Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist

1. Position Information

• Job Title: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist
• Organization: FAWE Rwanda
• Duty Station: Kigali, Rwanda, with travel to programme implementation areas
• Reports to: Executive Director
• Works closely with: Programme, Finance, Communications, Resource Mobilization and Advocacy teams; FAWE Regional Secretariat; implementing partners; government institutions; research institutions; and development partners
• Contract Type: Full-time
• Grade/Level: Specialist

2. Job Purpose

The MEL Specialist will provide strategic and technical leadership in performance measurement, evidence generation, learning and adaptive management across FAWE Rwanda. The role will lead an integrated MEL system to track strategic and programme results, strengthen data quality and accountability, assess programme effectiveness, outcomes and contribution to impact, and translate evidence into programme improvement and policy influence. The Specialist will strengthen FAWE Rwanda as a results-oriented learning organization by ensuring credible evidence informs decision-making and results are effectively communicated to management, governance structures, partners and other stakeholders.

3. Key Responsibilities

3.1 Strategic MEL Leadership and Performance Management – Weight 30%

• Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of FAWE Rwanda’s integrated MEL system, ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan, annual plans, project frameworks, donor requirements and FAWE regional frameworks.
• Translate strategic and programme priorities into robust results frameworks with clear indicators, baselines, targets, milestones and means of verification.
• Monitor implementation and performance of the Strategic Plan and programme portfolio against agreed results and targets, identifying trends, performance gaps, implementation bottlenecks, risks and emerging opportunities.
• Facilitate periodic performance reviews and provide strategic advice to management and programme teams on corrective actions, programme effectiveness and evidence-informed decision-making.
• Strengthen integration of results-based management and MEL throughout the programme cycle, ensuring measurement extends beyond activities and reach to outcomes, quality, sustainability and contribution to change.

3.2 Data, Research, Evaluation and Evidence Generation- Weight 20%

• Establish and maintain robust systems for collecting, managing, analysing and safeguarding high-quality quantitative and qualitative programme and institutional data.
• Lead baselines, assessments, surveys, tracer studies, evaluations and other strategic research, ensuring methodological quality and credibility of findings.
• Establish data quality assurance mechanisms, including routine verification and periodic assessments, to ensure data accuracy, completeness, consistency, validity and timeliness.
• Analyse programme and research data to identify trends, disparities, evidence gaps and differential outcomes, including who benefits, who may be left behind and why.
• Generate credible evidence on the effectiveness, relevance, outcomes, sustainability and scalability of FAWE Rwanda’s interventions, including their contribution to longer-term change, to inform programming, resource mobilization, advocacy and strategic decision-making.

3.3 Organizational Learning, Knowledge Management and Evidence Use – 30 %

• Lead the organizational learning agenda and facilitate structured reflection, programme reviews and adaptive management processes that translate evidence and experience into improved practice.
• Identify, document and disseminate lessons, promising practices, innovations, implementation challenges and scalable approaches across FAWE Rwanda’s programmes.
• Develop high-quality performance reports, dashboards, evidence briefs, learning products and impact narratives for management, the Board, donors, partners and other stakeholders.
• Establish effective knowledge-management mechanisms that ensure MEL, research and programme evidence is systematically captured, accessible and used across the organization.
• Translate programme evidence and research into actionable recommendations and track their uptake in programme design, management decisions, advocacy, policy engagement and opportunities for replication or scale-up.

3.4 MEL Capacity, Gender Responsiveness and Partnerships -Weigh 20%

• Strengthen the MEL capacity of staff and implementing partners through coaching, mentoring, practical guidance and development of standardized tools and quality standards.
• Mainstream gender equality, equity, inclusion and safeguarding principles throughout monitoring, evaluation, research and learning processes.
• Ensure appropriate data disaggregation and participatory approaches that capture and analyse differential experiences and outcomes among girls, young women, persons with disabilities and other relevant groups.
• Build organization-wide ownership of MEL as a strategic management, accountability and learning function rather than primarily a reporting requirement.
• Strengthen technical collaboration and learning with FAWE Regional Secretariat, National Chapters, government, research institutions and other partners to improve evidence generation, knowledge exchange and use.

4. Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

The successful candidate should possess:

• A master’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, Education, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Research Methods, Data Science or a related field.
• Additional professional certification in Monitoring and Evaluation, Results-Based Management or applied research will be an added advantage.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, programme performance or results-based management, preferably within education, gender equality, girls’ empowerment, youth development or women’s economic empowerment programmes.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and managing organizational and multi-project MEL systems, including theories of change, results frameworks, indicators, baselines, targets, MEL plans, data quality assurance and strategic performance reporting.
• Strong experience in designing, conducting or managing quantitative and qualitative research, surveys, assessments and evaluations, including quality assurance of externally commissioned studies, with demonstrated ability to analyse and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Strong analytical and digital capabilities, including proficiency in relevant tools such as Excel, Power BI/Tableau, SPSS, and KoboToolbox/ODK or comparable platforms, with experience in data visualization, dashboards and knowledge management considered an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate organizational learning and adaptive management, including translating performance evidence, research findings and lessons into strategic and operational improvements.
• Excellent strategic thinking, analytical, problem-solving, communication and report-writing skills, with the ability to communicate complex evidence clearly to technical and non-technical audiences and constructively influence management, programme teams and partners.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and engage government, development partners, research institutions, implementing partners and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional integrity, research ethics, data confidentiality, gender equality, inclusion and safeguarding, with the ability to apply gender-responsive and inclusive approaches throughout MEL processes.

5. Key Working Relationships

• Internal: The position is expected to work closely with the National Coordinator, Senior Management, Programme, Finance and Administration, Communications and Advocacy, Resource Mobilization and project teams, as well as relevant Board and governance structures, to strengthen performance management, accountability, evidence use and organizational learning.
• FAWE Network: Collaborates with the FAWE Regional Secretariat, other National Chapters and regional MEL, research and knowledge-management counterparts to promote strategic alignment, harmonized performance reporting, evidence generation, knowledge exchange and cross-country learning.
• External: Engages with government ministries and agencies, development partners, donors, implementing partners, educational institutions, research and academic institutions, consultants, evaluators, civil society organizations, communities, programme participants and alumni to strengthen evidence generation, research, evaluation, learning and evidence-informed programming.

How to Apply

Interested candidate should submit their application no later than 15th October 2026. Please click on the “Apply” button to complete your application.