Title: Regional MEL Officer
Location: Uganda
Reporting Relationship: Project Manager
summary
Working together with key government and civil society partners, the Regional Monitoring Evaluation Learning (MEL) Officer (MELO) will support the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning activities of a multi-country Early Childhood Development (ECD) project in Eastern Africa and Latin America. The project aims to adapt and replicate a playful parenting initiative originally implemented by ChildFund in Guatemala that used community-based radios to engage with caregivers of infants and young children in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. ChildFund is now seeking to build upon the Guatemalan experience, adapt content, and replicate initiative in Brazil, Ethiopia, Honduras, and Uganda with communities still affected by COVID-19.
The Regional MELO will work hand in hand with the Global MEL Officer (based in Latin America) and the Project Manager under the supervision of the latter, liaise with counterparts in Guatemala and Mexico and be based at ChildFund Uganda Country Office. The MELO will oversee and lead the country project M&E and directly support M&E activities in Ethiopia and Uganda in collaboration with the in-country project staff (Core Global Team). S/he will closely liaise with other colleagues’ part of the Country Office Support Team, with technical support of ChildFund regional and global technical advisors.
The position may include domestic (Uganda) and international travel depending on the project’s needs and state of the pandemic. This is a 12-month position contingent upon funding, with start date tentatively set for December 2021 -January 2022.
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
- Contribute to the development of multi-country MEL plan and methodologies, including the use of appropriate tools, the processing and analysis of M&E data (adaptation and/or development of monitoring and evaluation tools)
- Lead implementation of MEL plan in Ethiopia and Uganda and liaise with Learning and Communication Officer to capture and share learning and ensure alignment and multi-country M&E tracking.
- Contribute to the preparation of global project reports by collecting information from Ethiopia and Uganda, ensuring reviews, contributions, and sign off from IO;
Community of Practice
- Contribute to the development of a learning plan, and support the PD and Global MEL Officer in establishing and participate to ChildFund’s regional playful parenting hubs, to support the documentation and sharing of best practices and lessons learned
- Participate in national Learning networks of practitioners that can serve as a capacity building resource and facilitate the documentation, organization and sharing of information.
- Foster and maintain communities of practice and other types of networks engaged in producing and sharing learning
- Contribute to the documentation and knowledge and lessons learned exchange through ChildFund’s regional playful parenting hubs, and the Community of Practice Advisory group
- Participate in monthly multicounty check-in calls with team from 4 countries to address challenges, share lessons learned and strategy, ensure program’s progress and documentation
- Collaborate with and provide requested information to research third party hired by donor.
Communication and Donor Reporting
- In close collaboration with Country Leads for Ethiopia and Uganda and Grants Specialist, lead the formulation of M&E related information and co-develop national content for grant project reports
- Contribute to the production of produce articles, blog post, and reports and other communication collateral to increase learning as well as technical visibility and awareness of the project
- Monitor project activities in Ethiopia and Uganda for results and maintaining frequent contact with other colleagues part of the Country Office Support Team and at IO, informing about project progress, actual or potential challenges;
- Ensure that M&E and communication activities comply with ChildFund and donor policies and procedures and that the project is implemented according to ChildFund business principles, policies and procedures; bring any issues of risk or liability to the immediate attention of the appropriate staff.
QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 5 years of related experience with NGOs, M&E, and/or Program Management. Experience in Uganda and/or Ethiopia.
- Understanding of Program and M&E methodologies and standards.
- Demonstrated success in designing, monitoring and evaluating programs.
- Knowledge on and experience with statistical data design and analysis and supporting software.
- Skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, data management and in the presentation of results through the development of high-quality dashboards. Knowledge on and experience with data science & analytics software; is expected.
- Readiness and ability to analyze, understand and take into account different cultural contexts while effectively communicate and clearly articulate expectations.
- Fluency in English
Desired:
- Experience with radio-based, IT-based education/ECD/parenting/education programming
- Experience working with parenting behavior change interventions
- In-country professional experience in one/more of the relevant countries
- Experience with M&E and research plans for virtual/remote interventions.
- Experience supporting multi-country initiatives.
- Experience with CommCare and SIMA.