MEAL Officer

About the Role

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) in Uganda is seeking two motivated and skilled MEAL Officers to join their dynamic team. These positions depend on securing funding and will focus on implementing effective Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems for the Food Systems and Economic Self-Reliance project. The MEAL Officer will ensure systematic monitoring, quality data collection, analysis, and reporting to provide reliable evidence facilitating decision-making, adaptive management, and donor reporting. The role includes supporting project staff and partners in MEAL activities to reinforce data systems and evidence-based programming.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement and uphold the project MEAL framework, indicators, tools, and reporting mechanisms.
• Monitor and validate activities and outcomes reported by the project and its partners through field visits, spot checks, and assessments.
• Lead the design, deployment, and administration of digital data collection tools ensuring data accuracy and completeness.
• Perform data cleaning, analysis, validation, and verification against source documentation and field evidence.
• Conduct routine data quality assessments and address gaps promptly.
• Manage indicator tracking systems and monitor progress versus targets.
• Track project results from activity to outcome levels, monitor partner milestones, and identify performance gaps.
• Prepare dashboards, performance summaries, and detailed analyses to guide program and partner decisions.
• Analyze performance trends to detect underperformance, risks, and opportunities for corrective measures.
• Coordinate feedback and complaints mechanisms, ensuring timely documentation, follow-ups, and proper closure; utilize feedback to enhance programming.
• Support reflective learning activities such as After Action Reviews and document success stories, lessons, and impacts.
• Assist partners and project teams in leveraging MEAL data for informed decision-making.
• Ensure secure, accurate maintenance, filing, and archiving of project data and databases adhering to DRC and donor standards, including safeguarding and data confidentiality.
• Support planning and execution of project evaluations (baseline, mid-term, endline), including data collection, analysis, report preparation, and dissemination.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, Information Management, Data Science, or a related discipline.
• At least five years of relevant experience in MEAL/M&E, data management, or program monitoring, preferably within livelihoods, climate adaptation, market systems, environmental protection, social cohesion, or related humanitarian/development sectors.
• Proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with digital data collection tools, especially KoboToolbox and ODK.
• Competency in data cleaning, validation, quality assurance, and database management.
• Advanced skills in Power BI and Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables and data analysis.
• Experience in creating and managing indicator tracking tools and performing program performance data analysis.
• Strong analytical ability, communication, and report writing skills.
• Capable of working independently in remote and field environments with frequent travel.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• High attention to detail, strong problem-solving capability, ability to maintain confidentiality, and excellent organizational skills.

Desirable Qualifications

• Postgraduate diploma in monitoring and evaluation.
• Knowledge of languages spoken in the project implementation regions.
• Experience collaborating with local partners, informal workers, or local government entities.

Core Competencies

• Striving for excellence by achieving results with efficient processes.
• Collaborative work by involving stakeholders and encouraging feedback.
• Taking initiative and ownership with an eye for innovation.
• Effective and honest communication skills.
• Strong integrity and adherence to ethical standards, including safeguarding measures against exploitation and harassment.

Additional Information

• Contract duration: 12 months with a band H2 designation.
• Duty stations based in Imvepi and Moyo, Uganda.
• Anticipated start date: October 2026.
• Salary and conditions align with DRC's national employment terms.
• The position depends on funding availability.
• Applications require an updated CV and cover letter in English; emailed applications will not be accepted.
• DRC recruitment follows merit-based, ethical hiring processes with no solicitation of payment.