DESCRIPTION: USAID Advancing Nutrition is USAID’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), and a diverse group of experienced partners. Launched in September 2018, USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change, and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development.

The USAID Mission in Uganda provided USAID Advancing Nutrition with a scope of work (SOW) to begin programming in Uganda with a June 2021 to June 2023 performance period. The overall purpose is to support the Government of Uganda to reduce micronutrient deficiencies by improving the quality of diet through strengthening compliance to food fortification standards, enforcement, and monitoring. USAID Advancing Nutrition will engage stakeholders such as the National Working Group on Food Fortification, Private Sector Foundation of Uganda, civil society, regulatory agencies like the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, the Ministry of Health, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives to implement and support actions to strengthen food fortification for public health impact. There are four key objectives:
1.Increase the capacity of the public sector to enforce food fortification standards and regulations
2.Increase the capacity of the private sector to comply with food fortification standards and regulations.
3.Strengthen partnerships and stakeholder coordination in food fortification.
4.Promote increased consumption of fortified food

SUMMARY
The Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Advisor will lead all aspects relevant to these above areas on USAID Advancing Nutrition program in Uganda. The ideal candidate will have experience leading MEL efforts on USAID-funded projects. The MEL Advisor will report to the Chief of Party. This position is based in Kampala, Uganda.

USAID Advancing Nutrition is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The MEL Advisor will be an experienced manager whose responsibilities include:

• Coordinate the drafting and periodic review of USAID Advancing Nutrition Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) and ensure the overall implementation of the PMP.
• Ensure compliance with USAID policies and regulations in relation to MEL activities.
• Track milestones and report on required standard performance indicators of the project.
• Ensure that appropriate data collection procedures are used including M&E data tracking system methods for data quality checks.
• Support the project’s technical staff to identify and develop performance indicators and measurement of project activities, including capacity needs assessment, capacity strengthening plan, trainings, and reports.
• Support national level surveillance systems to review existing food fortification indicators and increase their utilization in decision-making.
• Contribute to drafting of quarterly, annual, and other ad hoc reports on project activities and provide insight on the project performance management trends.

Required Skills or Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s Degree in Statistics, Business Administration, Project Management, or related area of study preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible work experience managing MEL needs of projects of similar size and scope with a Master’s Degree, or 9 years of experience with no Master’s Degree.
• Qualitative and quantitative research skills and experience including design and implementation of surveys, assessments, case studies, data visualization, and results dissemination.
• Hands-on practical experience setting up and managing MEL systems for health programs in developing countries, and the ability to coach and train others in their use.
• Must be knowledgeable in Microsoft Suite, graphics, spreadsheet, database, and statistical software packages.
• Prior MEL experience on a USAID-funded project.
• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken with strong presentation skills.
• Preferred Skills or Experience

• Demonstrated experience working with private and public sector actors.
• Familiarity with the monitoring, evaluation and leaning standards of National Working Group on Food Fortification, and UBOS.