Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations.

DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 800 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2024 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a highly qualified Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Operations Manager (OM) to join our team in Kyiv, with regular travels to our areas of operation to support the MEAL team.

The MEAL OM is expected to travel extensively (approx. 50% of their time) to DRC’s areas of operation which include Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and possibly others as DRC’s operational coverage expands.

The overall purpose of the role

The MEAL Operations Manager will work together with the MEAL Manager to oversee the daily operations of DRC’s MEAL team. The MEAL OM will work with MEAL officers and assistants to implement MEAL activities in line with minimum standards and project MEAL plans. The MEAL OM will travel regularly to DRC areas of operation to ensure that MEAL staff are supervised, trained, and well-supported in their ongoing work, and that MEAL outputs are to a relevant standard and in line with donor requirements. This role has a country focus and ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines within the country.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Quality Management

• Responsible for the development and implementation of 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.
• Work with area-based MEAL staff to regularly update activities and indicators according to internal procedures and donor reporting requirements.
• Work with the MEAL manager to operationalize MEAL deliverable such as baseline and endline evaluations, needs assessments etc. in line with donor requirements and DRC program priorities.

Programme Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Work alongside the MEAL manager to develop and continuously update accountability strategy and lead on implementation of programme wide feedback and complaint mechanisms.
• Work with the MEAL manager to ensure that DRC’s team members are supporting all efforts towards accountability, specifically to beneficiaries and in line with international standards, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of DRC projects.
• Support the MEAL manager to development systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of program outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on program outcome and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes.
• Design and manage evaluations in compliance with DRC evaluation policy, from development of ToRs, to advising management on approval of final report, to dissemination of evaluation.
• Support the MEAL manager, program managers, Head of Programme and others to present key findings to the Senior Management Team for further development.

Capacity building

• Provide timely and high-quality advice to programme managers and staff as required;
• In cooperation with the MEAL manager, develop capacity building plans and operationalize these through trainings and ongoing support and oversight.
• Manage the MEAL team including area-based officers and assistants.
• Proactively support and advise on recruitment and induction of MEAL and relevant programme and project staff.

As Operations Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:

• Accountable for people management of employees, usually working in the same area of work
• Accountable for ensuring that agreed work plans and tasks set by the next-level up Manager are implemented on time
• Hiring and termination of employees and conducting performance appraisals (closely overseen by the next-level manager)

Supervisor responsibilities

• Coordinates the daily activities of the area based MEAL team members

Roles reporting to this position: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning staff (officers and assistants)

Reports to: MEAL Manager

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 3 years of technical experience in M&E, and information management. Moreover, we also expect the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in development economics, statistics, research methods, or a similar field.
• Previous staff management experience.
• Proven ability to create and utilize qualitative and quantitative M&E methods and analyses in organizational planning.
• Full professional proficiency in English.

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 uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to our values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer:

• Contract length: Open ended contract after successful completion of three months’ probation period.
• Band: F1 – management
• Designation of Duty Station: Kyiv
• Start date: asap

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national staff.

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: 9th December 2024

We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, interviews might be conducted on a rolling basis. DRC reserves the right to select candidate before the vacancy close date.