Overview

ACDI/VOCA is a global development design and delivery partner that has implemented effective economic and social development projects in nearly 150 countries since 1963. We empower people to make positive changes in their lives by applying our expertise in sustainable agriculture, resilience, economic opportunity, access to finance, and equity & inclusion to create meaningful, lasting impact. ACDI/VOCA and its affiliates design and implement donor-funded projects, facilitate impact investing, deliver financial services, and partner with businesses to promote inclusive practices and build sustainable supply chains. In 2024, ACDI/VOCA was named a Top Workplace by the Washington Post and received 2024 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence recognition for its innovation, work-life flexibility, compensation & benefits, leadership, and purpose & values.

ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Strategic Learning Advisor for an upcoming Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in Uganda funded by USAID. The anticipated program will work to improve and sustain the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations through multi-year resilience food and nutrition security activities. These activities work at the individual, household, community, and institutional levels to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition and strengthen transformative opportunities.

The Strategic Learning Advisor will work closely with both technical units and M&E staff to ensure coordination, collaboration and learning across all interventions and sectors. They will play a critical role in translating formative and implementation research findings into an evidence-based activity design, as well as improving peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing and application, activity-based capacity strengthening, data utilization, and collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA). The program is anticipated to start in 2025 and this position will be based in Uganda.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with all staff to ensure CLA principles are applied, including scenario planning, theory of change use and refinement, and on-going pause-and-reflect opportunities
• Ensure the activity includes active, intentional, and adaptive learning within and across components of the graduation approach and play a critical role in incorporating refinement activities and learning into implementation
• Improve community engagement, peer-to-peer learning, knowledge capture, sharing and application, activity-based capacity strengthening, and evidence and data utilization in support of adaptive management
• Ensure robust stakeholder coordination by activity staff with entities including local partners, US government entities, host country government, international donors, multilateral organizations, and private sector investments
• Develop the knowledge management and communications functions of the program, ensuring overall quality control and responsiveness of these efforts to the technical teams’ needs; facilitate integration of these efforts throughout the project and to external stakeholders & audiences

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in evaluation, development studies, economics, or relevant field is required; master’s degree is desired.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience working with multi-sectoral development programs.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating learning and knowledge sharing processes and establishing and managing dynamic feedback systems to capture experiential learning and unintended consequences.
• Familiarity with USAID’s Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach; experience incorporating CLA approaches into large, complex programs is strongly preferred.
• Proven experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, survey design and implementation, and statistical data analysis.
• Relevant experience in food and nutrition-security, graduation approach, public health, or related fields is desired.
• Experience working in Uganda preferred.
• Fluency in English is required.

Ugandan nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.