Project Officer – MEAL US NGO Jobs – Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job: Project Officer – MEAL

Organization: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Risk and Compliance Manager  

About US: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-profit organization which implements the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

About VINES Project: The Vines Project, implemented by CRS Uganda, is a five-year, $13 million Food for Progress project that will make Uganda the world’s next leading supplier of high-quality vanilla. Vines will leverage the expertise of CRS and its partners to enhance the production of safe, pure vanilla and develop sustainable market links with US vanilla companies, directly transforming the lives of 16,200 farmers, 836 supply chain actors and create 15,820 new jobs to reach 32,856 vanilla stakeholders. The Vines strategy reflects best practices in sustainable development and will leave Uganda with a robust vanilla farming community resilient to the boom/bust nature of the market and a cadre of private sector agricultural extensionists to support more sophisticated production, processing, and marketing needs.  

Job Summary:  The Project Officer-MEAL will support the implementation of MEAL activities, including tool and formats development, timely collection of quality data, maintenance of databases, facilitation of participatory reflection on monitoring results and preparation of progress reports. He/She will work in close coordination with the program team in conducting the Vines project baseline survey and implementation of the vines project feedback and response mechanisms. The person will report to Program Manager & CRS MEAL team as per need. S/He will be responsible to implement and assist/facilitate the following activities in close coordination with related project staffs: development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports. Developing staffing plans for projects and contribute to the recruitment process of senior project staff.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support to develop/review Monitoring Checklist and tools based on the result framework and project activities.
• Organize regular field visit to monitor program activities/interventions as described in the detailed implementation plan.
• Support program staff to strengthen joint planning and monitoring with stakeholders.
• Technical support in collecting quality data and analysis against the performance indicators and targets on periodic basis.
• Collect and document MEAL capacity/ technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor MEAL capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.

Evaluation:

• Support to conduct the Vine project evaluation surveys, and other assessments.
• Support/coordinate for filed visit and logistic arrangement of evaluation team, if required.

Accountability:

• Take lead in the implementation of the projects feedback complaints response mechanisms (FCRM)
• Ensure the mechanisms are functional and accessible to beneficiaries.
• Develop regular trend analysis of feedback/complaints and share it with program team as per protocols.
• Timely response of participants feedback coming through feedback and response mechanisms.
• In close coordination with Line Manager on quality and accountability issues, Share all information (monitoring reports, databases, preliminary inquiry reports) with CRS MEAL Officer.
• Share MEAL findings & issues in each monthly meeting as defined in the MEAL Guideline.

Learning:OK

• Support the Vines project program team in developing quality reports.
• Generate periodic reports and document the key learning from the MEAL system.
• Ensure the key learning’s are incorporated in upcoming plan.

Documentation:

• Managing proper documents regarding total reach (direct and indirect reach) update as per need.
• Managing training, orientation, workshop, meeting details by collaborating with program and update as per need.
• Managing community and district level stakeholders and update as per need.
• Ensure that all the Monitoring and Evaluation data is entered into the project data base in a timely manner.
• Compile at least one success story for USDA biannual and annual reporting.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Project Officer – MEAL should hold a Bachelor’s degree in development studies, population studies, social sciences, statistics, or a related field (Post graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation preferred).
• At least four years of relevant work experience in MEAL, preferably with an international NGO and on agriculture related projects.
• Experience in MEAL system planning and implementation at district level in governmental and non-governmental organizations
• In depth knowledge of MEAL sector and its working modality in the country both government and non-government sector.
• Strong communication, documentation, and dissemination skills
• Basic competency in Analysis, Critical Thinking, learning and Accountability.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, data management systems, knowledge-sharing networks
• MEAL skills and work experience in advocacy, lobbying and networking.
• Technical skills and work experience on designing and applying MEAL tools and statistical analysis (quantitative and qualitative) packages and report generation.
• Strong analytical skills with focus on detail
• Ability to work effectively under stressful conditions
• Good technical writing skills
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented
• Travel Required: Must be willing and able to travel up to 50% in country
• Required Languages: Oral and written English fluency is required

  Desirable:

• A strong commitment to MEAL and Human Rights is essential along with ability to represent at various levels
• Highly motivated, flexible, capable of working both independently and as part of a team

  Agency-Wide Competencies (for all CRS staff) These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

How to Apply:

All candidates should Email a cover letter and CV only to ug_recruitment@crs.org. Large files and/or scans of documents will lead to rejection of your application, in the subject line of the email, copy and paste – PROJECTOFFICERMEAL only. All applications that do not contain this exact subject line will be rejected and not read.

NB: Only selected candidates will be notified  

Deadline: 3^rd May 2021