Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Coordinator

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfilment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

This position is based in Erbil with 25% travel to other DRC offices

About the job

The MEAL Coordinator will work closely with the Head of Programmes (HoP) to strengthen DRC Iraq monitoring, evaluation, learning, accountability systems. Ensuring that the country office is complaint with Core Humanitarian standards 4 (Humanitarian response is based on communication, participation and feedback), 5 (Complaints are welcomed and addressed) and 7 (Humanitarian actors continuously learn and improve).. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

1. Technical Oversight

• Create a MEAL strategy in line with country needs and best MEAL practice, with practical guidelines which can be used and followed by the team and non-MEAL specialists.
• Lead development, harmonization, and roll out of SOPs, tools and guidelines
• Support in the creation of project, programme and country based logframes and M&E plans, ensuring that indicators are SMART.
• Provide regular technical support and guidance to Technical Coordinators, Project Managers and other relevant staff in both a structured manner and on a case by case basis, in line with M&E plans
• Assure compliance with DRC standards and procedures and alignment with global strategy,through regular coordination with colleagues in support services at Area Office and Country Office level. Liaise with the HQ MEAL department to ensure compliance and understanding with all global standards, while at the same time, promoting to HQ experiences from the field to influence HQ policy and practice
• Lead the development and implementation of Information Management (IM) platform and securely transfer large program field data, capacity build, train and support sectors and field staff to improve the field monitoring or any other monitoring needs. Provide suggestions for information management solutions, including design, key features, user interfaces, automatic analysis, data mining and automated reports.
• Ensure that DRC’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Minimum Operating Practices (MELMOPs) are understood and adhered to, completing the annual compliance check, and ensuring areas of weakness are incorporated into country-wide policy and/or practice
• Support Technical Coordinators to use pre-agreed indicators for core areas of work.
• Complete regular field visits to ensure technical oversight and support, identify needs, and ensure quality programming
• Support integration of DRC programming, under guidance of HOP

   

  2. Project and M&E Implementation, Coordination and Oversight

• Coordinate with field staff to develop tools and methods to improve data collection for example, surveys, assessment and beneficiary data
• Link with data and grants management tools developed to collect information and profiling. Support team to use these tools on all projects activities levels. (Excel, SPSS, ODK, SurveyCTO…)
• Organize, participate and collect field data and process / analyse this data. Take part and carry out assessments, evaluation and any other form of survey or review of projects. Undertake field trips and do physical observation on on-going projects
• Undertake in-depth internal evaluations, especially on projects which will not have any external review.
• Finalize data collection tools, such as surveys and questionnaires developed by the MEAL team.
• Ensure all projects have adequate MEAL budget for effective MEAL work, and prioritize spend according to core needs.
• Donor focal point for M&E components of projects
• Participate in project Kick-off meetings, Quarterly Review meetings and Close-out meetings in order to highlight cross-project components aimed at replicating good practices and strengthening synergies between projects or programmes.

   

  3. Technical Line Management

• Development of harmonized job descriptions and structures in all area offices
• Develop and strengthen DRC’s MEAL department including coordinating recruitments, capacity building and performance management
• Identify technical gaps and support capacity building for technical line reports
• Contribute to setting performance objectives and performance appraisals of technical staff in the same field
• When necessary, and with approval of his/her line manager, provide stop-gap support in absence of MEAL staff, in close coordination with senior national colleagues (identified by the PM before his/her absence)
• Take the lead in recruitment, supporting and management of all external evaluation consultancies of large DRC projects implemented in Iraq, ensuring all projects are complaint with HQ guidelines on evaluations (thresholds plus post evaluation efforts).
• Provide capacity building to MEAL and non-MEAL staff in key areas of project planning, M&E, Accountability, Qualitative and Quantitative research techniques and analysis.
• Technical management of all senior members of the MEAL team, creating a suitable MEAL structure across all areas and the Country Office to ensure adequate MEAL support.

   

  4. Accountability

• Coordinate the design and implementation of accountability systems for DRC projects working closely with Area Managers and Technical Coordinators
• Build the capacity of staff to plan and implement effective accountability systems for the country programme
• Strengthen the country program’s beneficiary and feedback complaint mechanism and set-up new systems as the program extends to new geographical areas
• Organisational focal point on Core Humanitarian Standards, ensuring local compliance and reviews across all standards. Liaising with regional colleagues responsible for accountability, compliance and risk management.

   

  5. Learning and Project Quality

• Guide the regular sharing of the outputs and the M&E findings with projects staff and implementing partners
• Regularly present key M&E findings to the Senior Management Team for further development.
• Support DRC’s aim for further strengthened integrated programming and actively propose ways of achieving this using M&E findings.

   

  6. Other

• Raise any issues of non-compliance and assure compliance with DRC standards and procedures
• Coordinate with Comms/Advocacy for success story content, communication tools, etc.
• Provide regular updates to HoP and SMT
• Any other duties as agreed with HoP

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have a Minimum of 5 years of work experience within the field of monitoring and evaluation, of which 3 in a similar management role; Moreover, we also expect the following:

 Required

• Experience working with International NGO’s, UN agencies, line ministries and/or local authorities, preferably in migrants/refugee settings in complex emergencies;
• Experience working in monitoring and evaluation of WASH, shelter, CRI/NFI, Cash/ livelihoods and protection sectors in an emergency context
• Experience in developing/ guiding information management systems for large humanitarian programs
• Experience in participatory assessment and community-based monitoring approaches;
• Clear understanding of Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS);
• Experience with capacity building of national staff in the area of MEAL, and in convening and facilitating trainings and workshops
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills (English)

  Desirable

• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective and working relations with local staff and other stakeholders;
• Experience living and working in a cross-cultural, multi-sector, insecure, remote area environment, under team condition

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five 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 DRC’s vision and values. 

We offer

Contract length: 12 Months

Level: A13

Designation of Duty Station: Non-family Duty Station

Start date: 1st September 2018

 Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies.

 Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 22/07/2018

Before applying, please ensure you have a valid passport.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.

Due to the Urgency to fill this position, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and DRC reserves the right to conduct the interviews before the deadline.