Program Manager II – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) at Catholic Relief Services

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

Job Summary:

The Uganda Country Office MEAL Manager will provide technical and management leadership of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) activities for the CRS Uganda Country Office. The MEAL Manager’s technical skills and knowledge will enable program teams to design effective monitoring systems, ensure accountability to beneficiaries and donors, deliver effective evaluations, and advance learning, in alignment with donor and agency standards. Your work will ensure that CRS collects quality data that enables adaptive management, learning, and positioning. Your management skills will support MEAL and program staff to develop MEAL capabilities and enable the CP to ensure high-quality programming and continuously work towards improving the impact of its programming.

• Provide management support, guidance, and technical oversight of all MEAL systems in new and existing projects, supporting throughout the project cycle to ensure effective design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are in line with CRS policies and procedures, donor guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Effectively coach MEAL talent, supporting their routine work as well as helping advance MEAL quality. Develop strategically tailored individual development plans and support the performance planning cycle for MEAL staff. Advise on MEAL objectives for non-MEAL staff.
• Coordinate and oversee the development of data management systems, and ensure systems are fit for purpose, functional, and supportive of adaptive management.
• In collaboration with Country Office Information, Communications, and Technology (ICT) staff, support the integration and utilization of ICT4D tools to enhance data collection, analysis, reporting, and learning processes across projects, ensuring digital solutions align with MEAL standards and promoting timely, accurate, and actionable insights.
• Support the establishment of FCRM systems and periodically review their effectiveness and functionality, ensuring accountability to beneficiaries and timely use of feedback information.
• Design evaluation processes that enable learning and documentation of results. Develop TORs that are robust and appropriate to the project scope and context.
• Identify opportunities for cross-learning and facilitate data-informed learning events. Support research and facilitate the dissemination of promising practices to contribute to the agency and regional learning agenda. Support effective knowledge management and generation of data-rich marketing/comms products.
• Ensure integration of innovations and best practices, including advancing use of technology in MEAL.
• Contribute to the proactive pursuit of opportunities for new funding to ensure responsible growth in line with agency, regional, and CP strategic priorities. Support Serve as the MEAL lead to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards. Contribute to MEAL budgeting and staffing plans and activities for proposals.
• Design and deliver capacity-strengthening activities in MEAL for staff and partner organizations.
• Oversee the timely and appropriate project MEAL expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Engage and share learning and resources with and learn from MEAL colleagues at the global level, as well as with CRS MEAL staff in other East and Southern African country offices.

Applications will only be accepted electronically via the following link: https://form.jotform.com/252390990305559