Country MEAL Manager (National Position)

About the job

The responsibility of the MEAL Manager is to ensure that all MEAL-related aspects of the ZOA Uganda projects are in place and that MEAL and other project staff are organizing their monitoring and reporting on project output, outcome and impact indicators as defined in the MEAL framework.

The MEAL Manager is responsible to ensure there is an appropriate and functional feedback & complaint mechanism in place for ZOA Uganda. The position provides technical support to documentation and learning initiatives across the country programme.

Responsibilities

Programme Quality

• Supports the Manager Programme Quality (MPQ), Country Director (CD) and Programme Managers (PGMs) on the development and implementation of the MEAL strategy for ZOA Uganda, in line with the Country Strategy Plan for 2023-2025.
• Supports and advises MEAL staff and project teams (at programme and project level) to deliver MEAL activities within projects and programmes, ensuring that MEAL activities are carried out in accordance with existing SOPs.
• Responsible for adherence to ZOA MEAL Framework and compliance with ZOA, donor, national and international guidelines, policies and standards related to MEAL activities in the implementation of projects.
• Lead the design and development, implementation, and maintenance of monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) tools, including the use of standardized indicators.
• Contributes to ZOA Manager training and follow-up of ZOA Manager training needs among project staff, especially around data management, storage and updating data.
• Ensures that MEAL in project design and implementation is gender-specific and inclusive.
• Provides technical support to assessments, studies, evaluations and any other form of research work within ZOA.
• Ensure there is an evidence-based approach to the proposal development and project design processes.
• Leads identification of MEAL requirements for proposal development, project design and budget for all MEAL-related activities.
• Drives MEAL-related capacity development for ZOA and partner staff, including conducting topic specific trainings for the MEAL officers & Project team.
• Ensure adoption of the relevant software recommended by ZOA international to support MEAL activities i.e., Kobo toolbox, CRISP (land demarcation software), Power BI, and Q-GIS among others.
• Promote the use of qualitative techniques i.e., documentation of Most significant change stories, storytelling etc. to complement quantitative data collection in ZOA Uganda projects.
• Contribute to project review meetings.

Beneficiary Accountability

• Functionalize a system and SOPs for operational complaint and feedback mechanisms.
• Conduct staff and partner staff capacity building on the existing complaints and feedback mechanism
• Support the design of sensitization materials for complaints and feedback mechanism.
• Ensure utilization of feedback received, including trend analysis, and closing of the feedback loop.
• Responsible for the quality and consistency of data management and beneficiary accountability in all programmes.
• Supports the PGMs and PMs/PCs in the development of beneficiary accountability tools throughout the programme; interact with BA working group of ZOA HQ.

Reporting/Digital Data Collection/ project visibility

• Contributes to timely submission of project data, beneficiary feedback and information sharing on projects (Accountability to affected populations)
• Develops visibility material (project sheets, flyers, leaflets) to be used for inception meetings, contact with communities, donors, and partners.
• Provides guidance around the proper use of ZOA and donor logos for visibility purposes and project information.
• Collaborates with ZOA staff and external partners and consultants on planning for assessments and evaluations
• Provides monthly, quarterly, and annual reports with MEAL input
• Provide operational MEAL updates to support decide programmatic decisions during MT
• Integration of ICT in MEAL including online data collection and tablet management

Knowledge Management

• Contributes to the development of knowledge management at a country level and contributing to organization wide knowledge management.
• Disseminate learnings in an accessible manner from projects, evaluations, assessments with the broader community of practice and project teams.

Authority

• The MEAL Manager provides technical support to MEAL staff within projects; and is the direct line manager of MEAL staff in the country programme
• The MEAL Manager will conduct performance appraisal of all MEAL staff as required by HR department and participate in the recruitment of the MEAL team.
• Builds a strong MEAL team with a culture of learning, adaptation and collaboration.
• Facilitate the recruitment of MEAL staff, regularly review team structure and job descriptions. Complete performance review processes for the MEAL team.

Accountability

• The MEAL Manager is accountable to the Manager Programme Quality.

Accountability to participants

• Sensitise all stakeholders (beneficiaries, service providers, partners, government and other) on feedback and complaint mechanisms implemented by ZOA Uganda
• Upon receipt of a complaint or feedback, ensure that it is correctly documented following correct reporting procedures
• Understand ZOA’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies, ensure adherence to these policies and that project activities are implemented with a “Do No Harm” approach.

Collaborates with.

• Partner organization MEAL teams and ensure there is synergy.
• Collaborate with external partners like UNCHR, GIZ, MLHUD and sector specific working groups.

Knowledge & Experience:

• University degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Science, Data Science, Economics, Business.
• Significant experience in managing MEAL processes, at least five years.
• Excellent communication skills, a high level of written and spoken English, including editing skills.
• Advanced skills in data analysis as well as in MEAL concepts and methodologies.
• Experience with statistical software.
• Training experience in MEAL design and implementation.
• Research skills
• Capacity for analyzing and synthetizing comprehensive information & technical data, ability to write clear and well-argued assessment reports.

Skills/Attitude

• Ability to facilitate trainings and workshops, experience leading a consultative process to develop and finalize a Theory of Change is an advantage.
• Logical thinker.
• Strong organizational, critical analysis and problem-solving skills; with excellent attention to detail.
• Training skills
• Customer-friendly attitude and Interpersonal sensitivity
• Result-oriented approach.
• Initiative.

Attitude/behaviour:

• High level of personal integrity.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Interpersonal and cross-cultural sensitivity.
• Able to work under pressures and meet deadlines.
• Able to work in a sometimes fluid and innovative environment.
• Commitment to ZOA’s mission, vision and values (see https://www.zoa-international.com/corporate-identity)

Salary and other terms of employment

The MEAL Manager will be based in Kampala. Regular field visits to the project locations/ other districts in the region are anticipated, for several days at a time.

The role is 1.0 FTE (40 hrs/ week). Working hours are outlined in the ZOA Uganda Conditions of Service. Some flexibility on working hours may be required, e.g. for travel at weekends, or during reporting times.

The role is recruited at Grade M2a in the ZOA Uganda 2024 salary scale.