Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning Officer (MEAL) – Kampala, Uganda

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning Officer (MEAL) – Kampala, Uganda

Profile

Ayuda en Acción is an organization with an international presence that, from a global commitment, has been fighting against poverty, inequality, and exclusion since its birth in 1981. Our scope of action is developed in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Spain, in those territories and populations with greater vulnerability and less access to opportunities to exercise their rights with equality and equity. With a deep-rooted commitment to eradicating poverty and promoting inclusive, sustainable development, Ayuda en Acción collaborates with government bodies, development actors, communities, and civil society organizations to foster resilience and improve livelihoods in underserved areas.

As part of our strategic expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa, Ayuda en Acción is implementing innovative, market-driven approaches that empower vulnerable populations through inclusive energy access, sustainable livelihoods, and strengthened local economies. Our regional programming reflects a strong focus on Market Systems Development (MSD) and renewable energy solutions tailored to the diverse socio-economic and environmental contexts of Uganda, Mozambique, Niger, Mali, and Ethiopia.

MEAL officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems for all AeA Programs in Uganda, adapting them to operational and financial management level. The successful candidate will vertically report to the Country Director of AeAE, with functional reporting on human and financial resources to the AeA Administrator.

Brief Context of the Project in Uganda

In Uganda, Ayuda en Acción (AeAU) is registered as a foreign charity organization and operates as a leading actor in promoting inclusive development. The Uganda country program is currently implementing an internally funded, integrated project in partnership with private sector actors, with a particular emphasis on Market Systems Development (MSD), off-grid renewable energy, and inclusive economic empowerment.

The projects is implemented in the West-Nile and Acholi Sub-region, focusing on facilitating private sector-driven solutions to food insecurity and unemployment through sustainable energy access and inclusive market development. It is synergized with AeAU’s long-term territorial development programs in sectors such as climate-smart agriculture (cassava and tomato value chains), youth employment, and women’s empowerment.

As part of the regional portfolio, lessons learned and innovations from the Uganda experience will inform similar programming and contextual adaptation in Mozambique, Niger, Mali, and Ethiopia where challenges in energy access, agricultural productivity, and market linkages similarly affect vulnerable rural populations including Refugees and host community and internally displaced people. The Regional Energy and Market Advisor will provide strategic technical guidance, coordination, and support to ensure effective cross-country learning, innovation dissemination, and harmonized implementation of AeA’s regional energy and market systems agenda.

Position Overview

As an AeA MEAL officer, you will oversee, coordinate, and manage the design and implementation of MEAL, from initial assessments to learning and review inputs. Consequently, you are expected to provide MEAL technical advice and support for a variety of program issues related to AeA programming in Uganda, in accordance with AeA quality principles and standards, as well as industry best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

MEAL Systems development

• Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation system that will ensure tracking of projects/ programmes results at all levels (outputs, outcomes, and impact). Ensuring strategic vision and organización requirements and standards.
• Develop/Adopt an integrated database of all projects/programmes and ensure accountability through monthly data updates, data integrity and working in collaboration with data processors.
• Work with programme staff and Country Director to ensure the collection of relevant and appropriate data needed for an effective MEAL system which will be utilized in monitoring strengths, weaknesses and gaps in existing projects/ programs and services and for reporting on donor commitments.
• Incorporate partners and technical team feedback to ensure the continuous improvement of data management systems within AeA Uganda. Timely update and share data with AeA Uganda team and headquarter management team.
• Analyze the evaluability of projects and make suggestions to the design team to improve their evaluability
• Provide technical advice and support when required to the corporate M&E Unit team in the creation and development of institutional monitoring and evaluation systems, methodologies, and tools.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Maintain and update the overall AeA indicator tracker based on submissions from the Program Officers and AeA Partners, ensuring institutional quality standards and timely inputs in a cost-effective manner.
• Develop M&E plans for all projects and proposals and ensure the same is followed up during implementation.
• Ensure all grants have an updated work-plan and performance management plan (PMPs) in tandem with all approved proposals, regularly reviewing and updating as needed.
• Carry out data quality assessments/ audits regularly for MEAL data based on agreed indicators to guide decision making.
• Review monthly progress reports from partners and ensure they have evidence to back-up and provide feedback to the respective staff.
• Contribute to the preparation of reports such as the monthly, quarterly, annual and “quiero contarte”. Provide inputs, information, and statistics for quarterly, annual, and other reports to Project Management Team
• Ensure that cross cutting issues such as COVID-19 response, participation, gender, age, and disability are effectively addressed/ mainstreamed in all project implementations.
• Assist the project personnel with M&E tools and in supporting them in their use.

Assessments, Surveys and Evaluation

• Promote evaluation, systematization and learning efforts with project implementers and external persons, facilitating replicability and scalability.
• Participate in baseline surveys for new projects and relevant evaluations for ongoing projects.
• Participate in the development of TOR for external surveys and consultant recruitments.
• Participate in the review of all survey reports prepared to ensure quality and accurate reporting.
• Ensure implementation and high-quality standards for evaluation as well as timely report of planned evaluations.
• Organize, review, and assure quality standards for evaluation reports.

Learning, Accountability and Capacity Building

• Integrate learning in MEAL plans, and ensure all MEAL system provide learning opportunities for AeA and partners
• Share learning and provide constructive comments to colleagues to ensure programme quality.
• Participate in building capacity of staff and partners in MEAL related areas.
• Assist Project Managers in the preparation of reports on the findings and lessons learned from project innovations, learning and accountability.