Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL) Officer

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 who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The Ukraine crisis could become the worst humanitarian crisis Europe has seen in decades. More than 5.3 million people have fled across borders to seek safety in the 1st month since the escalation of conflict in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and over 6.5 million people are reported to be displaced. Reports indicate almost all arrivals in Poland are women and children, including those that are unaccompanied and separated, as well as older persons.

Between February 7-23, 2022, an IRC team undertook a scoping mission covering Poland and Ukraine to better understand the context, humanitarian and civil society landscape, and anticipated service gaps in the event of an escalation of conflict in Ukraine and consequent displacement into neighboring Poland. As of February 24th, the IRC has pivoted to emergency response, and has identified partner agencies in Ukraine and Poland to facilitate immediate assistance that can be used where it is most needed. Simultaneously, the IRC has established operations across Ukraine and Poland offering a robust humanitarian response to complement partner response services either in breadth or scale.

Poland is hosting the largest number of refugees from Ukraine; more than 1.5 mil. have registered for Temporary Protection (70% females and 40% children). In the second year of the crisis, more refugees are expected in Poland as the frontlines change and Russia intensifies attacks. The new arrivals are expected to be more vulnerable with increased protection concerns and basic needs. As the needs continue to evolve, the IRC proactively adapts its programming to the context to ensure efficient delivery of assistance. The IRC Poland currently provides Protection, cash, education, and livelihood support to the affected population in Poland.

Job Overview/Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking dynamic, analytical, and highly motivated individuals for the position of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL) Officer in Katowice, Poland. The ideal candidate has worked for an NGO in the programs department (e.g. design, management, monitoring) and has concrete experience with monitoring and evaluation, and tracking systems and processes. The MEAL Officer contributes to overall program quality through the implementation of enhanced monitoring and evaluation, accountability, and learning strategies; the emphasis is on streamlining processes and tools for efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability throughout the project cycle across the IRC’s various sectors and grants. This position is based in an IRC Poland field office. The MEAL Officer will report to the MEAL Coordinator in Warsaw.

Major Responsibilities:

Accountability and monitoring systems

· Develop and/or update MEAL tools, databases, and monthly reporting formats in close collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator and sectoral managers.

· Support the staff in mobile data collection; using Kobo Collect, Commcare, PowerBI, and the IRC applications to collect and analyze data.

· Conduct data audits and analysis to ensure high-quality data, compile a report with relevant indicator data per grant, showing targets versus actuals and an action plan, and send this to the MEAL Coordinator, and Technical Coordinators on a monthly basis.

· Provide a quarterly gender and age disaggregated overview per grant per sector should be provided.

· Support staff on data management and storage to field staff, in collaboration with IT.

· Contribute to the rollout of IRC global initiatives related to measurement and client responsiveness and enable reporting against IRC global standards and requirements.

· Set up feedback channels for all sectors or per location depending on the context and appropriate for conflict affected populations.

· Managing location related feedback, data collection and monitoring tools for client responsiveness that can be used by the MEAL/CRA Assistant and the field team.

Assessment, learning, and documentation

- Ensure relevant, timely, and quality support to the field office on assessments and evaluations; i.e. support in developing the survey tools, data analysis, and report writing. - Attend semi-annual meetings with other MEAL staff on project monitoring and learning updates, achievements, challenges. - Provide documentation and dissemination of key findings stemming from monitoring, assessment, client feedback channels and other learning activities. - Track and ensure organized, comprehensive electronic filing of lessons and validated findings/analyses. - When appropriate/applicable, facilitate, and participate in information sharing opportunities among IRC offices/partners/donors.

Coordination:

· Collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure an effective and smooth field-level coordination.

· Identify strategic partnerships and implement activities in collaboration with other service providers.

· Closely coordinate with the WGSS and SHLS staff on trends, community dynamics, community acceptance, to modify activities and material accordingly.

· Build and maintain relationships with partners, government institutions, other stakeholders to strengthen effective coordination of services and collaboration.

· Actively represent IRC in the GBV and CP sub-working groups and any relevant coordination meetings within Katowice.

Capacity Building

· Facilitate capacity building for other IRC staff, especially the Integrated Protection Manager, the caseworkers, and the WGSS and SHLS, on skills and knowledge related to MEAL and accountability and learning, including related IRC global initiatives. Relevant topics may include but are not limited to, crafting monitoring tools, monitoring budgets, analyzing monitoring data, conducting assessment/ evaluation, and implementing feedback mechanisms.

· Provide training on how to collect, document, refer and respond on client feedback for the focal points who manager client feedback channels.

Key Working Relationships:

· Position Reports to: MEAL Coordinator.

· Dotted line to: Integrated Protection Manager.

· Other Internal and/or external contacts:

o Internal: Regular relationships with IRC WPE, Child Protection, Protection Monitoring, and Livelihoods teams.

Qualifications

Requirements - Education:

· Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, systems science, and/or other relevant fields with at least three years of relevant professional work experience.

Requirements – Previous experience:

· Minimum of 3 years of proven experience with the first degree and 2 years of relevant experience for postgraduate degree holders preferably in an international NGO, in a similar role/with similar responsibilities.

· Demonstrated understanding of direct monitoring and evaluation experience, specifically in the humanitarian and development context.

· Proven experience developing tools and systems for, and building capacity of others in skills related to, program tracking and documentation.

· Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, including logical models, conceptual frameworks, and assessment/evaluation.

· Proven experience of implementing beneficiary complaint and feedback mechanisms.

· High proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.

· Preferred knowledge of mobile data collection tools such as Kobo Collect or Commcare.

· Familiarity with information management systems and analysis software is a plus.

· Effective, high-quality communication, writing, and interpersonal skills are crucial.

Requirements – Skills, knowledge, and interests:

· Ability to work under pressure, long work hours, and high workload.

· Ability to independently coordinate work and prioritize tasks.

· Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.

· Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

· Applicants, and especially women, having experience in a refugee setting are encouraged to apply.

Requirements – Language skills:

· Fluency in English is a must. Ukrainian and Polish language skills are an asset.

Requirements – Compliance:

· Strict adherence to humanitarian, protection, CP, and GBV principles and standards, as well as organizational policies including Code of Conduct and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA).

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients at all times is essential.

Must have the right to work in Poland.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and makes sure policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality: The 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 the IRC, our diverse clients, partners, and staff have the power, voice, and agency to shape programs and operations. We actively work to end all forms of systemic discrimination and foster an inclusive working environment where everyone feels respected, heard, valued, and supported. The IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. The IRC encourages women to apply and work with us to reach the people most in need of humanitarian assistance, such as women, widows, and children. The IRC is committed to providing a decent and safe work environment that considers needs of women in the workplace, including through maternity leave and safety protocols.