JOB SUMMARY

The Program Quality and Learning (PQL) Manager is responsible for the functionality of the country-level monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) system, knowledge management and oversight of program quality, supporting business development and evidenced-based advocacy, and providing leadership to the PQL team comprised of MEAL Advisors and MEAL Coordinators. This will require the PQL Manager to work with Program Managers and MEAL Advisors to develop a MEAL and knowledge management system that can gather, analyze, store, retrieve, and share program quality and program performance data for decision-making. It will require the PQL Manager to mobilize, engage, steer, and build the capacity of staff and partners to effectively use the system throughout the program cycle including the design of new programs, implementation, reporting, strategic engagement, and evidence-based advocacy. It will require the PQL Manager to strengthen the culture of data analytics and data-driven decision-making across all CARE work streams.   

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1.     CO MEAL Technical Leadership (20%)

The PQL Manager is responsible for the functionality of country-level MEAL and knowledge management systems. This PQL manager will work with the Program Director, Program Managers, MEAL Advisors, and CARE global MEAL team to review and reflect on existing MEAL systems, and research emerging MEAL practices and trends before coming up with a fit-for-purpose MEAL system with accompanying principles, processes, and tools. The MEAL system should enable CARE to gather, analyze, store, retrieve, and share program performance data throughout the program cycle including design, planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reviews and reflections, accountability and feedback, research and learning, documentation and reporting and evidence-based advocacy and strategic engagement.    

Specifically, the PQL Manager will:

·       Engage various CARE staff and partners to review and reflect on existing MEAL practices, tools, and processes highlighting what is working, what is not working, and unmet needs.

·       Research on emerging global MEAL trends and practice with a focus on business-orientated MEAL function and culture of data analytics and data-driven decision making.

·       Develop a clear roadmap (with timelines and budgets) for developing, piloting, and rolling out the new MEAL system with CARE staff, partners, and beneficiaries.

·       Oversee the adoption, adaptation, and utilization of the new MEAL system across all CARE programs and partners.

·       Ensure proper capacity building and technical accompaniment of CARE staff and partners throughout the development, piloting, adaptation, and utilization of the MEAL system. 

·       Nurture a culture that promotes data analytics and data-driven decision-making across CARE work streams including programs, program support, and senior management.

·       Ensure the MEAL system produces critical program quality and program performance reports including delivery rates, reach, impact, evaluations, progress reports, advocacy, and policy papers as well as research, learning, and accountability reports.

·       Oversee knowledge management, ensuring that the process is effective and knowledge products are of high quality, accessible, and widely shared with relevant stakeholders.

2.     Program QUALITY, and LEARNING (30%)

The PQL Manager will ensure program quality standards are properly understood and applied across all programs leading to high quality results and influence for women and girls. S/he will promote programmatic learning to improve the quality of programs, focus on strengthening internal coordination and robust information management in the country program while building capacity of staff to prioritise learning across board. This requires the PQL Manager to clearly define the quality standards, and embed these standards during program design, establish baselines status of these quality standards at project start and regularly measure and document progress across all programs.

Specifically, the PQL Manager will:

·       Ensure that CARE’s quality markers and relevant standard indicators are well understood and embedded into the Theory of Change and Results Frameworks for all programs.

·       Ensure that relevant CARE’s program models and approaches are well understood and properly applied during the implementation of respective programs.  

·       Provide appropriate tools for SMT, MEAL, program, and support team to use for observation, reflection and providing feedback during quality assurance field visits.

·       Promote regular program reflection and learning through quarterly PQL workshops focused on specific PQL topics inviting global advisors and partners to these reflections.

·       Provide leadership, oversight and quality assurance for all baselines, mid-term reviews, end-lines and impact evaluations. Build capacity to do research and evaluations in-house.

·       Support the Program Director to organize annual partnership review conference to reflect on the partnership and review annual program performance! 

·       Strengthen research and learning whereby each program produces at least one high quality publication per year and rallies discourse around research findings.

3.     Program Planning, Monitoring and Reporting (10%)

The PQL Manager will oversee planning, monitoring, and reporting across all programs by adopting an integrated tool as which enables each Project Manager to plan/forecast and track program implementation rates and budget burn rates. The integrated tool should be part of the MEAL system and able to aggregate, consolidate and produce project, program, and country level program performance dashboards, which are used to inform program reports. The system should be as automated as possible, with both online and offline versions.

Specifically, the PQL Manager will:

·       Review existing planning and reporting tools for CARE and partners to assess what is working, what is not working, and unmet needs related to planning and reporting.

·       Spearhead the process of developing, adopting, or adapting a fit-for-purpose program planning and reporting tool to be embedded in the MEAL system.

·       Manage country level planning and reporting mechanism, ensuring that planning and reporting across all programs happens on schedule and is of good quality. 

·       Produce country level program performance dashboards ahead of all SMT meetings, showing country level program implementation rates, budget burn rates and reporting.

·       Oversight for monthly Program Review Meetings (PRMs) to review program performance.

·       Oversee country level donor reporting schedule ensuring timeliness and quality of all donor reports and nurture a culture of structured and rigorous donor reporting.

·       Support content creation of quarterly newsletters focused on human interest stories from the field, key program events like launches and important program news like new wins.

Oversee production of country level annual reports, based on Program/Project Information and Impact Reporting System (PIIRS) and Advocacy and Influence Impact Reporting (AIIR) tool.

4.     Business development and new program design (10%)

The PQL Manager will support business development and new program design by providing relevant market information and credible evidence from current programs to enrich design.   

Specifically, the PQL Manager will:

·       Provide updated contextual information and credible evidence to enrich and ground the design of new programs on contextual realities and evidence of what works. 

·       Technical review of Theory of Change (TOC) and Results Frameworks (RFs) to ensure it is aligned with relevant CARE program strategies, MEAL framework and Quality Markers.

·       Ensure that MEAL and PQL is properly resourced across all new program designs allocating approximately 10% of their total budgets as MEAL and PQL related resources.

·        Support in producing country level funding dashboard analyzing previous funding trends, current funding performance and future funding pipeline.

·       Provide quality inputs into writing specific sections of new program proposals including context analysis, MEAL and sustainability sections. 

5.     External engagement and evidence-based advocacy (10%)

The PQL Manager will support CARE’s strategic external engagement including evidenced-based advocacy and policy influencing work.

Specifically, the PQL Manager will:

·       Bring credible knowledge from programs to inform CARE’s strategic engagement and discourse across various platforms including working groups.

·       Bring credible evidence including research, publications and reports from programs to inform CARE’s advocacy, policy engagement and influencing work.

·       Support on mapping out strategic external engagement platforms and monitoring and feedback mechanisms of key takeaways from these platforms.

·       Support communications team in content creation of CARE’s communication, visibility and marketing materials used to position CARE as an industry leader in various spaces.

6.     Team Leadership and Capacity Building of PQL Team (10%)

The PQL Manager is responsible for hiring, training and retaining a gender-balanced team of competent and motivated MEAL team and establishing a collaborative culture, high performance standards and transparent performance management practice using appropriate combination of reward, recognition and reprimand. The PQL Manager will establish a culture of continuous learning and professional development through targeted trainings, on-job learning, relevant exposures and appropriate stretch assignments. S/he will ensure transparent and visible work flow through Microsoft TEAMs and appropriate digital platforms. S/he will ensure that annual performance goals and regular evaluations of supervised staff are concluded in time. In addition, s/he will ensure that all CARE staff, especially those assigned to specific programs are properly oriented on the MEAL system, tools and processes and that staff continue to receive technical support and accompaniment on MEAL tools and processes.

7.     Promote Gender Equality and Diversity & Safeguarding Practices (5%)

As a CARE ambassador, the PQL Manager is required to ensure gender equity and diversity (GED) within the team and nurture CARE’s core values and code of conduct. This will require PQL Manager to support the recruitment of MEAL staff and those who will be engaged in MEAL work.  Practice behaviour that is consistent with CARE’s core values, and promotion of gender equity and diversity goals. Play a leadership role in identifying and implementing initiatives that enhance CARE’s commitment to gender and diversity. Ensure that CARE Safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to by supervisees. Ensure that staff and related personnel in her/his team are familiar with key organisational policies and procedures and can identify when needed how these may have been breached; The CI Safeguarding policy, Protection from Sexual Harassment; Exploitation and Abuse and Child Abuse, The anti-discrimination and harassment policy; and The code of conduct and the organizations Values.

8.     Any other duties assigned from time to time (5%) 

·       Step in and cover for supervisor and peers  

·       Take on CO and global stretch assignments

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential:

·       Masters in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics or relevant field of study from a reputable institution/university is a MUST.

·       Bachelors in Statistics or Quantitative Economics or relevant field of study is required.   

·       A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience with reputable organizations in similar roles

·       Skills in using data analysis software like Nvivo, Power BI, SPSS and STATA.

·       Excellent skills in research, evaluations, evidence-generation, policy and advocacy.

·       Excellent Conceptual abilities, strategic thinking, analytical writing skills and knowledge. 

·       Leadership skills with proven experience in engaging, mobilising and influencing people, 

·       Good communication, presentation, public speaking, discussion and negotiation skills.

Desired:

·       Professional training and experience in gender equality, women and girls’ empowerment

·       Professional experience in working with young people (youth) and refugee communities

·       Professional training in research, evaluation, analytical writing, policy and advocacy work

·       Experience in gender transformative approaches, including specific experience in working with and empowering women and girls in emergency and development settings.

·       Experience in networking and strategic relationships management and engagements. 

·       Organizing skills and capacity to multi-task in rapidly changing & fast-paced environments.

·       Knowledge of and demonstrated personal commitment to relevant organizational codes of conduct for emergencies, including anti-fraud and anti-corruption, safeguarding etc.

COMPETENCIES

•Excellence: Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; successfully completes assignments; ensures interactions and transactions are ethical and convey integrity.

•Integrity: Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adheres to codes of conduct and ethical principles inherent to CARE.

• Communicating with Impact: Diplomatically, logically and clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the recipient / audience and helps them understand and retain their message.

• Facilitating Change: Supports and manages the change process at CARE Uganda by developing a culture affirmative of change; encouraging others to seek and act upon opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; critically analysing evolving and fluid situations; facilitating the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; actively engaging with resistance to change.

• Strengthening Partnership: Identify and utilize opportunities within and outside of CARE Uganda to develop effective strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas/departments/units or external organizations to achieve CARE’s objectives.

• Management Excellence: Makes the connection between values and performance. Influences the performance of others, and ultimately, the performance of the organization. Sets direction, coaches and develops, promotes staff wellness and safety, practices & promotes compliance, models gender equity and diversity, communicates effectively.

•Developing Teams: Use appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitates the completion of team goals.

• Diversity - Promote, value, respect and fully benefit from each individual’s unique qualities, background, race, culture, age, gender, disability, values, lifestyle, perspectives or interests; creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes diversity.

•Adaptability- Expected to well adjust with the country, the CO operating environment and with the Project team to function effectively and efficiently

•Coaching - Ability to demonstrate to enhance skills and capacity of staff working in the field and office for them continue to serve CARE in the future program activities