In competition with 120 applicants, these six have been hired in the evaluation department at Norec. The department is responsible for ensuring that more than 50 billion Norwegian kroner in development aid are used in the best possible way.

“We have managed to recruit highly qualified people, and I look forward to starting to work with them,” says Henrik Nordal, Director of Evaluation.

In March this year, the government decided that the evaluation of Norwegian development aid would be moved from Norad in Oslo to Norec in Førde, effective as of 1 January 2025. A total number of nine full-time positions will be transferred. Nordal, who was appointed as director of the evaluation department in July, will start in his new position at the beginning of October 2024.

When Norec advertised the positions for the evaluation department in June, they received 120 applications from both domestic and international candidates. Six of them have now been offered jobs.

“It has been a privilege to have so many qualified applicants. We have ensured a good range of expertise that our department needs,” says Nordal.

Will contribute to the global development of the evaluation field

With Nordal, the department consists of seven people, but two more positions will be announced during the remainder of the year. The evaluation team will be complete by the start of the new year, when the department will start full operations.

“By January we will have a complete team in place to carry out the work we are tasked with,” says Nordal.

The evaluation department conducts independent evaluations of Norway’s development cooperation. These evaluations aim to make Norwegian development cooperation more knowledge-based and to ensure accountability for those involved in Norwegian development policy.

“We will carry out professionally strong evaluations that are relevant for both politicians and those who manage Norwegian development aid funds. Through our work, we will contribute to the global development of the evaluation field and help shape development aid work for the future,” says Nordal.

The evaluation department will be part of Norec’s operations in Førde, but its director will report directly to the Secretary General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The six people who have accepted positions in the evaluation department are:

Kai Brand-Jacobsen — Senior Adviser
Kai Brand-Jacobsen (45) has been hired as Senior Adviser and holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. Since 1999, he has worked in and for a variety of international organisations, including several UN organisations. He has extensive experience in long-term development cooperation, peacebuilding, and humanitarian aid.

Brand-Jacobsen has broad experience in evaluation across multiple fields spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. He is moving from the position as President, Senior researcher and Programme Manager at the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR).

Rola Hbeichi — Senior Adviser
Rola Hbeichi (48) has been hired as Senior Adviser. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Since 2007, she has worked in monitoring, evaluation, and learning within the international development and humanitarian sectors, primarily focused on the Middle East.

She has worked for organisations such as the Canadian Red Cross and Caritas Switzerland and has collaborated closely with various international organisations, including the UN and other multilateral organisations. Until recently, she held the position of Senior MEL Manager for a Global Communities project in Syria.

Muhammad Ali Kaifi — Adviser
Muhammad Ali Kaifi (31) has been hired as Adviser. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations and a Master’s degree in Energy, Environment, and Society. Since 2017, Kaifi has held various positions in analysis and research, and in recent years, he has worked as an ESG adviser in both Pakistan and Norway.

He has worked on assignments for the Asian Development Bank and has contributed to policymaking in the sustainability transition space. Kaifi also has experience from the private sector as a consultant. He is moving from the position as Adviser for Sustainability and Business Development at Svåheia Business Park in Egersund.

Laura Stana — Adviser
Laura Stana (40) has been hired as Adviser. She has a Master’s degree in Political Sociology and has — since 2010 — worked in evaluation, MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning), and research. Stana has extensive experience working in crisis contexts, including Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Chad, Haiti, and Libya. She is moving from the position of MEAL Coordinator at HEKS/EPER Ukraine.

Laura Tagle — Senior Adviser
Laura Tagle (58) has been hired as Senior Adviser. She has a Master’s degree in Economics, as well as a Master’s degree in International Development and Regional Planning. Tagle has over 25 years of experience in evaluation, having worked for multilateral organisations like the World Bank and taken on assignments for a variety of European clients. She has also held several positions within the evaluation field, including as a board member of the European Evaluation Society (EES). Until recently, Tagle worked as Lead Evaluator for the Evaluation Unit in Italy’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Anne-Thora Vardøy-Mutale — Senior Adviser
Anne-Thora Vardøy-Mutale (38) has been hired as Senior Adviser. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Politics and Development Studies and a Master’s degree in International Relations. Since 2008, she has worked in evaluation, analysis, and programme advisory roles, including at Save the Children International and UNDP.

Vardøy-Mutale also has academic, research, and evaluation experience in education, health, and governance, with a particular focus on southern Africa. She is moving from the position of Director of Partnerships and Innovation at the Southern African Institute for Collaborative Research and Innovation (SAICRIO).