficiency in MEAL-related applications and software (e.g. SPSS, Kobo, Survey CTO, PowerBi).
• Ability to work in a challenging and dynamic context.
• Excellent English writing skills and proven experience in writing donor/evaluation reports.
• Fluent English language, ability to communicate in local language would be an added advantage.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure and in response to changing needs and rapidly changing context.
• Demonstrable experience in conducting or facilitating participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning initiatives.
• Experience of working collaboratively with a wide variety of organizations in different geographic areas including government agencies, CSOs, NGOs, and private sector institutions.
• A team player with strong interpersonal skills and a highly developed ability to work in multicultural settings and with community groups of varying backgrounds.
• Developed capacity for tact, diplomacy and negotiation.
• An understanding of gender issues and experience in applying gender analysis in planning, monitoring, and evaluation with a commitment to mainstreaming gender and diversity equity issues as well as a commitment to neutrality & impartiality.
• Knowledge and experience in social research methodologies and techniques and in capacity-building of staff and partners.
• Good planning skills, with initiative, able to exercise sound judgment and can manage multiple tasks in an effective, pro-active and timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, creatively, innovatively and effectively within teams (sometimes multi-cultural) and agreed framework, as an individual that requires less to no supervision

Key Attributes:

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Other

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (https://www.oxfam.org/en/explore/how-oxfam-fights-poverty) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women’s rights (https://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/our-work/gender-justice#855afbea-dfa4-4084-a924-2e7d160e8a85).
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of Polish, Ukrainian or Romanian an advantage.
• Research background and knowledge of statistical packages (SPSS or STATA).
• Experience of working effectively within a large international agency including, people on the move response setting.
• Previous experience with big donor funded projects would be an added advantage.
• Good understanding of Protection, WASH, FSL/Cash Programming in people on the move response programming.
• Good training facilitating skills.
• Proven ability to synthesize and distil information from a variety of sources to draw lessons from project documentation.