MEAL Officer- Amudat (Maternity Cover)

Position: MEAL Officer- (Maternity Cover for 3 Months) National Position

Starting date: December 2022

Duty station: Amudat Office

Reporting to: Programme Manager – Karamoja

ZOA is an international NGO that is inspired by Christian identity and the biblical message of reconciliation and restoration of a broken world with its headquarters in the Netherlands. ZOA operates in fifteen countries and on three continents. At ZOA, we provide relief and recovery to people affected by conflict or natural disasters, contribute to a new perspective of hope in which people work together for a promising future in dignity and mutual trust. Together with the affected communities, we work on the recovery of their livelihoods.

In Uganda, ZOA has offices in Kampala, West Nile (Arua), Acholi (Gulu), and Karamoja (Amudat). ZOA Uganda works both in relief and recovery on the themes of food security & livelihoods, WASH, primary/accelerated/vocational education, and conflict management with a special focus on land security.

ZOA is looking for a MEAL Officer (Maternity Cover) for its project being implemented in Amudat.

Purpose of the position

The MEAL Officer is responsible for the monitoring and reporting of the output, outcome and impact indicators as defined in Education and Livelihoods projects MEAL Frameworks.

The MEAL officer will identify gaps in information and organise collection of the data for indicators at project level, ensuring that data collection (both in terms of process and content) facilitates accountability and learning as described in the Knowledge Management and MEAL Plans. The MEAL activities shall result in timely tracking and documentation of project activities, quality data collection and processing in support of project reporting, increased project accountability to different stakeholders and uphold learning within the project and the organisation.

The MEAL officer will support the two projects UGD 1902 and UGD 2203

• Embrace education project works to realise three pillars of education which include access, quality and systems strengthening. The three pillars constitute the project’s main outcomes.
• Livelihoods diversification project works to consolidate previous livelihood project gain by strengthening private sector involvement through the creation of linkages with inputs dealers, honey and horticulture products value addition and creating sustainable market access for farmers.

Both projects are funded by FOCO (through ZOA Netherlands). The two projects run until 2024.

Place in organisation

The MEAL Officer will be employed by ZOA Uganda and is line managed by the Programme Manager Karamoja Programme. The MEAL Officer will be supported by the Programme Manager (for technical support and quality aspects), and Associate Project Managers Education and Livelihoods based in Karamoja region.

The role is offered in scale 3.1 in the ZOA Uganda Salary Scale 2022 (starting salary is UGX 1,500,000 gross).

Responsibilities and activities

• The MEAL Officer works with the Programme Manager, Amudat Karamoja Programme as MEAL focal point in Karamoja Programme and shall create and operate a functional monitoring and evaluation system at programme level with support from MEAL Advisor based at the country office. The MEAL framework gathers performance data at output, outcome and impact level based on objectives and indicators contained in the UGD1902 and UGD2203 log frames/MEAL frameworks;
• Work with Project officers to ensure the collection of relevant and appropriate data for Knowledge Management and Learning;
• Lead and facilitate local analysis and interpretation of MEAL information as an input to regular narrative reports covering progress of the two projects. The actual project reporting is done by Project Managers of all projects;
• Promote the utilization of the collected data at project and programme level for adjustments in planning and implementation in order to promote adaptive project programming;
• Facilitate capacity building for PMs and POs to enable them to monitor and evaluate their own efforts, gather and analyse relevant data and produce required progress reports;
• Assist the PMs in the strategic use of data and information to improve impact of the two projects and overall West Nile programme;
• Organise joint project monitoring with other stakeholders and project teams;
• With support from PGM share field findings with the PMs and POs and other stakeholders;
• Take a lead in analysing and interpreting of MEAL information; discuss MEAL related issues with the ZOA team and with stakeholders;
• Coordinate internal and external evaluations (including baseline) at programme level, in close collaboration with the MEAL Advisor at the Country office;
• Perform other duties assigned by the MEAL Advisor at Country office in consultation with PGM, West Nile programme;

Characteristics of role

The MEAL Officer will be based in Amudat and shall regularly visit all sub-counties within the Karamoja programme area/the project locations up to 50% field time to provide real time monitoring.

The MEAL Officer may also visit other ZOA programme offices and Country Office for learning purposes and or interaction with other MEAL officers and the MEAL Advisor within the organisation for information sharing, training etc.

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.

Competencies – knowledge and experience

• Graduate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Sociology, Anthropology, Development Studies, Statistics etc.)
• At least two years’ experience in:
  • Participatory assessment and monitoring
  • (Computerized) data processing and analysis, e.g. statistical software such as SPSS
  • Training of individuals and groups (e.g. for data collection)
  • MEAL design and implementation
• Good understanding of the Uganda context; experience in Karamoja is a plus
• Excellent facilitation and communication skills
• Ability to organise and train MEAL office staff
• Good contextual knowledge related to civil society/community assessment (i.e. Local community priorities, social and cultural constraints and local political and economic environment)
• Experience with sign language is a plus
• Experience of working with pastoralist and or in post-conflict areas is a plus

Competencies – behaviour

• Good interpersonal, organizational and intercultural sensitivity
• Able to plan and coordinate and work in an organized manner
• Able to bridge differences and bring people together
• High integrity
• Motivated
• Able to work independently