MER Specialist Voice for Equality

BACKGROUND 

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has operated in Indonesia since 1969, and in 2017, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (YPII) was established as a national entity of Plan International in Indonesia. YPII is currently implementing its Country Strategy 5 (CS 5) covering the fiscal year 2023 to 2027, where the country’s purpose is in line with the global Plan International’s Purpose “to advance children’s rights and equality for girls”. Our ambition is to enable at least 1 million girls and young women to learn (gain skills for work), lead (empower to take action on issues that matter to them), decide (have control over their own lives and bodies), and thrive (grow healthy and protected from violence). It means that we will take action to identify and facilitate the removal of obstacles that prevent children, especially girls, and young women from enjoying their rights and participating fully in Indonesian society. This goal will be achieved by implementing quality programmes and projects and influencing decision-makers and key stakeholders to make the required changes.

YPII with funded by the EU, will implement the Voice for Equality project; empowering Civil Society Organization (CSO) in Indonesia for Gender Base Violence (GBV) prevention and response. This project aims to strengthen the capacity and enabling environment for CSOs in advancing women’s and girls’ agency, transforming harmful gender norms, rebalancing power relations, and building effective, inclusive, and community-rooted prevention and response mechanisms against GBV. In line with the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Gender Equality Policy Marker (G2), the action seeks to make gender equality a primary objective.

• Women’s groups will be empowered to expand Integrated Service Centers and launch local campaigns, addressing structural barriers such as economic dependency and stigma.
• Youth groups, particularly girls and young men, will engage in educational campaigns, leadership training, and extracurricular activities focused on GBV, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), online safety, and positive masculinities. 
• Local CSOs will receive tailored support to deliver GBV services to underserved, remote communities.
• People with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ groups will be included through inclusive service design and targeted CSO training to address their unique vulnerabilities.

This project will work with partner KAPAL Perempuan and 10 other CSOs across Indonesia. Which has the experience program related to child protection and GBV.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research (MER) specialist will support and assist the Project Manager, Project coordinator, and partner (KAPAL Perempuan) to organize the project MER, develop and maintain the project MER framework, and support the project team in producing monthly, quarterly and annual reports in the implementation and the achievement of the project objectives, which based on the agreed MER framework with the donor. S/he is responsible for successful impact measurement of the project and growing the project portfolio as well as providing high-quality data to support the achievement of the project. 

The MER Specialist plays a key role in supporting by providing technical advice to the project manager and coordinator, and partner, in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, based on the Plan and donor’s compliance to ensure the project meets their goals and adheres to regulations. S/he will be responsible for supporting the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of systems that track program and project performance and impact. This role ensures the project can generate high-quality data to inform strategic decision-making, enhance accountability, and support learning across the organization. The MER specialist will work closely with program development and program implementation teams to support the development of indicators, data collection tools, evaluations, and reports for internal and external stakeholders. The role is essential in providing support to ensure that programs are evidence-based, results-driven, and aligned with organizational goals and donor requirements.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE 

• The MER Specialist will report directly to the Program Support Unit (PSU) Team Leader.
• S/he will work closely with the program manager and project team to ensure all the projects align with internal procedures
• S/he will work closely with the partner (KAPAL Perempuan) to ensure all the achievements based on agreed outputs and outcomes. Furthermore, the MER specialist will train the partner regarding MER
• Support the Project Manager to develop and maintain operational project MER Framework, Indicator Tracking Table, PMERL, and annual plan.
• Support the Project Manager to manage project archiving, lessons learnt, and stories of change and sustainability of the project
• Support the Project Manager with the high-quality data and evidences to conduct the advocacy activities both national and local level.
• Together with the Project Manager, be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the project that is managed by partners
• Support the Project Manager in producing good-quality project monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Represent YPII in exchange of information and community of practice forums and events at the National, Regional, and Global level as requested by PSU team leader, program manager, project manager.

ACCOUNTABILITIES 

1. Program Planning, Design, and Development

• Support the project team and PSU Team to ensure Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks are embedded into the design phase of new programs or projects, both development and humanitarian. Support the alignment of program goals and indicators with donor requirements, national/international development frameworks, and organizational strategies.
• Support the implementation of a monitoring framework with clear objectives, indicators, and data collection methods.
• Ensure the mechanisms for feedback, learning, and adaptation into program design (e.g., participatory reviews, real-time monitoring). Able to provide data-driven insights and lessons learned from previous or ongoing projects to inform planning.
• Support the alignment of the project design and implementation with Plan International principles on gender transformative and Programme and Influencing Quality Performance (PIQP).

2. Project monitoring

• Ensure that the project has an integrated Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) Framework through coordination and working together with the project manager and PSU team to design the framework.
• Develop and update the project and other related project monitoring dashboards, including Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation, Reflection, and Learning (PMERL) to ensure target output and outcomes are well measured.
• Lead the development of monitoring tools, including surveys, checklists, and reporting templates, ensuring alignment with program goals. Ensure compliance with donor, organizational, and international monitoring standards.
• Lead data collection planning and processes (qualitative and quantitative) and ensure systematic tracking of activities and outputs. Oversee routine monitoring through regular data collection, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timeliness.
• Conduct regular monitoring of project deliverables, facilitate discussion and coordination between stakeholders, partners, and project participants,
• Analyse data to assess program performance, trends, and areas for improvement. Prepare monitoring reports, dashboards, and presentations to communicate progress to the program team and stakeholders.
• Support the project team to develop and implement project data-based advocacy messages and campaign planning in collaboration with the technical team and other relevant teams.

3. Project evaluation and studies

• Develop or contribute to Terms of Reference (ToR) for internal or external evaluators, ensuring clarity of purpose and deliverables. Collaborate with evaluation teams to integrate findings into program learning and decision-making. Ensure operationalization of the project M&E framework by translating indicators into data collection tools and protocols.
• Supervise and monitor the baseline, midline, and end-line reporting process to ensure the feedback loops. Oversee the development of comprehensive evaluation reports, ensuring quality, clarity, and adherence to donor guidelines.
• Support the project manager to ensure adherence to program quality standards and recommend corrective actions where needed.

4. Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Support the project manager and PSU team to ensure the quality and timely submission of periodic reporting requirements as per Plan Indonesia’s and donors’ reporting schedule.
• Provide support on development narrative reports and monitoring tracker for donors, as well as engage with regular updates or meetings in internal and external related to monitoring and reporting requirements.
• Support the development of quality knowledge products as part of learning and strengthening Plan Indonesia’s thought NGO on children and youth-focused organization.
• Support to ensure quality standards of document keeping, retrieval, and the sharing mechanism. Document field observations and provide feedback to implementing teams for course correction and learning.
• Responsible for maintaining a database of program/project progress tracking and data achievements, including showcasing the data to internal and external audiences, supporting to development of annual reports, government reports, and any other reports.
• Archive project document, lessons learnt, stories in the organisation platform as knowledge management
• Support the project manager to organise and facilitate the learning workshop, both involving internal and external stakeholders, as well as supporting the maintenance of relationships with partners and youth networks
• Support the project team to seek innovation and put in place improved learning practices within and outside the program.

5. Safeguarding – Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation, and Abuse (PSHEA) 

• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Program Participants and GEDSI are fully embedded in project design, during implementation, and as principles applied in day-to-day work.
• Participate actively in capacity building and learning events on Safeguarding Children and Program Participants and Gender Equality and Inclusion.
• Submit required documentation (reports, checklists, action plans) to implement policy, standards, and approaches on Safeguarding and GEDSI. Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEDSI policies and Plan International's Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed by the appropriate procedures. 

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE 

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Research Methodology, Business Management, Environment/other relevant field.

• At least 5 years of experience working on MER-related works, with a strong GEDSI perspective, is a must
• Strong understanding of MER-related knowledge of EU standards and procedures
• Experience in conducting monitoring and evaluation data collection and analysis, delivering on obligations, and a good awareness of project requirements and priorities

• Understanding of various M&E methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and data analysis.

• Experience in delivering training on data, database management, and report writing.
• Good analytical skills, well-informed about methods to capture change/results of project implementation.
• Demonstrated experience working with governments closely and effectively.
• Strong cross-cultural skills and a demonstrated ability to influence change without direct authority, and to work successfully with youth groups and professionals.
• Good interpersonal communication and facilitation skills for mentoring and knowledge sharing. 
• Able to work both in a team and independently with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, under pressure, and to multitask.
• Understanding GEDSI

• Commitment to safeguarding and PSHEA
• Commitment to Fraud awareness policy.
• Able to speak and write in English

Location: Typical office environment in Jakarta with frequent travel to project locations.

HOW TO APPLY: 

All information will be treated in the strictest confidence, as we pride ourselves on our professional service. We will contact you as soon as we have reviewed your application. Only short-listed candidates will be notified and invited for interviews. Please submit your letter of application and detailed curriculum vitae in English by applying now not later than September 21st, 2025. 

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Program Participants policy (PSHEA). 

As an international child-centred community development organisation, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children’s rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. 

We will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practices, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion. 

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

.

.