MELS Manager, BRIGHT Project

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live.

Position Summary

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) seeks to recruit a highly qualified and experienced professional to serve as the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Sharing (MELS) Manager for the BRIGHT project in Uganda. This individual will be based in the Fort Portal field office and will play a critical role in tracking and reporting program results. They will also ensure accurate reporting, adaptive management, and transparency of program performance to the Netherlands Embassy, project partners, and other beneficiaries.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement the MELS system for BRIGHT Project:

·       Design, refine, and operationalize the MELS system, including indicators, targets, and data collection tools;

·       Monitor project progress and ensure timely data collection, analysis, and reporting;

·       Contribute to the preparation of high-quality project reports, aligning with donor and organizational standards;

 Support adaptive management:

·       Collaborate with technical and management teams to develop program goals, MEL tools, and strategies;

·       Provide real-time data and insights to inform decision-making, improve project performance, and adapt activities;

·       Ensure coordination and alignment of M&E activities across project components and harmonize indicators;

 Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing:

·       Build the capacity of project staff in data collection, management, and reporting;

·       Identify and document lessons learned and best practices for integration into project activities;

·       Design and manage systems for tracking and sharing learning across the project team and stakeholders;

Results Measurement and Reporting:

·       Develop tailored monitoring and results measurement plans linked to the project’s theory of change;

·       Guide the development and use of results chains to map outcomes and impacts of project activities;

·       Ensure compliance with International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standards and reporting requirements;

 Data Collection and Analysis:

·       Oversee the design of data collection tools and methodologies, ensuring quality and consistency;

·       Conduct and guide baseline, mid-term, annual surveys, and impact evaluations;

·       Manage data storage and analysis, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and security;

 Learning Agenda and Research:

·       Coordinate the implementation of the learning agenda and provide oversight for action research initiatives;

·       Deliver technical inputs to research products and ensure alignment with project objectives;

·       Share findings with project leadership, partners, and the donor advisory committee to maximize project impact;

General Responsibilities:

·       Integrate M&E objectives into project planning and budgeting cycles;

·       Produce integrated M&E plans and roadmaps that align with project goals;

·       Perform other duties as assigned to enhance the project’s effectiveness and impact.

Reporting and Work Relationships

The MELS manager is supervised by and reports to the Project Manager for the BRIGHT Project. They will work in close collaboration with project colleagues, other IFDC staff and colleagues from other project consortium members. The MELS Manager will supervise 2 MELS Officers who are based in Mbale and Kabale field offices.

Location 

This is a national recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC Fort Portal Field Office in Uganda. 

Salary Clause 

The salary grade for this position is BG 9 with a recommended monthly starting gross salary of 7,216,488 UGX.

The determination of new employee salaries takes into account various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations. 

The contract assignment is anticipated to be effective from the 1^st of March 2025, through to 30th September 2026 unless amended in writing and agreed upon by both Parties

Benefits 

IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health and group life insurance coverage, a 13th-month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws and end-of-contract benefits. 

About Program/Project

Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth of Highland farming systems for rural Transformation (BRIGHT) is a four-year project, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) through the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Dutch development policy. The project is being implemented by IFDC, in collaboration with Agriterra.

The vision of the BRIGHT project is to promote inclusive economic growth and rural transformation through equitable integration into value chains. BRIGHT aims to build the resilience of 106,560 highland farm households in Kigezi, Mt. Elgon, and Rwenzori regions by supporting Uganda to recover from external shocks in an ever-changing context through absorption, adaptation, and transformation. In doing so, the project will improve the food and nutrition security and incomes of farmers, transition subsistence-oriented farm households to more of a market orientation by supporting them in integrated farm planning and inclusive decision-making, introducing appropriate climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies to strengthen local farming systems, ensuring natural resource conservation, and developing strategic value chains.

Mode of application.

Interested individual should submit their CV online via the IFDC career page not later than 2nd February 2025.

Required Experience

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. statistics, evaluation science, agricultural development, or related fields);
• A postgraduate diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation is a must;
• Minimum of 5 years of proven experience in designing and implementing M&E activities, particularly in the agriculture sector;
• Strong expertise in resilience-building projects, with demonstrated ability to design and integrate M&E frameworks across multiple thematic areas or project components;
• Hands-on experience managing complex farming systems and adaptive projects requiring dynamic and flexible M&E approaches;
• In-depth understanding and application of monitoring and evaluation methodologies, including research and data analysis skills;
• Proven track record in setting up and managing rigorous M&E systems, including performance monitoring frameworks and Management Information Systems (MIS);
• Expertise in data collection protocols, ensuring accurate data collection, verification, and reporting to support strategic decision-making;
• Proficiency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and statistical software (e.g., SPSS, STATA); knowledge of MS Access is an added advantage;
• Ability to analyze data trends and present actionable insights for improving project performance;
• Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills to manage project communications and disseminate findings effectively;
• Strong ability to prioritize, multitask, and deliver results in a dynamic, fast-paced environment;
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and capable of working both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.