Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist

Location: Gambella

Reports to: Protection Manager

Grade – G

Start of Contract & Duration: One year

Posting date: June 23, 2021

INTRODUCTION

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region, and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender-based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB

Under the direct supervision and management of the Gambella Area Manager, the MEAL Specialist oversees all aspects of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning for the Gambella area office including Dima, ensuring that the area office’s MEAL activities are in line with the country office MEAL framework as well as DRC global Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning Minimum Operational Procedures (MEALMOP). The MEAL Senior Officer will provide technical support to all projects in designing MEP, developing detail implementation plan, review performance monitoring tracker, updating the indicator tracking table and in reviewing internal as well as external reports in collaboration with the country MEAL Manager.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Monitoring and evaluations

• Develop and maintain Gambella area office M&E system in accordance with DRC minimum operational procedures for MEAL and DRC Ethiopia MEAL framework
• Facilitate and provide Gambella area office level MEAL related capacity building trainings and meetings on M&E
• Lead Gambella area office sector-specific data collection tools development and ensure their proper use by implementing teams.
• Participate in and lead data collection in the field, training of data collectors and support and facilitate data analysis
• Develop MEP, DRC’s Performance Monitoring Tracker (PMT), indicator tracking table (ITT) which will be used by the program and MEAL teams to provide monthly updates and analysis of progress against indicators
• Support the program team in DIP development and actively participate in organizing kick off meetings
• Lead field-level assessments, including baseline, mid-term, end-line and post-distribution monitoring surveys.
• Conduct regularly field monitoring visits and lead verifications exercises across programmes to ensure beneficiaries are registered and selected for assistance in line with sector objectives, program criteria and humanitarian principles.
• Provide support in preparing and reviewing reports and verifying consistency between collected data, means of verification, and the PMT and donor reports
• Facilitate and lead internal project audits with an eye to ensuring means of verification are documented and reflect data reported by the implementing teams.

Quality Management

• Responsible for the development of log frames, MEAL plans in pursuit of high impact and cost-effective program strategies and activities.
• Participate in project Kick-off meetings, review meetings and close-out meetings in order to highlight cross-project components aimed at replicating good practices and strengthening synergies between projects or programs.
• Manage joint cross-sectoral assessments, evaluations, baseline and end line studies etc.

Accountability and Learning

• In collaboration with the MEAL Manager, lead field-level learning events to capture, document and disseminate lessons learned for internal and external purposes.
• Organize area office level quarter review meetings and annual review meetings and capture the lessons and share
• Facilitating trainings on Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), and beneficiary feedback and response mechanisms.
• Lead the implementation of and compliance with DRC Ethiopia and Djibouti’s Beneficiary Feedback and Response Mechanism, and all associated tools and SOPs, in the field office.

Capacity building

• Provide timely and high-quality advice to field program managers and staff as required;
• Capacity build, train and support sectors and field staff to improve the field monitoring or any other MEAL needs.
• Manage the field MEAL team.
• Proactively support and advice on recruitment and induction of MEAL and relevant program and project staff.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. 

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. 

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. 

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.  

Job Requirements

• At least an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Statistics, Urban development or relevant discipline. A first-level university degree in combination with 5 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 4 years of MEAL and Knowledge Management experience within the humanitarian or NGO field.
• Experience in data collection, analysis using different software’s such as SPSS.
• Proven ability to create and utilize qualitative and quantitative M&E methods and analyses in organizational planning
• Demonstrated competence to assess priorities, and concurrently manage a variety of activities effectively to meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit updated CV and cover letter explaining their motivation and why they are suited for the post.

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies.

Please note that we receive applications up to July 4, 2021.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult here

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, color, race, marital status or other protected characteristics

We encourage only qualified Ethiopian Nationals to apply. DRC considers all applicants based on merit.