Project MEAL Expert (MEAL експерт_ка проекту)

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine, with travels to partner offices and project locations in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova

Period:    1 year  

ABOUT DKH

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) is a German non-government organization that renders humanitarian aid in 31 countries across the world. DKH supports people who are affected by natural disasters, war, and displacement and who are not able to cope on their own in the emergency situation they find themselves in. The work is guided by the Humanitarian Principles and the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS). DKH focuses on locally-led responses by working through a global network of partner organizations. Fostering localized humanitarian action and an equal partnership approach lies at the very core of our work.

As DKH is not directly implementing humanitarian projects in Ukraine, it is committed to equitable and long-term partnerships, which strengthen local partner organizations’ administrative and technical capacities.

DKH is part of the Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e.V. (EWDE), an umbrella organization with a nationwide established Social Service Agency, one of the biggest welfare institutions in Germany.

WORK CONTEXT

DKH is opening its representation in Ukraine to work with government agencies, national partner organizations, and the wider humanitarian community to provide emergency response and resilience-building initiatives across the country.

DKH is implementing humanitarian projects with selected civil society organizations in Ukraine. It is operating from its office in Kyiv.

Considering the elevated risks resulting from hostilities in certain regions of Ukraine and the volatile security situation in the country, staff must comply with all DKH safety/security and safeguarding policies and procedures.

PROJECT

Project name: “Integrated humanitarian response for conflict-affected Ukrainians and third-country nationals in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, and Romania”

The objective of the proposed response is to ensure the safety, dignified living conditions, protection, and self-reliance of the most vulnerable persons affected by the war in Ukraine. To achieve the overall objective of the response, shelter and basic needs of target populations will be covered, protection and child protection concerns will be addressed (incl. GBV and MHPSS) and livelihood and social inclusion support will be provided. Additionally, both local service providers and NGO partners will be provided with technical support for capacity strengthening. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe seeks to foster localized humanitarian action that builds on an equal partnership approach.

Under the coordination of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), who is the contractual partner of the donor (German Federal Foreign Office, abbreviated AA), the project is implemented by 6 local partners and one international partner – 2 local partners and one international partner in Ukraine, 2 local partners in Poland and 1 local partner each in Romania and Moldova. The overall project is coordinated, supported, and supervised by Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe Ukraine. The DKH regional team supports the implementation of local partners in neighboring countries.

Donor of the Project is the German Federal Foreign Office (AA)

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT

The Project MEAL Expert, by working closely with the MEAL officers and Project Coordinators of each partner organization, will ensure that project achievements at Activity, Output, Outcome and Impact levels are monitored appropriately by all project partners. In order to facilitate this, harmonization of the MEAL framework, tools, methods, and timelines will be ensured by the MEAL Expert throughout the project lifecycle. In collaboration with the partner MEAL counterparts, he/she is responsible for the monitoring of the project progress through monitoring of indicators and synchronization of achievements of MEAL milestones. He/she is part of the Project coordination structure and reports to the Project coordinator. The project initially runs from 01.07.2023 to 30.06.2024 with a high likelihood of extension. The position is project based. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Design and Manage Monitoring & Evaluation Framework

• Ensuring project M&E systems, frameworks, methodologies, tools for analysis and reporting are in line with donor requirements and the project’s intervention logic.
• By working closely with MEAL officers and Project Coordinators of each implementing partner; refining the project’s MEAL plan, including preparation of a MEAL Calendar and ensuring that the calendar is adhered to by all implementing partners.
• Actively coordinating implementing partners’ predesignated data entry and analysis tasks.
• Refining the information management system to accurately reflect the minimum data requirements of the project.
• Liaising with each project manager to check progress on the implementation of MEAL activities.
• Liaising with DKH Regional Team technical experts to ensure that sector-specific considerations are integrated into the overall MEAL framework.
• Assisting implementing partners in overcoming technical and methodological challenges and constraints during monitoring activities, adapting the MEAL framework in the light of unanticipated changes.
• Scheduling field visits for process monitoring.
• Developing streamlined data collection systems and processes for project data and activity/output tracking.

• Strengthen the capacity of the implementing partners (where needed) on accurate tracking of indicators and other MEAL aspects.

Implement and Monitor Accountability and Learning Systems

• Ensuring the MEAL findings and learning of the program are appropriately documented and disseminated at the different levels; capturing learning and indication of outcome and impact changes of the targeted communities.
• Ensuring regional accountability measures are adhered to by all implementing partners.
• Setting up and overseeing the project-bound complaint and feedback mechanism.
• Promoting the participation of beneficiaries in project monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning processes.

• Help foster a culture of mutual learning across all project partners by ensuring that lessons learned and challenges overcome are documented

Representation & Coordination

• As needed, participate in Information Management working groups at Country and Regional levels.
• Ensure that project activities of implementing partners are reported to the RRP and HRP mechanisms.

Other Functions

• To attend meetings related to his/her areas of responsibility.
• To perform any other work-related duties as required.

QUALIFICATION, EXPERTISE, AND SKILLS

Minimum Qualifications and Competencies

Education

• BA Degree in political or social science, or a related field
• Post-graduate qualification in a related field or experience in conducting MEAL activities of large-scale programs

Working experience

• Minimum 5 years of field experience in MEAL positions in INGOs monitoring and evaluating complex humanitarian projects
• Exposure and experience in successfully monitoring and evaluating consortia or multi-sectoral projects with several partners is a strong advantage
• Knowledge of cash transfer programming including practical experiences in monitoring of CVA activities is a strong advantage
• Broad working knowledge and experience of working with backdonor funded projects

Skills and Abilities

• Proven ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines and work with limited supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations at all levels
• Demonstrated skills in developing an effective MEAL framework for multi-sectorial projects.
• Experience in setting up and managing a feedback and complaint mechanism is an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Ukrainian.
• Willingness to travel to ‘insecure areas within the constraints DKH security policy
• Computer literate with significant experience in Microsoft Office and proficiency in MS Excel
• Experience in application of ACTIVITYINFO is a strong added advantage.
• Experience in capacity strengthening is an added advantage.
• Previous work experience in a hostile environment and certified attendance of a personal security course (HEIST, HEAT, etc.) is an advantage
• Ability to work in a team-based environment and achieve common goals
• Experience working with partners and in consortia is an advantage

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

• DKH team members are expected to support all efforts for increased accountability towards the beneficiaries while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of projects.

APPLICATION

• Kindly apply by sending your motivation letter and CV without any further attachments by email to the HR Officer at Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe in the Berlin office: [email protected], using the reference “Position/title Name_Surname”, in the subject of your e-mail. Further questions regarding the role kindly address to [email protected].
• Closing date: 31.05.2023. Only candidates residing in the country will be considered and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Diversity is important to us. We welcome applications from people regardless of their ethnic, national, or social background, gender, disability, age, or sexual identity.