Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager PMU at Sightsavers

Further accountabilities include;

Strategic leadership

• Deliver high quality, robust data collection and analysis that supports programme performance monitoring, learning and strategic decision making.
• Oversee the planning, execution and monitoring of MEL plans, adapting strategies to emerging issues and evolving needs.
• Monitor and evaluate programme performance in partnership with the Programme Director and PMU colleagues, identifying risks and opportunities and ensuring that MEL insights inform programme strategy and delivery.
• Manage MEL budgets to ensure strategic allocation and cost-effective use of resources, maximising the impact of MEL activities across the programme.

Technical oversight and capacity building

• Ensure high standards and consistency in MEL delivery across all programme countries.
• Deliver technical training and facilitate peer learning among country-level MEL Managers and other staff involved in MEL activities.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of management protocols and Delegation of Authority (DoA) frameworks to clarify roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines for MEL staff across the programme 
• Ensure MEL data systems are fit for purpose, user-friendly and aligned with programme learning and reporting needs by overseeing their design and functionalist in coordination with database developers and managers from the Data Analytics and Reporting Team (DART)  
• Ensure that the programme produces high quality, accurate and reliable data by developing and overseeing monitoring systems and data quality assessment protocols in collaboration with MEL and DART colleagues.

Learning synthesis and knowledge management 

• Lead the development and implementation of robust knowledge management systems to capture, synthesise, and disseminate learning across countries and teams.
• Lead the production of programme learning products for dissemination to internal and external stakeholders.

 Monitoring, reporting and evaluation

• Ensure programme results are effectively monitored and reported by coordinating with global MEL colleagues and DART, maintaining alignment with the results framework and organisational reporting standards 
• Lead the design and coordinate the implementation of baseline, annual, and endline data collection and analysis 
• Lead and coordinate reporting against the results framework and contribute to donor and organisational reporting 

Stakeholder engagement

• Represent the programme’s MEL work to donors and partners, ensuring alignment with expectations and timely, high-quality reporting.
• Build strong relationships and work collaboratively with Country Directors and CO management to ensure alignment on MEL priorities and deliverables.

Risk management and quality assurance

• Proactively identify and manage risks related to MEL delivery, quality, data protection, and compliance, escalating issues to the Programme Director and Senior MEL Manager (Inclusion) as needed 
• Lead MEL risk management and quality assurance processes, ensuring compliance with organisational and donor standards.

Skills and Experience

• As the successful candidate you will possess a Masters in a relevant field or subject (e.g. international development, social inclusion, social sciences), or equivalent experience.
• You will have experience in a MEL leadership position within the international development sector working across different countries, preferably in economic empowerment programmes, and hold proven experience designing and implementing MEL frameworks and managing MEL in multi-country programmes.