Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager at African Wildlife Foundation

Position Summary

• The MEL Manager is a senior technical role responsible for ensuring that AWF’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems produce credible, high-quality, decision-relevant evidence that informs strategy, adaptive management, and governance. The role holder will operationalize AWF’s mission-level Theory of Change and impact framework, steward institutional indicators and data standards, and ensure that MEL systems function as an enterprise-wide decision-support architecture. The MEL Manager will combine advanced data analytics, rigorous data quality assurance, and strong program design expertise to translate field-level evidence into leadership- and Board-ready insights.

Key Responsibilities

Standards, Methodology, and Data Quality Assurance (30%)

• Operationalize and steward AWF’s mission-level Theory of Change and Impact Framework, ensuring consistency across portfolios, landscapes, and countries.
• Manage the Mission Indicator Compendium and enforce indicator governance processes.
• Lead data quality assurance (DQA) processes, including routine data verification, spot checks, audits, and methodological reviews.
• Establish and enforce MEL minimum standards and mandatory design gates for all new projects and programs.
• Ensure compliance with institutional data governance, data protection, and ethical evidence-use protocols.

Systems, Analytics and Evidence Infrastructure (25%)

• Lead the management and continuous improvement of AWF’s data management platform.
• Ensure seamless integration of field data collection tools with institutional databases.
• Work closely with the GIS and spatial analytics team to align spatial data products with institutional MEL frameworks and mission-level impact reporting.
• Maintain institutional dashboards and visualization products designed for reuse and adaptation across internal management, governance, and external reporting needs.
• Ensure interoperability between project-level MEL systems and institutional aggregation frameworks.

Learning, Evaluation, and Knowledge Synthesis (25%)

• Support the implementation of structured learning and reflection cycles across the organization, ensuring evidence is synthesized and applied to adaptive management and decision-making.
• Produce clear, decision-oriented learning products, including briefs, syntheses, and analytical summaries that support evidence-informed management and strategic decision-making.
• Maintain the Mission Knowledge Repository as a structured, accessible system for curating institutional evidence, evaluations, and learning outputs.
• Coordinate high-quality internal and external evaluations and oversee management response processes to ensure accountability and closure of learning loops.

Capacity Building and Technical Advisory (20%)

• Provide technical leadership and advisory support to Landscape MEL Leads and Country Office MEL staff through a matrix management model.
• Lead MEL capacity strengthening initiatives for project teams, partners, and senior leadership, including training on analytics, adaptive management, and evidence use.
• Review and provide technical input into project MEL plans, logframes, and results frameworks during programme design and proposal development.
• Support teams in mapping project indicators to the Mission Results Framework and institutional indicators.
• Convene and facilitate communities of practice for MEL practitioners across AWF.

Key Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree (required) in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Data Science, Economics, Environmental Science, Conservation Science, Development Studies, or an applied social science discipline.
• Advanced training in data analytics is a strong advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years of progressively responsible MEL experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior or managerial role within conservation, natural resource management, or international development organizations.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing enterprise-level MEL systems, including institutional indicators and aggregation frameworks.
• Strong track record in data analytics, including use of statistical software, dashboards, and data visualization for decision-making.
• Proven expertise in data quality assurance, methodological integrity, and evaluation management.
• Experience supporting programme and project design, including results frameworks, theories of change, and MEL plans.
• Experience working in matrixed, multi-country organizations with decentralized implementation structures.

Technical Competencies

• Advanced quantitative and qualitative analysis skills; ability to translate complex data into clear insights.
• Strong understanding of impact evaluation approaches, contribution analysis, and adaptive management.
• Proficiency with data platforms, MEL databases and visualization software (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent).

Deadline: July 21, 2026