About African Women Rising (AWR)

African Women Rising (AWR) empowers women and families in Northern Uganda and South Sudanese refugee communities to rise out of poverty through regenerative agriculture, microfinance, adult literacy, and girls’ education. Our integrated programs strengthen livelihoods, restore degraded landscapes, and build long-term resilience. We are committed to fostering a culture of accountability, learning, and evidence-based decision-making across all our interventions.

Importantly, AWR is entering a significant period of MEAL system growth and digital transformation, transitioning from program-level monitoring tools to a more integrated organization-wide digital MEAL system. The new MEAL Manager will play a central leadership role in guiding and shaping this transformation.

Position Overview

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager will lead and strengthen the MEAL systems, Staff capacity and data driven learning across the organization. The MEAL Manager will head the MEAL Department, oversee the design, implementation and modernisation of MEAL systems and technologies guiding the organization through a major MEAL growth period, including the shift toward more robust, integrated digital systems.

A key part of the role will be to build the capacity of the MEAL team and enhance coordination between MEAL, programs, and field staff to promote improved data quality, stronger learning practices, and better use of evidence in decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership and System Strengthening

• Lead the design, rollout, and maintenance / adaptation of organizational and program-level MEAL frameworks, including log frames, theories of change, and MEAL strategy aligned to AWR’s mission.
• Lead AWR through an upcoming period of MEAL system growth and digital transformation, guiding the shift from program-level outcome tracking to a fully integrated digital MEAL system. This includes advising on best-fit technical solutions, engaging with technical vendors, and managing the change process across MEAL, program, and management teams.
• Provide visionary leadership during this MEAL expansion phase, ensuring readiness for new processes, technologies, and data-driven ways of working.
• Lead the development, review and maintain robust MEAL tools and digital systems for data collection, management, and analysis.
• Standardize indicators, data collection tools, and reporting processes across all AWR programs.
• Support program teams to use data for adaptive management, planning, accountability and learning.

2. Data Management and Analysis

• Provide strategic oversight of data management systems to ensure production of high-quality, reliable, and timely data across all programs.
• Lead and strengthen data quality assurance processes including verification, validation, and routine Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).
• Capacitate and mentor MEAL Officers and Data Assistants to lead day-to-day data analysis, visualization, and reporting.
• Review, synthesize, and quality-check analytical outputs produced by the MEAL team, ensuring that insights are accurate, actionable, and meet management and donor needs.
• Guide integration of analytical products into program dashboards, digital MEAL systems, and management tools.

3. Capacity Building and Staff Support

• Design and implement MEAL capacity-building plans for MEAL staff, program teams, and field facilitators.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to improve staff skills in data collection, quality assurance, and analysis.
• Strengthen cross-department collaboration to ensure MEAL is fully integrated into program cycle management.

4. Accountability and Learning

• Strengthen community feedback and accountability mechanisms to ensure responsiveness to participants.
• Lead organizational learning events, after-action reviews, and documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and success stories.
• Promote a culture of learning, reflection, and adaptive programming across the organization.
• Represent AWR in MEAL-related working groups, networks, and coordination platforms.

5. Donor Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Interface with the Development Team to ensure all MEAL activities meet donor requirements and align with project indicators and reporting frameworks.
• Lead internal data quality audits (DQAs) and ensure strict adherence to data verification and validation standards.
• Support proposal development by providing MEAL inputs such as indicators, logframes, and monitoring strategies.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Applied Economics or Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field; an advanced certificate in M&E is strongly preferred.
• At least 5–7 years of progressive experience in MEAL roles, including 3 years in a supervisory or managerial position.
• Experience in designing and implementing comprehensive MEAL systems, including developing results frameworks, log frames, theories of change, and performance indicators.
• Expertise in developing and using data collection tools, especially mobile data collection platforms like Kobo Toolbox, ODK Collect, CommCare, or ONA.
• Proficiency with qualitative and quantitative data approaches and analytical software such as SPSS, STATA, Advanced Excel, PowerBI, Tableau, or similar visualization platforms.
• Knowledge and experience in establishing and maintaining effective Community-Based Feedback and Response Mechanisms (CBFRM) and ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP
• capacity to train, mentor, and coach program and partner staff on MEAL concepts, methodologies, and tools to improve data quality and M&E skills.

Capacity and Passion

• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• High integrity and commitment to data confidentiality.
• Capacity and passion for strengthening teams, nurturing talent, and promoting a culture of learning and data use.
• Results-oriented and innovative mindset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Compensation and Benefits

AWR offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience and local market standards.

• Lead the design, rollout, and maintenance / adaptation of organizational and program-level MEAL frameworks, including log frames, theories of change, and MEAL strategy aligned to AWR’s mission.
• Lead AWR through an upcoming period of MEAL system growth and digital transformation, guiding the shift from program-level outcome tracking to a fully integrated digital MEAL system. This includes advising on best-fit technical solutions, engaging with technical vendors, and managing the change process across MEAL, program, and management teams.
• Provide visionary leadership during this MEAL expansion phase, ensuring readiness for new processes, technologies, and data-driven ways of working.
• Lead the development, review and maintain robust MEAL tools and digital systems for data collection, management, and analysis.
• Standardize indicators, data collection tools, and reporting processes across all AWR programs.
• Support program teams to use data for adaptive management, planning, accountability and learning.
• Provide strategic oversight of data management systems to ensure production of high-quality, reliable, and timely data across all programs.
• Lead and strengthen data quality assurance processes including verification, validation, and routine Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).
• Capacitate and mentor MEAL Officers and Data Assistants to lead day-to-day data analysis, visualization, and reporting.
• Review, synthesize, and quality-check analytical outputs produced by the MEAL team, ensuring that insights are accurate, actionable, and meet management and donor needs.
• Guide integration of analytical products into program dashboards, digital MEAL systems, and management tools.
• Design and implement MEAL capacity-building plans for MEAL staff, program teams, and field facilitators.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to improve staff skills in data collection, quality assurance, and analysis.
• Strengthen cross-department collaboration to ensure MEAL is fully integrated into program cycle management.
• Strengthen community feedback and accountability mechanisms to ensure responsiveness to participants.
• Lead organizational learning events, after-action reviews, and documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and success stories.
• Promote a culture of learning, reflection, and adaptive programming across the organization.
• Represent AWR in MEAL-related working groups, networks, and coordination platforms.
• Interface with the Development Team to ensure all MEAL activities meet donor requirements and align with project indicators and reporting frameworks.
• Lead internal data quality audits (DQAs) and ensure strict adherence to data verification and validation standards.
• Support proposal development by providing MEAL inputs such as indicators, logframes, and monitoring strategies.

• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• High integrity and commitment to data confidentiality.
• Capacity and passion for strengthening teams, nurturing talent, and promoting a culture of learning and data use.
• Results-oriented and innovative mindset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Expertise in developing and using data collection tools, especially mobile data collection platforms like Kobo Toolbox, ODK Collect, CommCare, or ONA.
• Proficiency with qualitative and quantitative data approaches and analytical software such as SPSS, STATA, Advanced Excel, PowerBI, Tableau, or similar visualization platforms.
• Knowledge and experience in establishing and maintaining effective Community-Based Feedback and Response Mechanisms (CBFRM) and ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP
• Capacity to train, mentor, and coach program and partner staff on MEAL concepts, methodologies, and tools to improve data quality and M&E skills.

• Bachelor’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Applied Economics or Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field; an advanced certificate in M&E is strongly preferred.
• At least 5–7 years of progressive experience in MEAL roles, including 3 years in a supervisory or managerial position.
• Experience in designing and implementing comprehensive MEAL systems, including developing results frameworks, log frames, theories of change, and performance indicators.