JOB DETAILS:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC has been working in Uganda since 1998 supporting refugees, vulnerable host communities, and various institutions in the country notably the government, community-based organizations, civil society, and the private sector. Currently, the IRC in Uganda has a presence across five sub-regions and six refugee settlements, implementing programming in the sectors of health, protection and rule of law (PRoL), women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), economic recovery and development (ERD), and education. IRC Uganda also implements cross-cutting programming focused on systems strengthening and accountability to affected persons.

Project Overview
The IRC is soon to begin implementing an Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kampala (EKN)-funded 4-year project ‘PROSPECT SRHR’ in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda to enable women, men, adolescents and youth to achieve their Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights. The PROSPECT SRHR project aims at improving the sexual reproductive health and social wellbeing of adolescents, youth, and women in West Nile by reducing maternal mortality, the number of teenage pregnancies, instances of SGBV and child marriages, and rates of new HIV infections. The project will be implemented in 6 districts with three cluster offices in Yumbe, Adjumani and Terego. The project will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social development, and district local governments as well as other development and implementing partners in the region.

Scope of Work
IRC is seeking a Consortium MEAL Advisor for an anticipated Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kampala (EKN)-funded 4-year project ‘PROSPECT SRHR’ in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda to enable women, men, adolescents and youth achieve their Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights. The Consortium MEAL Advisor will have the primary responsibility for the MEAL function of the PROSPECT SRHR project including design, management, and implementation of systems to ensure quality monitoring and reporting of the project’s MEAL Plan for both core and field activities, development and oversight of the project’s learning agenda (including strategic inputs and documentation of learning activities), review and oversight of any research undertaken by the project, and primary support to IRC and consortium partners for the quality, timeliness, completeness and reporting of all monitoring, evaluation and research data from their activities. The Advisor will also be responsible for documenting and disseminating project successes, challenges, and lessons learned to EKN and other stakeholders. The Advisor will also be responsible for designing and conducting assessments, operations research, and evaluations to address project needs. The MEAL Advisor will liaise with and support consortium partners and the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MOGLD), Ministry of Education (MOE) to implement monitoring and evaluation (and learning) activities.

Specific Job Responsibilities:
Coordination and collaboration.
• Cultivate strategic M&E relationships and alliances with monitoring, evaluation, and learning counterparts in other EKN projects. Engage with key stakeholders, including national and subnational entities such as the MOH, MOGLD, MOE and district-level authorities to influence policy and practice.
• Work closely with technical and MEAL teams across consortium partners to ensure a shared, harmonized, and integrated MEAL approach. Align methodologies, tools, and indicators to facilitate seamless data collection, reporting, and analysis across partners.

• Reinforce the integration of cross-cutting priorities within the MEAL framework, including gender, protection, safeguarding, climate-change, diversity, equity, inclusion, and Do No Harm principles. Ensure these priorities are reflected throughout the program’s MEAL processes.

• Provide capacity building and leadership for MEAL staff across the Consortium, ensuring the adoption of innovative, adaptive, and iterative learning approaches. Lead training initiatives to enhance the skills and competencies of MEAL teams

• Represent M&E activities in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability
• Oversee the development and implementation of the Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) to efficiently track, use and disseminate performance indicators and results over the life of the project, including routine service delivery data reporting, baseline and end line assessments, and all monitoring for process and outcome evaluations
• Drive technological and social innovations in MEAL by leading pilot projects focused on data visualization and dashboard digitization. Encourage the adoption of cutting-edge tools to enhance program efficiency and data accessibility

• Provide leadership to a team of M&E professionals within the consortium partner organizations, ensuring high-quality implementation of all monitoring, evaluation and learning activities
• Develop and oversee the implementation of robust context-appropriate systems for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, client feedback systems and reporting on activity outputs/outcomes and program quality
• Lead results reporting to EKN by providing written documentation on M&E activities and indicator results for progress and annual reports, as appropriate

• Ensure alignment of project systems and approaches with national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information and reporting systems
• Manage the MEAL budget, ensuring resources are effectively allocated and utilized in a timely manner for appropriate activities. Monitor financial performance and ensure alignment with program objectives and donor requirements.

• Oversee and/or conduct targeted assessment, evaluations, and operations research, ensuring compliance with the Ministry of Health and IRC review board policies
• Provide technical leadership for surveys (baseline, midline, endline) and routine assessments (KAP surveys, Labor and market assessments, CSS) coordinating with program teams, technical advisors, and consortium partners for comprehensive data collection and quality assurance.
• Lead efforts to meet internal and external accountability commitments through effective client feedback and response mechanisms, ensuring transparency and responsiveness

• Ensure all staff, including senior management, understand and promote inclusive accountability to project clients including marginalized groups and key population.
• Establish systems to effectively manage feedback and complaints, ensuring transparent and responsive communication with communities
Research and Learning
• Support project leadership to champion holistic approaches to collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA), including design and implementation of an action-oriented project research and learning agenda, routine analysis of available health sector data sources, and application of best practices in knowledge management
• Provide technical support in the collection and analysis of operations research data, analyze the information and document evidence through evidence briefs, and make recommendations for improvement.

• In collaboration with the project team, scope and manage the successful execution of periodic knowledge-sharing events such as peer learning sessions, workshops, and project learning platforms.
• Ensure the use of digital technology for efficient data collection, sharing, evidence generation, and learning. Promote the use of advanced tools to adapt technical approaches and improve decision-making processes through real-time insights
• Ensure the protection of participant data and confidentiality during all monitoring, evaluation, and research implementation and dissemination processes

Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, public health, or related field with a concentration on monitoring and evaluation, statistics, research or a related field.
• Master’s degree in the field relevant to Data Management, Monitoring and Evaluation will be an added advantage.
• At least eight (8) years of experience designing, managing, and/or implementing project monitoring systems, data quality assurance, database management, data analysis and use, and reporting across multiple sectors, but preferably for health
• Previous experience in leading the MEAL function for dedicated projects, particularly consortium-based projects in the humanitarian or development sector
• Proven expertise in evaluations, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methodologies, operational research approaches, management information systems, data visualization, and reporting. Experience related to health programming preferred.
• Strong technical skills, including the ability to process and analyze data using government health systems e.g. DHIS2, GBVMIS, EMIS and one or more statistical software packages, including at least one of the following: Commcare, Kobo Collect, NVIVO, Advanced Excel, PowerBI and ARC GIS.
• Experience in leading MEAL teams and coaching, mentoring, and developing technical capacity of MEAL and program staff
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with EKN, multiple levels of government, and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills
• Expertise in research to practice—identifying and adapting best practices to specific project contexts
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building, and coordination
• Excellent verbal, written interpersonal, and presentation skills in English