Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, & Learning (MEAL) Specialist At Bibliothèques Sans Frontières

Note: This position is only open to Ukrainian nationals or permanent residents. All other applicants will not be considered.

About Us

Established in France in 2007, Libraries Without Borders / Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (LWB/BSF) is a global NGO that supports knowledge development and culture, especially in libraries in developing countries. We think that easy access to information and culture sharing is vital for both human growth and human rights. We work in over 20 countries, helping local communities build and improve libraries to support education, cultural access, and preservation. We train librarians, donate books when needed, boost local book industries, build library networks, and develop creative programs for better access to education and information.

By joining us, you’ll be part of a vibrant, growing organization that leads meaningful projects with social impact. We value our employees’ career growth through training and teamwork in a collaborative work environment.

Our Work in Ukraine

Since 2022, BSF has set up ‘Ideas Box Hubs’ in various locations across Ukraine, such as public libraries and displacement centers. These ‘Ideas Box Hubs’ are portable activity centers providing emergency information, protection, and emotional support. Partnering with local and international organizations, we offer a safe place for children to engage in educational, cultural, and fun activities. Each ‘Ideas Box’ contains Ukrainian books, games, and offline digital resources like educational materials and entertainment.

Now, BSF Ukraine aims to expand these ‘Ideas Box Hubs’ and build more local partnerships focused on education, mental health, and information support. Our Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, & Learning (MEAL) Specialist will play a crucial role in leading data collection and analysis to support compliance, improvement, and growth of our programs through a data-centric approach.

Position Objectives

We are seeking a MEAL Specialist who will ensure that our projects in Ukraine are effectively monitored, evaluated, held accountable both to the communities we serve and for delivering impactful results while focusing on internal and external learning. The MEAL Specialist will work closely with the Technical Advisor, Program Coordinator, and other team members to gather and analyze data. This role is essential for fostering a culture of accountability and continuous learning within our Ukraine and regional teams, as well as in collaboration with external partners. The MEAL Specialist will help improve the effectiveness of our interventions through data-driven insights and will transparently report performance metrics to donors and stakeholders.

Position Profile

The MEAL Specialist is a critical role in ensuring the quality and impact of our projects across Ukraine. Reporting directly to the Program Coordinator and working in close coordination with the Technical Advisors, this position serves as a key bridge between project implementation and data-driven decision-making, both internally and externally – they will also work occasionally with the HQ Programs Team at BSF HQ in Paris

The MEAL Specialist is responsible for the following key areas:

1. Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Develop and assist in implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks tailored to each project’s needs.
• Assist in gathering quantitative and qualitative data through partner reports, field visits, surveys, and other methodologies.
• With the programs team, develop and update a data system that meets the needs of the BSF Ukraine mission.
• Build and maintain internal and external Excel and PowerBI dashboards.
• Work closely with program teams to build understanding around the impact and effectiveness of our interventions.

1. Community Accountability:

• With the Technical Advisor for Partnerships, develop and maintain a system of accountability to beneficiaries and communities.
• Ensure that all projects are carried out in accordance with agreed-upon standards and best practices.
• Develop and facilitate community and stakeholder feedback loops to ensure the relevance and quality of our interventions.
• Work with partners to develop their own systems for community accountability and feedback, where applicable.

1. Program Learning:

• Support internal learning initiatives by sharing insights and coordinate learning sessions with BSF Teams and project partners.
• Further facilitate the exchange of best practices and challenges with external partners to contribute to the broader field of knowledge.
• Continuously update learning agendas to reflect evolving project priorities and areas of interest.

1. Reporting & Communication:

• Develop and maintain participant data dashboards for internal use.
• Analyze collected data and prepare high-quality reports for our communications teams, donors, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate clear and consistent communication between field staff, project managers, and HQ Staff in Pairs.

1. Collaboration

• Work closely with other team members, including finance and logistics, to ensure coherent project planning and implementation.
• Engage with external partners for collaborative learning and evaluation opportunities.

Skills & Qualifications

At BSF Ukraine, we recognize the value of a diverse range of experiences. If you do not meet every qualification but believe that your skills, knowledge, and drive make you a suitable candidate for this role, we encourage you to apply! We understand that traditional professional experience is not the only way to develop skills; we also welcome relevant educational and volunteer experiences that have equipped you with the skills to do this job. Our goal is to find a dedicated and enthusiastic individual who is ready to grow with us.

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in a relevant field (e.g., Social Sciences, Computer Science, IT, Statistics, etc.).
• Minimum of three years of professional experience working with or analyzing data in some capacity.
• Previous experience working with NGOs, Humanitarian, or International Development organizations. This is not required but strongly preferred.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills with experience in research or data collection and management.
• Familiarity with the challenges of data collection, along with the ability to employ strategies to evaluate data quality.
• An understanding of indicators and their measurement within diverse sectors is essential.

Required Skills:

• Skills in choosing the right methods to gather data, whether it’s random sampling or targeted approaches. You should also know how to collect and make sense of both number-based and descriptive information.
• Candidates should grasp the principles of participatory monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning, and needs assessment.
• Experience in data visualization platforms (examples: PowerBI or Tableau)
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, is essential.
• Experience with PowerBI and other Microsoft Power Automate, is preferred.
• Interest in digital education and new educational tools, platforms, and technologies is strongly desired.
• Able to build and maintain strong and productive relationships with new stakeholders.
• Thorough, organized, and reliable. Able to work autonomously with a sense of responsibility.
• Capable of adapting, managing priorities, and acting pragmatically in a busy work environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Able to coordinate and collaborate well with external stakeholders.
• Strong sense of integrity and honesty.
• Working proficiency in English.
• Fluency in Ukrainian.

Conditions of Hiring

Contract Length: 6 months, renewable upon mutual agreement

Start Date: As soon as possible!

Location: Lviv, Ukraine

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Salary: Salary based on experience and BSF salary scale.

Travel: Depending on the security situation, this position will require traveling to sites around Ukraine to visit and work with partners.