International Rescue Committee Hiring Regional MEL Qualitative Consultant – Remote Consultancy Opportunity|Apply by 10 Sept 2026
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking an experienced Regional MEL Qualitative Consultant to support a regional learning agenda focused on Early Childhood Development (ECD) across humanitarian and development settings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
This is a consultancy opportunity for professionals with experience in qualitative research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL/MEAL), thematic analysis, humanitarian programming and evidence-based reporting. The consultant will work with teams across Lebanon, Syria and Jordan to analyze qualitative data and develop country and regional learning reports.
The position offers an estimated 17–20 working days between November 2026 and May 2027, with a daily rate of USD 200 and an estimated total contract value of USD 3,400–4,000.
Opportunity Overview
Job Title: Regional MEL Qualitative Consultant
Organization: International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Job Type: Consultancy
Location: Regional/Remote collaboration
Expected Duration: November 2026–May 2027
Estimated Working Days: 17–20 days
Daily Rate: USD 200
Estimated Contract Value: USD 3,400–4,000
Closing Date: September 10, 2026
The consultancy is designed for a professional who can analyze qualitative interviews, identify themes and patterns, synthesize findings and transform research evidence into practical learning products.
About the Project
IRC’s Regional Early Childhood Development team is working to generate evidence about what works to improve the wellbeing, development and learning of young children in humanitarian and development settings.
The learning agenda covers programs in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and is structured around 15 learning questions across four major domains:
- Strategic Fit, Relevance and Coherence
- Local Partnerships, Ownership and Institutionalization
- Fidelity
- Scalability and Sustainability
The findings will be used to inform IRC programming, policy, advocacy and decision-making while helping partners improve their approaches to Early Childhood Development.
Key Responsibilities
The Regional MEL Qualitative Consultant will support the analysis of approximately 20 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) conducted across the three countries.
The consultant will be responsible for:
- Summarizing qualitative interview transcripts according to the 15 learning questions and four learning domains.
- Translating relevant Arabic summary points into English.
- Extracting important quotations that strengthen the analysis.
- Conducting thematic analysis of qualitative interviews for Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
- Developing three country-level learning reports in English.
- Conducting regional analysis and synthesizing findings across the three countries.
- Developing a regional learning report addressing the 15 learning questions and four learning domains.
The consultant will therefore play an important role in turning qualitative research data into clear, useful and evidence-based learning.
Deliverables
The successful consultant will be expected to produce several key outputs.
These include English summary notes for each qualitative interview, three country learning reports covering Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, and one regional learning report synthesizing findings across the countries.
The consultant may also be expected to revise deliverables if IRC determines that they do not meet the required quality standards. Such revisions will not result in additional billable days.
Working Schedule and Payment
The consultancy is expected to require approximately 17–20 working days.
The indicative schedule is:
- November 2026 – 2 days
- December 2026 – 2 days
- January 2027 – 2 days
- February 2027 – 2 days
- March 2027 – 2 days
- April 2027 – 2 days
- May 2027 – 5–8 days
May is expected to be the busiest month because the country learning reports and regional synthesis will be developed during this period.
The consultant will receive USD 200 per working day, resulting in an estimated contract value of USD 3,400–4,000. Payments will be made following approval of completed work and submission of timesheets.
Depending on project needs, performance and availability, the consultancy could potentially be extended into Year 3.
Requirements and Qualifications
Applicants should have demonstrated experience in qualitative data analysis, particularly thematic coding and synthesis of findings from FGDs and KIIs.
Relevant experience in qualitative research, evaluations, learning reviews or applied research in humanitarian and development settings is highly important.
Other desired qualifications include:
- Strong analytical writing and editing skills.
- Ability to synthesize large volumes of qualitative information.
- Experience producing reports, briefs and learning products.
- Knowledge of MEL/MEAL approaches and frameworks.
- Experience with multi-country or regional research initiatives.
- Professional proficiency in Arabic and English.
- Experience working remotely with regional and country teams.
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
Experience related to Early Childhood Development, education, parenting or child wellbeing programming is strongly preferred.
Knowledge of humanitarian and development contexts in MENA, particularly Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, would also be an advantage.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified professionals should review the full vacancy details and submit their application through the official IRC recruitment platform.
Closing date: September 10, 2026.
Applicants should ensure their CV and supporting materials clearly demonstrate their experience in qualitative research, thematic analysis, MEL/MEAL, humanitarian or development programming and analytical reporting.
Final Takeaway
The IRC Regional MEL Qualitative Consultant opportunity is well suited to experienced qualitative researchers, MEL specialists, evaluation consultants and learning professionals who can work with complex interview data and transform evidence into practical recommendations.
With a USD 200 daily rate, an estimated contract value of USD 3,400–4,000, and a flexible consultancy schedule extending through May 2027, this opportunity may be particularly attractive to professionals with regional or international research experience.
Apply before September 10, 2026, and make sure your application highlights your qualitative research, thematic analysis, MEL and evidence-synthesis experience.
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