MEAL Specialist

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Background of the Project

Trafficking in human beings is a horrifying reality and human rights violation rooted in gender inequalities. People are trafficked for different purposes, but sexual exploitation remains prevalent in the EU. Moreover, with the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse is heightened. As a key strategy for the protection and empowerment of VoT women and girls and based on findings of the previous AMIF-funded projects, it is vital to support social and labor integration of women and adolescent girls’ victims/survivors of trafficking by establishing Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSSs) i.e., spaces co-created with women and girls entangled in conflict, disasters, and displacement which supports their empowerment and participation.

The main target of the Safe Hut project is third-country national women and adolescent girls who were exposed to trafficking experience, including those who have not acquired an official identification, with a special focus on women and girls who are victims of trafficking and those at risk due to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The Safe Hut project directly involves 7 expert partners from 6 EU countries (Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria), some of which have been at the center of mass migration from Ukraine in recent months.

Building on the WGSS model developed by the International Rescue Committee and based on practical experience of Centro PENC regarding the establishment of WGSS in Palermo, the project will establish and pilot 4 new WGSSs in Greece, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria and will include an additional childcare service in WGSS in Palermo. The project will also advocate for the long-term financial and resource sustainability of WGSS in 5 countries and its replication to different contexts.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact and seeing an improvement in the lives of the people we serve? Then join us!

Job Summary:

We are looking for a MEAL Specialist who will craft and implement the MEAL strategy and adapt tools and methodologies needed to assess the context for setting up new WGSS in Greece, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria and supervise overall project implementation. MEAL strategy and tools should build from previous WGSS model data collection and analysis to assess the uptake of knowledge and positive practices and consider the adaptation processes in the new contexts. IRC is also seeking to understand the efficiency of the project’s innovative area-based approaches and potential applicability to additional locations.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to Head of Programs, with dotted lines to MEAL Officer.

Other key work relationships: Program Manager; Senior Program Officer; Regional M&E Advisor; WPE Technical Advisor.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement an internal MEAL strategy laying out the framework for all supervising and evaluation activities, incl. workflows, indicators, means of verification, baseline and target values, and methods, which pays particular attention to the measurement of gender equality, the inclusion of people with different backgrounds and special needs in line with the intersectional approach of the project;

• In close collaboration with Program Manager and MEAL focal point in Italy, craft and provide partners with relevant tools, methodologies, and recommendations for assessing contexts in each launching country for setting up new WGSS.

• Help consolidates country-specific contextual briefs based on the findings of assessments run by project partners for WGSS establishment.

• Design project MEAL tools in collaboration with WGSS staff for high-quality data collection and impact measurement based on WGSS model data collection and analysis;

• Ensure the on-time execution of projects' major monitoring and evaluation events, including but not limited to the baseline survey, mid-term evaluation, final evaluation, data quality audit, and field supervision;

• Develop a timeline for monthly monitoring meetings with the WGSS staff and project experts during the WGSS piloting phase, as well as individual supervision meetings with coordinators of WGSS.

• Assist in the selection and design of feedback channels to gather qualitative data about the quality of the WGSS from the beneficiaries of the WGSSs/staff/project experts (engagement, opinions, satisfaction, achievements, relevance, self-perceived impact and benefits of the activities);

• Support on developing a public evaluation report on the efficiency and importance of WGSS, including findings from WGSS piloting and outcomes from the feedback sessions with the reference to Activity Plan monitoring report for advocacy and lobbying purposes;

• Include ethical standards for ethical implementation of all activities guiding gender equality and HRs-responsive evaluation and ensure the confidentiality of clients is protected.

Specific Deliverables:

• Internal MEAL strategy or all monitoring and evaluation activities, incl. indicators, means of verification, baseline and target values, including standards for ethical implementation of all activities, EN 15 pp

• Document including tools and recommendations for context and community dynamics assessment (i.e. questions for KIIs, FGSs with women and girls and community leaders), EN 10 pp

• Template for country-specific contextual briefs with findings of assessments and recommendations for establishing WGSS

• Template for the report on the efficiency and importance of WGSS, including findings from WGSS piloting and outcomes from feedback sessions

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Humanitarian aid, or related field.

• Demonstrated ability in developing MEAL strategies and tools for supervising and analysis purposes.

• Proficiency in spoken and written Italian and English.

• Demonstrates sensitivity and understanding of working with vulnerable women and GBV survivors.

• Understanding GBV programming is a plus.

• Dedication toward a balanced and encouraging working environment.

• Ability to ensure the highest degree of discretion.

• Familiarity with the non-discrimination principle and displays a non-judgmental attitude toward survivors or gender roles.

• Good interpersonal skills, with a good understanding of cross-cultural issues.

• Attention to detail.

• Perseverance and compassion.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: At IRC, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.

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