JOB DETAILS:
Job Description:
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager Position

About Asante Africa Foundation
Asante Africa Foundation is a globally guided and locally led non-profit educating East Africa’s youth to tackle life’s
challenges, thrive in the global economy and catalyze positive change. As an on the ground implementing
organization, invest in youth living in “off the paved roads” rural Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, empowering them
with the skills they need to be successful in school and rise above the challenges they face. Their interconnected
educational, life skills and livelihood programs, facilitated within "safe-space" learning groups, utilize learn-doteach
methodology, keep at-risk youth on the path to learning, accelerate academic classroom learning and
develop future leaders, confident labor force.
The Asante Africa Foundation is seeking seasoned East Africa Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
(MEAL) Manager will lead, guide and develop evidence-based decision-making across all functions and programs
including strategy, design, collection, analysis and reporting across Asante Africa Programs of Education, Gender
and Youth. Asante Africa is a Multi Country Organization and frequent engagement is required between Tanzania,
Uganda, Kenya and USA. This person will report to the Director Programs and Impact and the Country Manager of
Home Base. The organization is seeking a “start-up” type of leader who is strategic in nature with ability to coach
and mentor staff to continue developing, efficient and effective MEAL structures. As a critical member of the East
Africa Led Executive Management Team, you will also support overall strategic direction, leadership, and
management of the program to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of large and complex
programming serving last mile communities. Candidates’ leadership, management and knowledge will enable the
program to deliver high-quality programs and continuously work towards improving the impact.
This candidate manages the M&E team and reports to the Director Programs and Impact. Additionally, s/he works
in collaboration with country managers to ensure seamless coordination and communication between the
Programs and MEAL teams.

Monitoring, evaluation & learning Technical Expertise.
• Provide strategic MEAL leadership and direction to the team implementing programs;
• Build and manage the M&E team, with members based in East Africa and US;
• Forecast areas for future program and MEAL expansion and work with the team and donors to develop new
strategies for evaluating programs.
• Make and guide operational decisions and manage the various components of the programs dealing with M&E.
Lead the effort to manage all the program MEAL activities, independent learning studies and external
collaborations.
• In consultation with Program Coordinators, develop, review and update project results frameworks and ensure
that they logically capture the hierarchy of objectives, outcomes, outputs and indicators for the key thematic
areas;
• Develop the Project Management Plan setting out specific measurable performance indicators and targets for
overall objectives and activities and establishing monitoring systems to measure project progress.
• Provide technical guidance and support to staff to ensure programs are of good quality, innovative, in line with
AAF’s strategic plan;
• Lead writing quarterly technical and financial reports; and responsible for accurate, timely and high-quality
donor reporting as per guidelines.
• Utilize critical inputs, feedback, and assessments from evaluation partners to inform changes in program
approaches and scale-up.
• Manage Impact dashboards on the website in collaboration with the website team;
• Manage the development and maintenance of program management information system with data collected
on key thematic indicators and ensure accessibility by other staff;
• Plan for and conduct data quality audits to rapidly verify project data and assess the adequacy of data
management systems and document project best practices;
• Assist in the design and execution of baseline surveys and other evaluation studies and participate in
operations research and other data manipulation exercises to provide evidence to improve project
management;
• Compile, analyze (including the use of complimentary data sets and secondary analysis), and present data for
reporting of program progress and impact;
• Organize and facilitate quarterly and annual project review meetings
Program quality oversight
• Work with programs teams to create standards of program quality that can be effectively managed at scale
with a lean structure and cost-effective models.
• Work with programs teams to create strategies for field-staff accountability (CBOs and youth groups).
• Work with the grants team to ensure program design is accurately translated into grant applications and
proposals- especially for new programs and technical grants.
• Support launch of new programs or projects in new or existing counties or countries of operation
Strategic management
• In collaboration with each Country Manager and Director Programs and Impact provide leadership and
strategic direction for the design of AAF strategic frameworks and plans.
• Support in the development of budgets for grants and quality results for donor reports.
• Provide coaching and mentoring for Program and M&E team members for program quality and growth.
• Support the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate
application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
Others
• Represents the organization at meetings, strategy sessions, and conferences in East Africa and globally;
• Any other duties as assigned by the leadership team.

Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience
Candidate will lead all Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) aspects of Asante Africa
programs including developing strategy, refining existing M&E system, data collection, management and reporting,
generate and disseminate learning from the project, data analysis and utilization – use the data to inform project
implementation, donor reporting and the project contribution to the overall programs change ambition This also
includes overall data quality assurance for the projects.
The following may be acquired through a combination of formal or self-education, prior experience or on-the-job
training:

Education and Skills:
• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Economics, International Development, Evaluation
Research, Statistics, or a related field from an accredited academic institution and at least five (5) years of
experience in designing, managing and implementing results-based M&E activities; Preferred; Masters’
degree in the above fields with at least three years of relevant professional experience
• Certifications and publications of data analysis and presentation in Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Proven and demonstratable qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills and abilities and recognized as
an expert in this field by external organizations.

Experience:
• At least 5 years of experience working in the field of monitoring and evaluation in an
international/national level NGO with Education, Gender and Youth programs.
• Documented and Proven success in designing, implementing, and operating M&E systems from project
initiation to close out is required. Strong conceptual and design skills using theories of change, logic
model, gender and youth program indicators, M&E plan, data quality assurance and data utilization.
• Strong analytic and organizational skills; strong creative and innovative thinking skills;
• Previous experience working in the East Africa region in insecure environments is desirable but not
required.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a complex collaborative environment, including government
stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and relevant computer software skills with proficiency in
Excel and other data management systems;
a. Strong data analysis skills with proven research experience in designing, conducting or supervising
a qualitative and quantitative research.
b. Experienced in data organization (Ex. Excel, R, Python etc.) and data analyses (Ex. STATA, SPSS
etc.) software. Desirable to have experience in data visualization using Tableau software or similar
tool, experience in digital data collection tools (Ex. KoBoCollect, Survey Monkey, ODK etc.) and
Salesforce data management.
• Geographical experience of working in East Africa localities (especially Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)
Communications:
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential both in English and Kiswahili.
Managerial Competencies:
• Leadership: provides a clear sense of direction, leads by example and demonstrates the ability to carry out
the organization’s vision; assists others to realize and develop their potential.
• Mentorship of Others: Empowering others & building trust; creates an atmosphere of trust and an
enabling environment where staff can contribute their best and develop their potential.
Asante Africa Foundation also considers the following values and core competencies critical for a staff member
of the team.

Demonstrated passion for Asante Africa Foundation’s mission – www.asanteafrica.org - along with the
culture and core values of the organization is essential. High level of personal integrity and trustworthiness.
Mission Alignment & Culture Fit
● Passionate and committed to advancing opportunities for youth education and skill development
● have a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of international philanthropy and how to navigate the
funding opportunities
● Highly strategic, and comfortable with creating clarity from ambiguity
● have experiences bringing a racial justice and gender equity lens to work products and staff culture
● possess high EQ and hear what is said and unsaid.
● build trust through relationships and personal stories.
● not afraid to advocate for organizational culture and values
● set high expectations for yourself and those around you
● can celebrate the victories in the work, big and small, while continuing to work for the long-term vision
Organization Values
• Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages
diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• Integrity and transparency: maintain high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with
organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates the ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and
exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
Core Competencies
• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals
and optimize results.
• Delivery of results produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action
oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for
own action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters
in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.