JOB TITLE:
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) Officer
LOCATION: Location: Virtual but within Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,
Rwanda, Burundi, DRC or Ethiopia
REPORTS TO: Director of Partnerships and Communications
DEPARTMENT: Partnerships and Communications
JOB GRADE: Officer level
SALARY RANGE: Gross Annual Salary: USD 34,824 – USD 36,912 commensurate with
experience. Additional Benefits: Telephone allowance; holiday allowance; comprehensive medical care for self and family; internal wellness fund for comprehensive non-traditional care.
CONTRACT TYPE:
The selected candidate will initially be offered a 3-month probationary contract. Following a successful probation period, the appointment will transition to a fixed-term contract, with the potential for conversion to an open-ended contract based on performance evaluations.
Role Purpose
As the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Officer at UHAI EASHRI, you will be integral in advancing organizational goals through the development and enhancement of MEAL systems. Positioned within the Partnerships and Communications (P&C) Department, you’ll lead the implementation of the comprehensive Knowledge, Evaluation, and Learning (KEL) strategy across the organization. Your role involves close collaboration with the Director of Partnerships and Communications and the Director of Programmes to integrate the KEL strategy with our strategic plan, ensuring that strategic objectives are effectively translated into actionable processes for planning, monitoring, and evaluating progress.
You will champion feminist and participatory approaches in our MEAL initiatives, fostering inclusivity, equity, and empowerment. Your responsibilities include synthesizing diverse data sources to provide meaningful insights that highlight the collective impact of UHAI’s efforts and contributions to the LGBTQI and Sex Workers movements in Eastern Africa. Reporting to the Director of Partnerships and Communications, you will work with various teams and stakeholders to drive MEAL projects and support the evaluation of our Strategic Plan 2020-2024, including reviewing our Theory of Change and preparing program reviews.
We seek a candidate with a profound commitment to human rights, diversity, and inclusion, who is curious, listens intently, and is passionate about driving organizational learning and accountability. If you are ready to innovate within our MEAL practices and contribute to transformative social change, we invite you to join our dynamic team and shape the future of MEAL at UHAI EASHRI.
Key Responsibilities
Monitoring,evaluation and learning
• Develop and implement UHAI’s KEL framework and strategies, incorporating innovative and appropriate tools grounded in organisational values and principles.
• Coordinate evaluations and monitoring of UHAI’s programmatic activities through comprehensive data collection and identification of best practices
• Participate in the development of new projects, programs, and initiatives, embedding monitoring, evaluation, and learning elements within their design.
• Serve as the focal point for all external evaluation initiatives.
• Coordinate the dissemination of knowledge and lessons learned among staff,
partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Work with grantee partners to ensure adequate baseline identification and data collection, generating necessary data to assess the impact, effectiveness, and lessons learned from UHAI’s activities.
• Coordinate the annual planning process for monitoring, evaluation, and learning at UHAI, continuously adapting and improving annual plans.
• Collaborate with the grantmaking team to develop systematic and realistic monitoring tools for collecting quantitative and qualitative data, reporting on the impact of UHAI’s grants for the LGBTQI movement and other movements for sexual and reproductive health and rights, particularly those involving sex
workers and persons who use drugs.
• Ensure that a strong feminist approach is integrated into all aspects of monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.
• Integrate new and alternative approaches to monitoring and evaluating UHAI’s contributions to the development of the LGBTQI movement and other movements for sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially those concerning sex workers and persons who use drugs.
Reporting and Knowledge Management
• Plan and prepare for the submission of narrative reports to funding partners as per aDesign report templates and guidelines to facilitate the efficient collection and aggregation of information across programs.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of information management systems to enhance data collection, aggregation, and analysis.
Capacity Building
• Build the capacity of all relevant team members to implement program monitoring tools, accurately enter program data into relevant databases, and. develop excellent reports and other documents.
• Develop a robust documentation system for sharing case studies, lessons learned, best practices, and success stories from projects.
• Provide relevant M&E technical assistance and planning during the development of projects and programs, including the development of program and project indicators, targets, and results matrices.
Thought Leadership and Accountability
• Provide analysis and recommendations to UHAI’s leadership and coordination team, as well as the governing body, to enable informed strategic decisions about organisational MEAL activities.
• Represent UHAI in external spaces, maintaining relationships with funders, activists, and strategic partners to increase awareness of UHAI’s work, enhance programmatic impact, and expand UHAI’s visibility, networks, and partnerships.
• Participate in strategic spaces for exchange and learning, including engagements with other donors, feminist funds, regional organisations, and similar entities.
• Contribute to the development of tools and mechanisms for mainstreaming accountability within and across UHAI.
• Lead the compilation and publication of organisational annual operation reports, CFCS reports, and other key documents.
• Support the translation and dissemination of UHAI’s learnings and internal reflections to ensure accountability.
• Contribute to ensuring UHAI’s accountability to its funders by providing analysis, data, results, and stories of change for reports and presentations.
Core Role Competencies
All staff are expected to demonstrate UHAI EASHRI values and principles in all their professional relationships and in any interactions that may reflect on UHAI EASHRI. UHAI has a Zero Tolerance Approach to all forms of corruption which is an offense for which immediate dismissal will result.
• Accountability- takes responsibility for all work activities and personal actions; follows through on
commitments; maintains confidentiality with sensitive information; acknowledges and learns from
mistakes without blaming others; recognizes the impact of one’s behaviour on others.
• Integrity – Consistent demonstration of ethical, feminist leadership reflected in all aspects of personal
and professional activities Strong commitment to non-discrimination in all forms and active commitment
to inclusive diversity.
• Creativity in UHAI’s work, including problem solving; by discovering new opportunities and solutions
for problems by looking beyond current practices and using innovative thinking Understanding of and
commitment to feminist principles and approaches.
• Effective Communication – expresses oneself clearly and effectively when speaking and/or writing to
individuals or groups; listens attentively; ensures that information is understood by all parties; shares
information in a timely manner using the most appropriate method; presents well-organised information
in a group setting.
• Inclusive Collaboration – works collegially with others, cooperating in both interpersonal and team
relationships; fosters enthusiasm and maintains mutual trust, candour and respect. Inclusiveness
embraces the perspectives and contributions of each individual including their diversity.
• Consistently respectful – consistently treats colleagues and stakeholders respectfully by acknowledging
and valuing individual differences, communication is open and civil, conflict is addressed early and fosters
culture of empowerment and cooperation.
• A successful record in setting priorities and communicating clearly with staff in a constructive and
engaging manner and knowledge of and practise in MEAL principles and standards.
Job Specific Specifications
Required
• Bachelor’s Degree in statistics, social sciences/humanities, development, public administration, or related
relevant disciplines.
• At least 5 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience related to accountability and/or learning within an
international development organisation, a grantmaking organisation, or a similar entity.
• Possess excellent knowledge and nuanced analysis of the sexual and gender diversity and expression
and Sex Work concerns in East Africa; as well as have a good knowledge of the East African civil society
landscape generally
• Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to human rights, social justice, and feminist principles to
promoting sexual health and rights.
• Demonstrated experience in program or project development, design, and project management.
• Proven experience working across and within multiple departments or teams within an organisation.
• Experience in coordinating and facilitating organisational reflections, evaluation, and learning sessions
and processes.
• Proficiency in database creation, data management, and administration tools, techniques, and processes.
• Proficiency in data analysis software packages (e.g., SPSS, EPI Info, R, KOBO, Tableau and others).
• Strong understanding of feminist approaches, LGBTQI rights, women’s rights, sex workers’ rights, and
rights of persons who use drugs, with a focus on participatory approaches.
• Ability to understand diverse perspectives and successfully influence and negotiate.
• Effective contribution to teamwork and broader organisational goals and strategies.
• Strong organisational skills, ability to identify opportunities, and coordinate initiatives.
• Flexible and adaptable approach, capable of responding to changing priorities in a rapidly evolving
environment.
• Currently based in one of UHAI EASHRI’s focal countries in Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,
Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, or Ethiopia).
• Ability to travel within and outside the Eastern African region.
• Effective remote work capabilities.
• Fluency in one of UHAI EASHRI’s working languages (English, French, Swahili) and willingness to learn
another. Fluency in both English and Swahili/French is a major asset.
Strongly Desired
• Proficiency in qualitative donor and partner management software
• Knowledge and practical experience with building long-term partnerships with diverse LGBTIQ+ and Sex
Worker rights organisations based on feminist principles of solidarity, shared understanding, inclusion,
collaboration and self- and collective care.
• Experience working in a start-up environment or in an inaugural role within an organisation.
• Previous experience working in multi-country or regional projects.
• Experience working remotely or with a team located in different countries.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of participatory approaches to partnership building, resource
mobilisation, and learning.
KEY CONSIDERATION
Preference will be given to nationals from Eastern Africa, particularly from UHAI focal countries that are currently underrepresented within our team.
As an organisation led by activists, UHAI EASHRI seeks to recruit individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQI communities and sex worker movements in the sub-region. We are particularly interested in candidates who possess not only the technical expertise and professional knowledge required but also the familiarity, connections, and lived experience within the community and movement.
Applications from LBQ women, trans, non-binary, and intersex people are strongly encouraged.
How to apply
How to Apply
Interested candidates should send their CV and a one- to two-page cover letter explaining why they meet the required profile, their experience, and skills. As part of their application, candidates should also submit a document they have produced in a monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning capacity (e.g., an M&E framework, an evaluation report, a case study, a research report, etc.).
Applications should be sent to vacancies@uhai-eashri.org by 13th September 2024, with “MEAL Officer” in the subject line.
Please submit your application in English. Only complete applications will be reviewed. We will contact only those candidates who have been shortlisted for further consideration. You can download the detailed job advert here feji.us/zxn30j