BRAVE Programme MERL Coordinator

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

• Reporting to the Head of MERL with direct working relationships with the Head of Programs and Project Manager. The MERL Coordinator is responsible for engaging regularly with the BRAVE project six projects’ MERL Coordinators and other project staff from Plan International Finland, Country Offices, and partner organizations.

Accountabilities:

1. Project Level Key Result Areas 

• Build the MERL capacities of Country Office project staff and implementing partners to effectively implement project-level MEAL systems and processes.
• Provide direct technical support to Country MERL Coordinators to implement project MERL strategies in line with Plan International’s MERL ethics and quality standards.
• Strengthen the capacities of Plan International staff and partners to implement results-based monitoring, participatory youth monitoring (including monitoring of SRH services), accountability mechanisms, and continuous learning practices.
• Support the implementation of inclusive and gender-transformative monitoring approaches, ensuring that data collection and analysis capture diverse perspectives, particularly those of girls, young people, and marginalized groups
• Support the collection, analysis and interpretation of project indicator data to inform annual reporting, programme reviews, and decision-making processes.
• Supporting Country MERL Coordinators with quantitative and qualitative analysis of project data during annual reporting and other reporting processes.
• Facilitate participatory youth monitoring mechanisms across countries, including youth-led monitoring of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in health facilities.
• Support the implementation of project accountability strategies, ensuring communities, especially young people, can provide feedback on programme quality and service delivery.
• Support the implementation of project learning strategies, promoting reflection, knowledge sharing, and adaptive programming among project teams and partners.
• Ensure the development and delivery of high-quality MEAL products (including monitoring reports, learning products, data analysis, and evaluation outputs) that support programme performance management.Top of FormBottom of Form

2. Project Level Key Result Areas

• Support the rollout, adoption, and effective use of the Programme M&E system in Power BI across countries to track programme performance and results
• Contribute to programme-level analysis of monitoring data and results, generating insights to inform programme performance management and strategic decision-making.
• Supporting the effective use of Plan International’s PMERL system to enable programme-level analysis.
• Support the documentation and dissemination of programme learning, including lessons learned, best practices, and innovations to strengthen programme quality and impact
• Contribute to the design, coordination, and implementation of programme evaluations and research initiatives to strengthen the evidence base for programme effectiveness.
• Promote the use of monitoring and evaluation evidence to inform programme improvement, adaptive management, and strategic planning.
• Ensure that programme and project MEAL activities are aligned with approved MEAL strategies, standards, and organisational frameworks.

3. Safeguarding, Gender Equality and Inclusion

• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility

     Knowledge and Skills

• A postgraduate degree in development studies, social sciences, political sciences, or a related field, ideally
• At least 2 to 3 years of experience in providing MERL for projects in development and humanitarian contexts complemented by formal training in Statistics, Data science or Social research methods
• Good understanding on gender, SRHR, intersectionality and inclusion.
• Strong proficiency in qualitative data collection methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups, participatory approaches).
• Strong proficiency in quantitative data collection methods, including survey design and implementation.
• Proven expertise in data analysis, with solid skills in statistical methods and relevant software.
• Experience in capacity development of project staff; strong facilitation and training skills.
• Ability to plan work and meet deadlines when working under pressure on several projects.
• Experience of working for an international organization and with local partners.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

This position is open to Zimbabwean nationals and people with the right to work in Zimbabwe.

Location: Harare (Country Office)

Type of Role: Fixed term contract

Reports to: Head of MERL

Grade: 14

Closing Date: 15 April 2026

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.