MERL Manager

The MERL Manager reports directly to the Director – Program, Innovation & Impact. The role works closely with the Program, Finance, Communications, Program Development, and Technology teams and collaborates with the Global MEL Team to strengthen monitoring systems, data quality, reporting, and organizational learning. The position also engages with implementing partners, consultants, donors, and other external stakeholders on monitoring, evaluation, and learning initiatives.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS / KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Lead the development and implementation of the India MEL strategy aligned with the Global MEL framework.
• Integrate MEL into country strategy and program design with a focus on outcomes, impact, and evidence-based decision making.
• Develop and oversee the annual Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan, ensuring alignment with organizational and donor priorities.
• Provide technical input into strategic planning, proposal development, and program design.
• Ensure that MEL priorities are embedded early in project design, including clear indicators, data sources, targets, responsibilities, reporting timelines, and learning questions.
• Support the use of MEL evidence in management discussions, annual planning, resource allocation, and program improvement.
• Integrate research priorities and learning questions into program design to strengthen evidence generation and strategic decision making.

• Design and oversee MEL systems, logical frameworks, indicators, and performance measurement plans across projects.
• Ensure alignment with donor requirements and organizational standards for monitoring and reporting.
• Lead baseline studies, assessments, research initiatives, evaluations, target setting, and variance analysis to support adaptive management.
• Oversee data collection, validation, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting across projects.
• Ensure effective utilization of organizational MEL platforms and reporting systems, including Spectrum and other digital tools.
• Support the development and use of practical project-level MEL tools, including indicator reference sheets, data collection templates, reporting calendars, data quality checklists, and partner guidance.
• Work with project teams and partners to identify feasible ways to collect and analyze outcome data, ensuring the findings are used to strengthen program quality and decision-making.
• Analyze performance trends across projects and partners to identify implementation bottlenecks, quality gaps, and opportunities for course correction.

• Support the adoption and implementation of global data automation initiatives and standardized data schemas.
• Improve data management processes to enhance efficiency, consistency, and real-time visibility of program performance.
• Champion innovative approaches and digital solutions that strengthen data quality, accessibility, and reporting capabilities.
• Develop dashboards and data visualization products to communicate results effectively to internal and external stakeholders.

• Foster a culture of learning through reflection sessions, learning reviews, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Lead the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, best practices, case studies, and success stories.
• Lead or support operational research, needs assessments, and special studies that strengthen program effectiveness and generate evidence for decision making.
• Translate evidence and analysis into actionable recommendations for program improvement and strategic decision making.
• Build the MEL capacity of staff and partners through training, coaching, and technical guidance.
• Prepare learning briefs, evidence summaries, and donor-ready narratives that clearly explain results, challenges, adaptations, and emerging impact.
• Support evaluations, implementation research, and learning studies that help Orbis India understand not only what was delivered, but what changed as a result of its programs and why.

• Lead MEL inputs for donor proposals, reports, and presentations, ensuring high-quality and outcome-focused deliverables.
• Represent Orbis India in MEL discussions with donors, government agencies, academic institutions, and implementing partners.
• Strengthen the visibility and credibility of Orbis through the effective communication of program evidence and impact.
• Contribute to external evidence products, presentations, and discussions that position Orbis India as a data-informed and learning-oriented organization.
• Contribute to research publications, conference presentations, evidence briefs, and external knowledge products in collaboration with partners and the Global team, where appropriate.

• Work closely with Program, Finance, and Communications teams to ensure MEL supports program implementation, accountability, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain quality assurance mechanisms for data collection and reporting.
• Coordinate external consultants engaged for evaluations or research activities, including development of TORs and review of deliverables.
• Ensure MEL activities comply with ethical standards, safeguarding principles, and data protection requirements.
• Undertake other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

• Master's degree in Public Health, Statistics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field. 
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, preferably within international development or public health programs.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing MEL systems, frameworks, indicators, and performance measurement plans.
• Experience supporting donor-funded programs and preparing high-quality technical reports.
• Experience designing or managing evaluations, applied research studies, and data quality assurance processes.
• Experience with database management, data visualization, and digital reporting platforms, including organizational MEL systems such as Spectrum or similar platforms.
• Proficiency in statistical and analytical software and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience working with implementing partners, hospitals, health facilities, government systems, or community-based service delivery programs preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Willingness to travel to project sites as required.

• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to position MEL as a driver of learning and program improvement rather than compliance alone.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Demonstrated ability to design and manage evaluations and applied research using quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience mentoring staff and strengthening partner capacity in MEL.
• Excellent report writing, presentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and accuracy.
• Innovative, adaptable, and solution-oriented approach to strengthening monitoring and learning systems.