JOB DETAILS:

OVERVIEW 

Are you passionate about being an advocate for children? Do you want to use your expertise to bring about lasting change for children and be a part of an inspiring, dynamic global movement?

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The MEAL officer will provide oversight for the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) function. The role involves establishing and ensuring the use of basic Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools to adequately plan, monitor, and report on project activities, outputs, and outcomes in a timely manner. In collaboration with the National MEAL Manager (NMM), Head of MEAL, Project Manager (PM), and the project team, the position ensures the development of project information briefs and the regular sharing of updates with stakeholders. It also supports the establishment of a mechanism for collecting, tracking, and responding to feedback and complaints from project partners and stakeholders.

Together with the PM, NMM, and Technical Advisor (TA), the role ensures that the project applies quality benchmarks during the implementation of activities. It also contributes to identifying a learning agenda for the project, planning learning activities, and documenting lessons learned. In addition, the position provides technical support and supervision for data management to ensure that data informing progress on outputs and outcomes is collected accurately and in a timely manner. The role supports training of project staff and partners on quality data collection and management, including the use of data to inform decisions.

Sounds interesting? Read more below

THE ROLE 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

A: Program design: 

• Assess the needs of the target communities in the areas of livelihood and nutrition as may be required from time to time as a basis for designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs.
• Actively involved in participatory community problem analyses for program design through outcome mapping, learning events etc.
• Document critical lessons and challenges to be used for program design which should be in the Save the Children strategic learning Agenda while ensuring that the learning agenda is fully understood and used by the program team.

B: Establish and maintain a robust MEAL System

Under supervision of the National MEAL Manager, and working closely with Program teams and Technical Advisor, the MEAL Officer is responsible for

• Supporting the development and review of program key documents (Theory of Change (ToC), Log frame, M&E plan, Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT), project beneficiary database that is updated regularly with unique ID assigned to beneficiary to track duplicates in close collaboration with Project teams and partners.
• Ensuring effective utilization of the MEAL system by all program staff. This will involve the development of tools and processes, building capacity of staff and partners to use these tools and processes as well as providing ongoing technical accompaniment required for this to happen.
• Support regular and accurate project performance reporting using the Project Reporting Information Management and Evidence System (PRIME)
• Ensuring data-driven and evidence-based reporting and data driven decision making on delivering KPIs by putting in place mechanisms and procedures for electronic data capture, analysis and reports generation, including proper filing of all M&E documents for easy access and retrieval.
• Conducting, analyzing and disseminating periodic outcome monitoring, evaluations, program studies and research and disseminate the findings for use.
• Implementing quarterly data quality assurance activities according to the M&E plan (e.g. data verification and spot checks).
• Conducting monthly QB monitoring (at least 80% of activities implemented) and ensure that improvement actions are developed & logged into the action tracker for follow up.

C: Design and operationalize Accountability mechanism 

• Support the project team in the development of information sharing materials/briefs, posters and brochures, and dissemination of program information materials to relevant stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries.
• Facilitate program staff to set up relevant contextualized feedback and complaints infrastructures, mechanisms, and approaches to receive feedback and complaints from beneficiaries including children
• Collect and manage complaints and feedback in close coordination with team, track timeliness of response to complaints and maintain an updated complaints tracker
• Adopt Child Safeguarding and Safe programming into accountability mechanisms for the consortium
• Ensure that all research on human subjects is submitted as per Save the Children’s Ethics Policy, to the Ethics Review Committee to minimize any harm and ensure informed consent.

D: Integrate ICT in the project MEAL system 

• Support implementation of SCI Management Information System (MIS) and integration of Geographical Information System (GIS) reporting and coordination Support GIS mapping and dissemination of MIS/GIS reports. Provide MIS content/requirements and feedback to MEAL team and document progress on indicators/achievement of targets
• Enhance use of digital data collection, through the use of Kobo, ODK, or other programs.
• Ensure safeguards and integrity of data management on MIS and/or other online platforms in line with the data protection policy.

E: Build culture of Learning and Knowledge Management

• Participate/coordinate the design of quantitative and qualitative participatory evaluations (baseline, annual and final evaluations), assessments, reviews and other special studies in conjunction with Save the Children technical staff and partners.
• Facilitate documentation of the programmes results, impact, best practices and the most significant changes.
• Document learnings and best practices; disseminate learnings, reports, publications and participate in learning sessions, and ensuring that the lessons learnt are utilized to inform programming and advocacy, in line with Save the children learning Agenda and country strategic plan and approach.
• Support conceptualization and planning of learning events/activities
• Pull out the country learning agenda and customize them to the specific program learning questions to be used by program staff.
• Ensure and spearhead program reflection meetings quarterly, Bi-annually and annually while reviewing the leaning Agenda and checking if the available data answers the   learning questions.

F: Planning, Budgeting and Reporting:

• Coordinate with Technical and operations teams for appropriate allocation of MEAL resources and budget in annual Pipeline and Resource Estimate Proposal (PREP) work plans and ensure MEAL has an independent budget which is tracked by the MEAL coordinator.
• Provide day-to-day direct support to project team and partners in preparation and reviewing of plans and reports.
• Oversee the MEAL budget utilization and ensure timely implementation MEAL activities.

G: Communication and Networking 

• Create and sustain positive working relationships internally with other technical staff; externally with the district local government and CSO partners, and other stakeholders, and also maintain an up to date understanding of key development trends in the project area.
• Represent the project in various thematic coordination platforms at the district as may be requested by the line manager.
• Ensure coordination with the government activities and structures in the implementation of the projects.

H: Capacity building of program teams

• Identify the capacity gaps and needs of the project staff in MEAL, program quality and utilization of the MEAL system.
• Develop a learning/capacity building matrix to ensure teams capacity are built through continuous mentorship, coaching, training etc.
• Track performance of the team based the area of Capacity built.

To be a strong supporter and advocate for children in this role you will need to have:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in either Statistics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, computer science and related humanities courses. Minimum of three years working experience in monitoring and evaluation (preferably in Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihood related programming in Uganda, with an International or national NGO).
• Expertise in using mobile data collection apps including Kobo, ODK, Survey CTO and using excel and one statistical application either SPSS or STATA or R for Analysis etc. will be an added advantage.
• Experience of working with District Local Government, humanitarian implementing partners and Education consortium in emergency programs.
• Knowledge and use of various survey methods for monitoring of district health and livelihood programs
• Experience and skills in providing training and mentorship to project teams, district level partners in Health Management Information System (HMIS), data collection, management and reporting
• Computer literacy, particularly in Word, Microsoft Excel, Statistical Packages like SPSS, STATA and PowerPoint

Desired

• Effective interpersonal skills – networking, oral and written communication skills, ability to communicate via email as well as the use to Microsoft TEAMS and other communication technologies.
• Diplomacy and Confidentiality, Planning and organizing skills.
• Familiarity with Nga’karimojong or other local languages spoken in the Kara