Project M&E Specialist

Job Summary

Join our dynamic Project Management Department as a Project Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist. In this critical role, you will lead the establishment and maintenance of robust M&E systems, ensuring that project performance is accurately tracked and reported to drive effective decision-making and achieve impactful results across our initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and periodically review the project's comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework.
• Design and maintain project performance measurement plans, logical frameworks, results frameworks, theories of change, and precise indicator tracking systems.
• Define appropriate indicators, baselines, targets, data sources, frequency of measurement, and means of verification for all project activities.
• Integrate M&E requirements seamlessly into project work plans, budgets, implementation plans, and reporting processes.
• Provide expert technical advice and guidance to project teams on results-based management and performance measurement methodologies.
• Monitor implementation progress rigorously against approved project plans, outputs, outcomes, milestones, and established targets.
• Track project performance, proactively identifying delays, implementation gaps, emerging risks, and areas requiring corrective action.
• Conduct regular, systematic project monitoring visits to project sites and implementing partners, preparing comprehensive reports highlighting progress, challenges, and recommended actions.
• Develop and standardize robust data collection, reporting, verification, and documentation tools to ensure consistency and quality.
• Coordinate the efficient collection, compilation, cleaning, analysis, and interpretation of diverse project data.
• Perform routine data verification and conduct Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) to ensure data accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability.
• Maintain appropriate M&E databases and electronic information management systems, ensuring data security, confidentiality, and accessibility.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative project data to thoroughly assess progress, evaluate results, and identify key performance trends.
• Produce periodic performance reports, interactive dashboards, scorecards, and other essential management information products for diverse stakeholders.
• Coordinate or support baseline, midterm, endline, impact, and needs assessment studies to generate critical project insights.
• Develop detailed terms of reference, methodologies, questionnaires, and data collection tools for various M&E studies.
• Document project achievements, lessons learned, best practices, innovations, challenges, and compelling success stories for organizational knowledge sharing.
• Train and mentor project staff, implementing partners, and relevant stakeholders on M&E systems, procedures, indicator definitions, and data collection methods.
• Provide M&E technical support during meetings with donors, government agencies, implementing partners, and other critical stakeholders, ensuring compliance.
• Monitor project performance risks and provide early warning to project management, contributing to project accountability and transparency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Project Management, Public Policy, Research Methods, or a closely related field.
• Professional training or certification in Monitoring & Evaluation, Results-Based Management, or Project Management.
• At least 3-5 years of direct experience in monitoring and evaluation, project performance management, research, or development programming.
• Master's degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Development Studies, Project Management, Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, or a related discipline (desirable).
• Demonstrated experience working on donor-funded projects or within a Project Management Unit (PMU) environment (desirable).
• Experience collaborating with government entities, NGOs, development partners, or managing large-scale projects (desirable).

Required Skills

• Expertise in designing and implementing Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks, Results-Based Management (RBM), Theory of Change, and Logical Framework approaches.
• Proficiency in developing indicators, establishing performance measurement systems, and conducting data quality assessments (DQAs).
• Advanced skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods, survey design, and field data collection coordination using digital platforms like KoboToolbox, ODK, or SurveyCTO.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including statistical analysis using software such as SPSS, STATA, or R, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis and reporting, with experience in data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including advanced report writing, presentation development, and effective stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and work autonomously or collaboratively within a project team under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to data accuracy and integrity.
• Familiarity with donor reporting requirements and best practices in knowledge management and organizational learning.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and M&E certifications.
• A collaborative and supportive work environment focused on impactful project delivery.
• Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance (where applicable).

Working Conditions

This role is primarily office-based, operating within a standard work week. However, it requires regular travel to project sites, implementing partner locations, field sites, and various stakeholder meetings. Occasional extended working hours may be necessary to meet critical project reporting deadlines, support evaluations, or participate in field activities.