JOB TITLE:  Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (Self-reliance, retailers, Agricultural Systems, Assets creation and Livelihoods, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

WFP’s Country Strategic Plan 2018-2022 has six strategic outcomes and is fully aligned with national policy objectives, including Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Third National Development Plan (NDP III). Through the CSP, WFP addresses the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition, supports the refugee response and strengthens social protection systems. WFP assistance is provided through direct implementation, evidence generation, knowledge sharing and capacity strengthening, while building strategic partnerships including through South-South and Triangular Co-operation.

In support of WFP Country Office in line with the Country strategic plan (CSP), the Research, Assessment and Monitoring unit undertakes regular large-scale surveys, monitoring activities, rapid assessments, and mapping services to inform with updated food security information including economic and price data. These helps programmatic, policy decisions and advocacy efforts.

The Research Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) portfolio includes activities to address national and local-level capacities with the potential to support the management of disasters and climate change risks, through the automatization of processes, and systems, promoting innovations and analysis of existing data, data collected using mobile technology, modelling, forecasting, and geospatial analysis. Under RAM, WFP Uganda ensures to reflect the concerns and needs of our beneficiaries, and the availability of high-quality data from the Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM), and Community engagement.

RAM is a core area for WFP and forms the basis for our operations' design and support. Prior to any intervention for Disaster Risk Management and Response, WFP in coordination with government and partners, undertakes an analysis of the food security situation and answers some critical questions: who is food insecure or vulnerable and why?; how many are they and where do they live?; what should be done to save their lives and livelihoods?; how is the situation likely to evolve and, what are the risks threatening them?

Related to changing lives activities, RAM provides geospatial and economic analysis, food security monitoring and assessments, and thematic analysis (related to climate change, resilience, markets and food systems). This contributes to effective targeting and defines the most appropriate type and scale of intervention (such as food distribution, school feeding, and cash-based transfer programmes).

In 2024, WFP Uganda CO has prioritized the refinement of the prioritization model for General Food Assistance, the launch of the self-reliance model and strengthening transformative food systems, the expansion of Cash Based Transfers, the strengthening of retailers monitoring, the strengthening of social protection systems, climate-sensitive approaches, the nutrition strategy and the continuous work to support evidence-based decision making processes.

Therefore, in this role, you will contribute to enhancing assessments, monitoring and any tool to ensure accountability to affected populations in Uganda CO, under the Self-reliance, retailers, Agricultural Markets, Assets creation and Livelihoods, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action initiatives.

KEY ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The M&E Officer (Self-reliance, retailers, Agricultural Markets, Assets creation and Livelihoods, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action) will act as a technical lead on the implementation of the strategy and action plan, will supervise the M&E assistant and will operate with a high degree of independence. It will be involved in RAM activities and will report to the M&E Officer (Deputy Head of RAM), under overall coordination of M&E team lead, will work closely with the Community Engagement and Feedback Mechanism Officer, VAM Officer (Team lead), VAM Officer (Climate, GIS and RAM Ecosystems) and will undertake the following responsibilities:

1.  Develop protocols and procedures to ensure Two-way Accountability (from implementers to beneficiaries) and Transparency of Food Security and Nutrition Assessments and Analysis
   •    Contribute to (or lead when requested) the development of assessment and monitoring exercises that will provide the most relevant and strategic information in line with the Country Strategic Plan and the Corporate Results Framework while complying with WFP needs assessment and monitoring requirements.
   •    Provide technical assistance, planning, monthly progress inputs on outcome, output, process monitoring and CEFM for Self-reliance, retailers,Agricultural Markets, Assets creation and Livelihoods, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action.
   •    Support line manager in presenting and providing recommendations from monitoring, CEFM, reviews and evaluations to ensure that follow-up actions are taken as required.
2.  Ensure that the high standards of quality, reliability, and validity of the data and analysis are in line with WFP's privacy and protection guidelines.
   •    Incorporate accountability to the affected population, protection, gender, and age perspectives in all work areas to ensure equal participation of women and men in analysis, reporting, presentations, protocols, tools, systems, and recommendations. All this will be done with outcome and activity managers and area and field offices.
   •    Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government, acting as focal point and assisting them with analysis, and quarterly reviews.
   •    Prepare analysis and ensure documentation aligned with minimum requirements is on time for Mid-Year Review, Annual Review, audits, evaluations, and programme proposals.
3.  Support data-driven, evidence-based decision-making processes in a timely manner according to programmatic and strategic needs. 
   •    Lead and conduct analysisto provide timely reports that complement food security and nutrition assessments/monitoring exercises, CEFM and accountability to affected populations.
   •    Represent WFP with partners to contribute to technical discussions, exchange knowledge and experience, and seek appropriate interventions based on evidence and areas of potential collaboration.
   •    Document and support WFP staff and partners to enable the sharing of experiences, lessons learned, research and standard methodologies.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: 

Education: Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: agriculture, agro-economics, social sciences, statistics, development economics, performance management, monitoring and evaluation or other related fields, or First University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

-    Minimum of three years of relevant professional work experience coordinating and implementing monitoring and evaluation of  Self-reliance, retailers, Food Systems, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action
-    Working knowledge in food security, nutrition, and related fields.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Extensive and demonstrated experience managing teams in complex contexts, and promoting a highly collaborative and respectful workplace environment
• Coordinate and implement assessments/monitoring in related areas for Self-reliance, development, retailers, agricultural markets, assets creation and livelihoods, Climate-sensitive and Anticipatory Action

• Demonstrated proficiency in quantitative and qualitative methods, food security analysis, and data management software.

• Proficiency in statistical analysis and modelling using SPSS/ STATA, R.

• Advanced knowledge of data visualization tools Power BI and Tableau.

• Excellent communication and writing skills for producing clear, concise, and accurate M&E reports, recommendations and presentations.

• Working knowledge and experience in MS Office

Languages:   Fluency (level C) in English language and the duty station’s language, if different