Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator

Purpose of Unit
The LINK unit supports, connects, and collaborates with colleagues and partners to ensure impactful multi-country programs based on sound methodologies, evidence of progress towards objectives, and lessons learnt on what works for our Equal, Green, Fair and Safe goals. This is achieved within and beyond the Oxfam confederation through the team’s expertise and by influencing and challenging the culture and practice around monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), Research, Innovation and Knowledge & Learning.

Job Summary
As programme MEAL Coordinator, you will coordinate a small team of MEAL experts that delivers services to a multi-country programme, which is implemented by a consortium. This consists of coordinating the capacity and resources of all actors involved, leadership on MEAL methods and tools, ensuring learning, and enabling accountability (towards the donor and people we work with). In this role you need to combine leadership qualities with a solid understanding of the direct and operational parts of the design and implementation of this programme’s MEAL strategy and learning agenda. You’ll manage and coordinate the further development and implementation of MEAL strategies, in close collaboration with Oxfam colleagues, consortium partners and local partners in southern countries. Furthermore, you will lead on this programme’s knowledge-based processes and coordinate its continuous learning and adaptive management. You will provoke critical thinking among the MEAL and research colleagues to ensure rigorous MEAL and facilitate learning across themes. In the Programme Management Unit you will represent the MEAL & research colleagues and build the bridge from technical rigour to programme relevance for more impact at scale.

Although Oxfam Novib works with a pool system for all specialists in the LINK unit, this role specifically supports Oxfam Novib’s flagship programme Fair 4 All – under the Power of Voices funding framework of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs. Fair 4 All contributes to building and strengthening Civil Society capable of creating space and mobilizing people to demand and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable trade and value-chains that respect human rights, protect the environment, and promote women’s economic empowerment. It is implemented in 14 countries, 2 regions and a has a global influencing component in partnership with SOMO, TWN Africa, Huairou Commission and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Oxfam Novib leads the consortium.

Key Tasks

• Coordinate a small team of MEAL experts and coordinating MEAL activities, in alignment with consortium members and the F4A projects;
• Leading on design and implementation of MEAL plan and learning agenda for this complex multi-country programme –focusing on systems change and with a large influencing component;
• Coordinating the training of project teams and local partners to implement MEAL frameworks and providing hands on support if necessary (based on inclusive, and where possible gender- and age disaggregated, data collection methodologies and tools);
• Quality control of indicator totals, and advising on analysis of the monitoring data to facilitate reporting, learning and disseminating results at project level;
• Leading on- or quality control of the mid-term and final evaluations across domains (in close cooperation with the research team);
• Ensuring MEAL contributes to the gender transformation goals of programs, by supporting teams to use established tools and methodologies or ensuring that a capacity strengthening trajectory is developed for programs;
• Supporting teams in sense making and in harvesting key learning, by enabling them to formulate their learning agendas and implement them;
• Supporting MEAL and research colleagues in ensuring learnings are disseminated via tools such as shared digital platforms and webinars;
• Contributing to external thought leadership of our lessons learning in Oxfam Novib programmes.

Knowledge and Experience

• Education: A masters university degree in a relevant field is required.
• Experience: At minimum of three (3) years of experience in a similar role is required.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other languages is considered an asset.
• Skills and Abilities:
• Proven experience with coordinating MEAL and learning in multi-country programmes in which multiple organizations, specialists, partners and/or customers participate;
• Sets clear objectives and timelines for MEAL work, complies to agreements, and shows initiative to find solutions to bottlenecks with regard to the results intended;
• Excellent analytical skills and demonstrable ability to think strategically, innovatively and practically;
• Ability to motivate a team and coordinate tasks as well as show initiative to support technical tasks and quality management;
• Demonstrable technical knowledge, skills and experience with monitoring, outcome/impact evaluations and learning, and particularly with methodologies appropriate for the MEAL of influencing and of (online) public campaigning;
• Outstanding social and intercultural skills, and experience in collaboration with a diverse set of organizations, each with their unique profile and level of capacity;
• Strong experience and good understanding of mentoring, facilitating knowledge management and learning, including experience in designing and delivering trainings ;
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure and deadlines;
• Ability to communicate and influence effectively with teams and individuals.

What we Offer
For initial appointments, Oxfam Novib offers a contract of maximum one year with possibility of extension. The position is based in The Hague, The Netherlands. The advisor is part of a multicultural team of 12 MEAL advisors that invests in peer learning and other forms of professional development.

Oxfam is committed to providing a fair and competitive pay and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors. This position is classified in scale 10. The gross salary range is between €3.320,- to maximum €5.109,- on the basis of 36 hours per week. The applicable salary depends on relevant work experience.

Benefits typically include annual pay increases, performance-related salary increases, holiday allowance, contributions to commuting costs, vacation days, parental, care and special leave, a private bicycle scheme, pension scheme, etc.

Additional Information

• Applicants must be nationals of a European Union member State or have a valid work permit for the European Union. Please note that such is a requirement.
• This position is open to internal and external candidates, however with equal suitability, the internal candidate will be preferred.
• Applications from qualified candidates from a diverse cultural background is encouraged, in addition to applications from all gender identities, sexes, sexual orientations, races, colours, religions, abilities, etc.
• Only applications submitted before the closing date, 02 October 2022, and through our recruitment portal will be considered. Only applicants under serious consideration for this post will be contacted.
• Oxfam aims to attract a diverse mix of talented people that share our standards, values, principles, and are committed to prevent and eradicate any type of misconduct including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any other type of misuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. High priority is placed on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
• Oxfam Novib retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.
• If you have any questions about the job description, please contact Karen Biesbrouck, Coordinator of the LINK Unit MEL team, at Biesbrouck@oxfamnovib.nl