Internals Only: Operational Effectiveness Lead (Shared Services)

YOUR MISSION The MEAL Lead provides strategic leadership and technical oversight for War Child’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems, including the Quality of Care (QoC) Framework and MEAL for humanitarian and emergency responses, across the War Child Alliance and with strategic partners. The role is responsible for the effective operationalisation of MEAL strategies, frameworks, and tools, ensuring that evidence, learning, and accountability are consistently embedded in programmes and organisational initiatives. Through line management of MEAL Coordinators and engagement in strategic planning and reporting processes, the role drives programme quality, organisational learning, and evidence‑based decision‑making at scale.      POSITION IN WAR CHILD ALLIANCE     Reports to (Solid/Management):   Head of MEAL  Reports to (Dotted/Functional):   n/a  Department:  Quality & Impact  Unit:  MEAL  Supervises (list direct reports / roles):  MEAL Coordinator(s)  (Operational) Scope:   Alliance Shared Services   What you will do: * Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of organizational MEAL strategies, frameworks, standards, and tools, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, accountability commitments, and evidence needs.  * Support results‑based planning and strategic program design processes, including the development, validation, and use of theories of change to guide planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning  * Lead the integration and operationalization of Quality‑of‑Care indicators within the War Child Alliance, implementing partners and strategic partners, ensuring consistent application and use for performance monitoring and improvement.  * Lead the onboarding of partners and implementing teams on Quality of Care and MEAL systems for EBMs and EIMs, providing ongoing technical support to ensure effective application and use.  * Oversee technical quality assurance of MEAL systems, processes, and data, including standardization of indicators, interpretation of results, and evidence generation to ensure credibility, comparability, and use.  * Strengthen organizational learning and adaptive management through consolidation and use of evidence and insights.  * Build and strengthen MEAL capacity across teams and partners through guidance, tools, training, mentoring, and on‑the‑job technical support.   * Lead the operationalization of the MEAL localization agenda, including application of the localization matrix and support to partner‑led MEAL systems, capacities, and leadership, in line with organizational commitments.  * Contribute to the development of the organizational MEAL strategy and MEAL positioning within the Alliance.   * Line manages MEAL Coordinators and oversees the performance, coherence, and effectiveness of the MEAL function across contexts, where applicable    ROLE-SPECIFIC OR CONTEXT RESPONSIBILITIES  * Provide leadership on Humanitarian MEAL, ensuring context‑appropriate, timely, and adaptive MEAL approaches that support rapid decision‑making, accountability to affected populations, and learning (through coordinating After Action Reviews) in emergency and fragile contexts.  * Lead development and governance of Quality of Care and Reach indicator guidance, systems, and tools.  * Support the design, oversight, and strengthening of accountability and feedback mechanisms to ensure meaningful participation of affected populations and response to community feedback.  * Establish and maintain EBM and reach dashboards consolidating program delivery and learning insights.  * Ensure ethical, safe, and responsible data collection, management, and use, in line with data protection, safeguarding, and organizational policies.  * Promote systematic use of MEAL evidence and learning to inform program adaptation, strategic decision‑making, and organizational priorities.  * Provide technical MEAL inputs to donor engagement, proposal development, and compliance with evidence and reporting requirements.  * Promote alignment and coherence of MEAL, Quality of Care, and evidence systems across the War Child Alliance.  * Support multi‑sectoral, technical, and rapid needs and strengths assessments.  * Ensure internal and external communication of MEAL and learning results, including contributions to communications products.  * Represent War Child in relevant global and inter‑agency MEAL, quality, and evidence networks.  * Undertake regular travel to support implementation, oversight, and learning. YOUR PROFILE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE     Education  * Bachelor’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, or a related field.  * Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is an asset.  Experience  * Progressively responsible experience in MEAL or Monitoring and Evaluation roles.  * At least 3 years’ experience working in humanitarian, development, or conflict‑affected contexts.  * Demonstrated experience designing, leading, and institutionalising MEAL systems and frameworks.  * Proven experience providing strategic and technical advisory support to country teams and partners.  * Experience contributing to organisational strategy, programme design, proposals, implementation, and reporting.  * Proven experience developing tools, methodologies, guidance, and delivering training and learning activities.  * Strong experience coordinating and leading cross‑functional teams, working groups, or communities of practice.  Languages  * Fluency in English is required for this role.   * Additional languages may be useful depending on stakeholder groups and organisational context, for example Arabic, Dari, French, Spanish, or Ukrainian  (Technical) Knowledge  * Advanced knowledge of MEAL methodologies, tools, and systems.  * Strong expertise in Quality of Care frameworks, indicators, and best practices.  * Solid understanding of accountability to affected populations approaches.  * Experience with assessment methodologies, results frameworks, learning and adaptation processes.  * Ability to design and assess indicators and measurement systems for programme and organisational initiatives.  * Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint).  * Sound understanding of ethical evidence use, safeguarding, and child‑centred programming principles.  WHAT WE OFFER * Location : We work with global teams with team members being based in different locations. War Child is currently operates in: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, DR Congo, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine (soon to be registered), and Yemen. We also have offices in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Preference is given to applicants who reside and have valid working permits. War Child does not offer relocation. * Type of Contract : Local contract with salary and secondary labour conditions based on the in-country salary scale, local T&C's will apply. * Internals only may apply. Why You Should Apply * Meaningful Impact : Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long-term, sustainable change. * Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation, and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network. * Global Reach : Play a key role in scaling a ground-breaking programme across multiple conflict-affected contexts worldwide. * Collaborative & Inclusive Culture : Work alongside passionate, mission-driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all. HOW TO APPLY Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by July 10, 2026. We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended. ________________________________________________________________________________ By submitting your application you certify that all of the statements made in your application are true, complete, and correct and are made in good faith. You understand that falsifying, misrepresenting or intentionally withholding information will be grounds for rejection of your application or withdrawal of any offer of appointment or, if an appointment offer has been accepted, this will be ground for employment sanctions, such as, but not limited to, instant dismissal. In addition, you understand that you need to submit a Criminal Record Certificate and that, if you fail to submit it, no employment relationship can be established. Disclaimer * Only applications received via our website are processed. * If we appoint a suitable candidate before the given closing date, we reserve the right to remove the vacancy from our website before that date. In such a case, any responses received after that time are not processed. * It could be that during our selection process the closing date for the vacancy is extended. If so, and you have not yet heard from us, your application will remain active.

YOUR MISSION MAIN PURPOSE The Child Protection Lead provides strategic and thematic leadership for War Child’s Child Protection work and its relate to a specific portfolio of  Evidence‑Based Methods (EBMs). The role is accountable for the vision, quality, coherence, innovation, external positioning and continuous improvement in their thematic area and on their assigned EBM portfolio. It ensures alignment with organisational strategy, the Partnership Journey Framework, internal quality standards, sectoral standards, frameworks and humanitarian best practice.     The role has oversight of an assigned EBM portfolio and its related partner onboarding journeys, thematic quality assurance and adaptive learning processes, while line managing thematic coordinators and guiding thematic coordinators. and specialists.     POSITION IN WAR CHILD ALLIANCE     Reports to (Solid/Management):   Director Quality & Impact  Reports to (Dotted/Functional):   n/a  Department:  Quality & Impact  Unit:  Technical / Child Protection Cluster  Supervises (list direct reports / roles):  Estimated 2-4 Senior Cluster Specialist(s) (Operational) Scope:   Country Programme / Alliance Shared Services  CORE RESPONSIBILITIES  * Provide strategic leadershipand vision in their thematic area of work, liaising with other thematic Leadswhere relevant.This includes driving development anduse of thematic strategies, translatingsectoral trends, evidence and standards into organizational direction andidentifyingemerging risksand opportunities in their thematic domainacross relevantcontexts and conflict phases.    * Shepherd the EBMs in theirportfolio across the Partnership Journey,ensuring coherence, quality, learning and alignment with War Child’s Care System andorganisationalpriorities, andeffectively engagingwithotherdepartments, such asPartnerships &ProgrammeManagement, Research & Development,Engagement, Operations,etc, as well as teams in their own department (HumanitarianandMEAL)to ensurehigh qualitydeliverables * Providethematicauthority and quality assuranceto War Child’swork, particularlyaround theconsistent application ofprogrammequality standardsduring theEBM Cycle (the formative,development,feasibility and effectiveness phases of the Partnership Journey),aligningwith internal frameworks, sector standards and the Core Humanitarian Standard. * Maintain strategic oversight ofassignedthematic and EBM portfolios, influencing allocation of resourcesand ensuringprioritization andcoherenceon implementation, scaling,learningand adaptationacrossrelevantcontexts/clusters and with other thematic areas, leads,and their portfolios. * Maintain strategic oversight of organizational capacityin the assignedEBM portfolio, including strategic thinkingon capacity development and maintenance,and advising onprioritization andresource allocation. * Drive continuous learning,adaptationand improvementof  EBMs, using evidence, qualitydataand learning agendas to inform decisions.This includes leading and/orfacilitatingdevelopment and execution of learning agendas,as well asdocumenting and/or compiling lessons learned across clusters/projects/partners. * Lead or contribute torelevantthematicand/or EBMlearning activities,taskteams, working groups and/orCommunities of Practice, ensuring effective collaboration,deliveryand shared learning. * Lead and managethematicCoordinators withintheassignedEBM portfolio, providing direction, mentorship, performanceoversightand professional development, as well as ensuringappropriate waysof working and matrix managementwith other relevant roles,teamsor departments. * Provide authoritativethematicleadership to partners, country teams and global colleagues, strengtheningprogrammedesign, implementation andevidenceusein all relevant context, including emergency responses. * Representand build up the profile and reputation of War Child's EBM Care System Portfolioand thematic expertise externallyin global fora, strengthening sector engagement, inter‑agency collaboration andorganisationalcredibility, and contributing to shapingpolicy and sectordiscourse.Thisincludes establishing avision and strategy for external representation influencing together with the appropriateteams and colleagues.    Each staff member is responsible for contributing to creating a culture committed to our mission, vision, internal safeguarding standards, JEDI ((Social) Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion) principles and the CHS (Core Humanitarian Standard) framework and are expected to actively promote this in their work.    These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role.    ROLE-SPECIFIC OR CONTEXT RESPONSIBILITIES  * Acts asprimaryinternal and externalthematicfocal point for an assigned EBM portfolio. * Lead the development, refinement andsocialisationofstrategies,policies, SOPs,toolsand guidance related to the thematic area. * Lead on thematiccomponents ofEBMs Partnership Packages and standard resources, providing content, inputs and advicein an effective manner and liaising with relevant teams and roles in this process.  * EnsureEBMalignmentwithinternal programming quality standards and sectoral thematicstandards.  * Contribute to mainstreamingsafeguarding, accountability and participation standards within EBM guidance and tools, working closely with safeguarding and accountability and participation experts. * Contribute with strategic thinkingand collaborate with War Child staff and partners in support of an integrated approach to education, child protection and MHPSSwithin our Care System, as well as programming that accounts for sound MEAL practices and for cross-cutting issues, such aslocalisation,climate change, etc. * Advise onthe technical/thematiccomponents of partnership agreements related totheEBMsin their assigned portfolio. * Support scalable learning approaches (e.g.blended learning, training pools,ToT/ToFmodels), driving development of EBM learningtrajectoriesand ensuringappropriate thematic/EBMcontent is provided to L&D experts. * Contribute toonboardingprocess, includingthematic and/or EBM training and mentoring to staff and/orpartners whereappropriate. * Supports operationalization andimplementationMEAL processes within their thematic area, includingintegration ofQuality of Careindicators across EBMs. * Contribute to knowledge and information management processesand deliverables, includingcontent provision to communication materials, websites, newsletters, etc. * Lead thematic inputs intoorganizational processessuch asdevelopment and delivery of strategies, annual plans,etcat team, departmental andorganisationallevels. * Collaborate closely withteams in their department (MEALand Humanitarian)and with other relevant departments such asR&D, Partnerships,Engagement and Operations. YOUR PROFILE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE Education  * Relevant academic background in thematic areal or a closely related field. Experience  * Relevant experience in the thematic area, including in humanitarian or post‑conflict contexts. * Demonstrated experience leadingthematicportfolios or thematic streams. * Experience working with partners on programme co‑creation and delivery. * Proven experience in programme design, needs assessments, learning cycles and quality assurance. * Experience developing methods, tools, guidelines, trainingmaterialsand toolkits. * Experiencefacilitatingtrainings,workshopsand communities of practice. * People management or matrix leadership experience. * Portfolio or programme coordination experience. Languages  * Fluency in English isrequiredfor this role.  * Additionallanguages may be useful depending on stakeholder groups and organisational context, for example Arabic, Dari, French, Spanish, or Ukrainian (Technical) Knowledge  * Strong understanding of quality standards, evidence‑basedprogrammingand MEAL integration. * Knowledge of cross‑sectoral integration (Education, Child Protection, MHPSS). * Understanding of localisation,accountabilityand participation principles. * Familiarity with digital collaboration and learning tools (e.g. Mural, Miro, SharePoint, MS Teams). WHAT WE OFFER Eligibility: This vacancy is open to internal candidates only. Location: We operate in a global context, with team members based across multiple countries. War Child currently works in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, DR Congo, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine (registration in progress), and Yemen. We also have offices in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Preference is given to candidates who reside in one of these locations and hold valid work authorisation. War Child does not provide relocation support. Type of contract: This is a locally contracted position. Salary and secondary employment conditions are aligned with the applicable in-country salary scale, and local terms and conditions will apply. HOW TO APPLY Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by 10-July-2026. We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended. ________________________________________________________________________________ By submitting your application you certify that all of the statements made in your application are true, complete, and correct and are made in good faith. You understand that falsifying, misrepresenting or intentionally withholding information will be grounds for rejection of your application or withdrawal of any offer of appointment or, if an appointment offer has been accepted, this will be ground for employment sanctions, such as, but not limited to, instant dismissal. In addition, you understand that you need to submit a Criminal Record Certificate and that, if you fail to submit it, no employment relationship can be established. Disclaimer * Only applications received via our website are processed. * If we appoint a suitable candidate before the given closing date, we reserve the right to remove the vacancy from our website before that date. In such a case, any responses received after that time are not processed. * It could be that during our selection process the closing date for the vacancy is extended. If so, and you have not yet heard from us, your application will remain active.