MSA seeks a talented professional with exceptional experience as a Learning Specialist to work as an integral part of an appreciative, collaborative team to design, develop, deliver, and evaluate learning activities that foster continuous improvement and innovation in professional and organizational development. The position will be based in Moroto, Uganda.This position is for a recently-awarded United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project. Working closely with the implementation team and reporting to MEL Director and the MSA MERL Lead, the Learning Specialistwill play a critical role in the project’s success. The Learning Specialist will guide the project through an adaptive, evidence-based approach to project activities, in which monitoring and evaluation findings rapidly feed into project learning and decision-making. The position is responsible for supporting a series of learning and adaptation focused activities. The position will also be responsible for incorporating a variety of methods and innovative approaches to design learning activities that engage WFS staff and participants and promote an effective learning environment across interventions. ensuring that project results meet a high standard for rigor.

Required qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in international development, development studies, social sciences, implementation science, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years’ work experience in strategic learning, knowledge management, qualitative and/or quantitative research, communications, and/or M&E in a development context’.

Strong understanding of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) principles and approaches, with experience integrating CLA into project design and implementation.

Experience using results chains or other methods to visualize intervention theories of change
• Excellent qualitative and quantitative skills with a very good grasp of statistical methods and small sample designs, including data analysis. Proficiency in statistical software (such as R, STATA, SPSS) preferred.
• Strong ability to design and conduct qualitative research that addresses project learning priorities
• Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate trainings, meetings, and workshops
• Experience with private sector development, market systems facilitation and/or other economic development approaches (e.g., economic strengthening, inclusive business)
• A positive, collaborative attitude, and ability to build the capacity of colleagues and partners in monitoring, learning, and adaptation
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills
• Excellent ability to collaborate with and influence colleagues to ensure that monitoring findings are used
• Advanced computer literacy, including strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Capacity to take initiative and be a self-starter
• A passion for learning, investigation and for working in economic development
• Adept at developing and sustaining high-level

Desired qualifications:
• Experience working in at least two of the sectors – agricultural livelihoods/food security, water supply, WASH, access to finance, nutrition, and natural resource management/environment
• Experience working on USAID-funded projects or other bilateral or multi-lateral funded projects
• Masters degree in international development, development studies, social sciences, implementation science, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field.
• Solid understanding of systemic approaches to learning and adaptation
• Experience applying the DCED Standard for Results Measurement