The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:  MERL Manager

Organisation: Hope for Justice

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

Reports To:  Country Director

About US:

Hope for Justice is a global non-profit organisation which aims to end human trafficking and modern slavery. It is active in the United Kingdom, United States, Cambodia, Norway, Australia, Ethiopia and Uganda and has its headquarters in Manchester, England.

Job Summary:  Hope for Justice in Uganda is looking for an experienced and enthusiastic individual who will provide direct management of all monitoring, evaluation, learning and research activities, across Hope for Justice projects and partners in Uganda, in order to accurately measure the outputs, outcomes, and impact of the work and inform organisational learning and future practice. This includes the management, critical analysis, and technical oversight of data collection, collation, aggregation, and reporting of data, providing accountability and ensuring a robust and effective result-based MERL system, plans and frameworks.

The incumbent will provide direct management of all monitoring, evaluation, research and learning activities, across Hope for Justice projects and partners in Uganda, in order to accurately measure the outputs, outcomes, and impact of the work and inform organisational learning and future practice. This includes the management, critical analysis, and technical oversight of data collection, collation, aggregation, and reporting of data, providing accountability and ensuring a robust and effective result-based MERL system, plans and frameworks. As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the MERL Manager will support in project development, change management, and grant management processes, provide technical advice and oversight of Hope for Justice programme delivery in Uganda.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Project evaluation tools, methodologies, and processes established to ensure robust reporting and compliance with donor monitoring requirements.
• Data collection, analysis, and reporting of all required MERL data delivered in time to assess progress, aid decision making, learning and impact evaluation.
• MERL staff and programme staff and partners equipped to utilise and implement MERL tools and techniques.
• Learning meetings conducted with staff and partners or relevant stakeholders, key learnings are reported and reflected upon and incorporated into learning reports.

Main Duties

• Manage a team of MERL officer(s) and Data entrant(s), delineating their responsibilities by grant/project specific in order to support programmatic activities and ensure these are monitored and evaluated in a timely, efficient and effective matter.
• Identify training needs of the MERL team and non MERL staff (programme staff and partners) and work with SMT to develop and implement training that meets these needs with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge and providing professional development guidance. We exist to bring an end to modern slavery by preventing exploitation, rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming
• Working closely with Head Office MERL Team and SMT, take lead in the development and update of Hope for Justice Uganda MERL framework and strategic plan.
• Develop SMART indicators for projects and their data collection plans
• Assess organizational and performance gaps within the different programmes and report on corrective actions needed.
• Lead the planning and implementation of program and project evaluations in liaison with head office MERL Team.
• Identify the key learning agenda for Hope for Justice programmes including developing and implementing mechanisms and methodologies for identifying, documenting, and disseminating learning.
• Support, develop and implement internal mechanisms for institutional learning, quality control mechanisms, and programmatic integration.
• Work closely with the Senior Management Team (SMT) to encourage regular times
• of reflection and learning for all project staff.
• Develop evaluation frameworks, tools, and processes to meet reporting, learning,
• and monitoring requirements for project activities and outcomes.
• Facilitate quarterly, annual, mid-term and end of project review meetings and
• workshops to enable progress and outcome level reflections with project teams and
• relevant stakeholders.

Program Management Support

• Lead all MERL initiatives for assigned grant(s)/project(s) including monitoring data
• quality, tracking the progress of activities, and informing staff capacity building initiatives.
• Provide training and support to the programme and partner staff in collecting and using monitoring data, as well as tools and processes for data collection.
• Propose strategies to increase data use and demand amongst Programme staff.
• Assist Programme staff in clarifying project information needs.
• Review the performance of existing management information systems to help identify potential modifications or resources.
• Implement and participate in programme/project evaluations and research projects.
• Support in Programme development/Grants Management in establishing log frames, MERL work plans, and targets during drafting donor project proposals as well as throughout project implementation.

Data Management and Analysis

• Design and roll out MERL digital solution that incorporates digital data collection,
• analysis and reporting. We exist to bring an end to modern slavery by preventing exploitation,
• rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming
• Keep abreast of developments in grant/programme changes and progress in order to advise and recommend tools and strategies to increase program performances and results.
• Ensure regular, accurate and timely entry of MERL data into programme database.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses in existing data collection and management systems and propose solutions.
• Perform regular field visits to ensure the quality of data collected by Programme staff and to verify the accuracy of reported data, provide guidance and mentorship
• support to the staff and ensure that established MERL systems and plans are effectively implemented.
• Analyse changes and patterns in KPI indicator data and performance reports in order to make recommendations to Programme staff.
• Analyse indicators and performance, evaluate information and make recommendations.
• Ensure that donor, partner, and Senior Management data queries are addressed in an accurate and timely manner.

Reporting

• Support the Director of Programmes in reviewing donor reports to ensure high
• quality and timely submission of reports.
• Review and analyse monthly reports to identify the causes of potential bottlenecks in project implementation and to enhance quality of reporting.
• Clarify the core information needs of management and provide relevant and timely information to SMT and ensure implementation of SMT recommendations within programmes/projects.

Advocacy and Networking

• Provide quality information to be used for Hope for Justice advocacy and policy work
• Ensure best practices, research and evaluation reports are disseminated internally and outside Hope for Justice
• Working with the Country Director, explore opportunities and develop partnerships with Academic bodies and/or learning institutions for joint research projects.
• Represent Hope for Justice in relevant technical/coordination fora.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• MA or MSC or Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation OR Degree in a relevant field, preferably statistics or IT, or in behavioural or social sciences plus a Post graduate diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation, bio statistical analysis, data management
• Significant prior experience of managing MERL activities within an INGO environment for at least 5 years.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Well organised, self-directed, flexible and committed to achieving high standards.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc) as well as database and statistical packages
• Experience in designing MERL approaches for training programmes
• We exist to bring an end to modern slavery by preventing exploitation, rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming
• Results-oriented with the ability to be creative and innovative.
• High level of integrity, accountability and responsibility
• Team work
• Problem solving skills
• Strong qualitative and quantitative analysis skills
• Experience in design and implementation of MERL frameworks
• Experience in MEL digital systems such as Kobo
• Capacity building, facilitation, and training skills
• Excellent analytical, written, and oral communication
• Knowledge of and a commitment to
• child-friendly and participatory data
• collection, analysis and reporting
• Project Management skills
• Demonstrable knowledge of developing monitoring systems which capture outcome
• level data (developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks, reviewing and
• developing theories of change, maintaining evaluation databases, etc.)
• Experience with DIFID/FCDO, USAID or Institutional donor approaches to MERL
• Experience of facilitating training and ongoing support to staff in MERL activities
• Experience of working within the field of child protection, human trafficking/ exploitation

How to Apply:

All Interested candidates should Download Here and complete the Application Form. Email your covering letter, CV/resume and completed Application Form to: applications.ug@hopeforjustice.org

Deadline: 30^th December 2021

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