Regional Monitoring, Evaluation & Research (MER) Specialist

Project Background

Across ASEAN, internet access and smartphone use have grown rapidly, especially among adolescents. After the pandemic, young people spent even more time online for school, socialising and entertainment. While digitalisation brings many benefits, it also exposes children to cyberbullying, harmful content, online exploitation and mental health risks.

The challenges are significant across the region. In ASEAN, 80% of youth are online daily. In Indonesia, many teens struggle with low self-esteem and gadget dependence. Singaporean teens spend over 8 hours online each day, often using devices to cope with stress. Many children in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines face cyber-violence, harmful online experiences, or online sexual exploitation.

Excessive screen time, limited parental guidance and lack of school support are harming adolescent wellbeing. Region-wide action is urgently needed to build digital resilience among youth, caregivers and educators.

Yayasan Plan International Indonesia, together with the ASEAN Foundation and local partners, aims to strengthen healthy digital habits and online safety. As the regional grantee for the Global Teen Digital Wellbeing Initiative, Plan International will deliver a culturally adapted curriculum through schools, workshops and community programs. The initiative will reach 11 million people across all 10 ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste, equipping young people and their support systems to use technology safely, creatively and confidently.

The Opportunity

The Regional MER Specialist will play a critical role in establishing and implementing the monitoring, evaluation, and research framework for the digital wellbeing project across 11 countries. S/he is accountable for ensuring that the project delivers measurable impact through robust data collection, analysis, and learning systems aligned with Plan’s and Google's standard youth digital safety and wellbeing impact metrics.

The position's purpose is to provide technical leadership in MER system design, coordinate data collection and reporting across multiple country contexts, ensure data quality and integrity, and translate evidence into actionable insights for program improvement and donor reporting. S/he will lead the development of baseline, midline, and endline assessments, integrate pre- and post-tests into LMS modules, and consolidate findings into impact reports at country and regional levels.  

Key Responsibility :

Reporting to the Regional Project Manager, the Regional MER Specialist will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing the MER framework for the digital wellbeing project, coordinating with country project teams from 8 Plan International Offices and 3 implementing partners, the Regional Project Manager, APAC Regional Hub, and potential research agency partners. Key responsibility areas include:

• MER Framework Development: Design integrated monitoring, evaluation, and research systems aligned with project outcomes, donor requirements, and Plan International standards
• Data Collection & Quality Assurance: Coordinate baseline, midline, and endline assessments across 11 countries, ensuring data integrity and methodological rigor
• Impact Measurement: Track outcomes separately for different target audiences (youth, teachers, parents) disaggregated by sex, age groups, disability status, and geographical areas
• Knowledge Management: Consolidate findings into comprehensive impact reports, document lessons learned, and facilitate evidence-based program adaptation
• Capacity Building: Build MER capacity of country teams and partners to ensure consistent implementation of monitoring tools and frameworks
• Project Continuation Design Development: Translate the continuation design (i.e. phase 2) into modular concept notes or project briefs tailored to different donor interests

Requirements for The Role:

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in statistics, social sciences, public health, international development, or related fields (Master's degree strongly preferred)
• Minimum 5 years of proven experience in monitoring, evaluation, and research for multi-country development programs, preferably with INGOs or UN agencies
• Strong technical expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including survey design, sampling, data analysis, and qualitative data collection methods
• Experience with digital wellbeing, youth mental health, or education programs (preferred but not mandatory if candidate has strong MER technical skills)
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software (SPSS, STATA, R, or similar) and data visualization tools
• Demonstrated experience developing MER frameworks, theories of change, logframes, and results measurement systems
• Experience coordinating data collection across multiple countries or sites, managing data quality assurance processes
• Strong analytical skills with ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights
• Excellent report writing skills, with experience producing donor reports for institutional funders
• Experience with digital data collection platforms (KoBoToolbox, ODK, SurveyCTO, or similar)
• Knowledge of safeguarding and ethical research practices, particularly research involving children and young people
• Familiarity with gender-transformative programming and ability to integrate gender analysis into MER frameworks
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for capacity building and technical support
• Ability to work collaboratively across cultures and time zones in a multi-country team environment
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) is mandatory

Desirable

• Master's degree or higher in statistics, monitoring and evaluation, social sciences, public health, or related fields
• Experience with youth digital literacy, online safety, or mental health and wellbeing programs
• Knowledge of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and experience measuring digital learning outcomes
• Experience with participatory evaluation approaches and youth-led research methodologies
• Familiarity with Google.org funding and reporting requirements
• Experience working with research agencies and managing research partnerships
• Knowledge of ASEAN regional context and youth development frameworks
• Experience with real-time monitoring systems and adaptive management approaches
• Certification in evaluation (such as through national or regional evaluation associations)
• Familiarity with Plan International's Programme and Influencing Quality Standards (PIQP)
• Experience contributing to peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations
• Proficiency in additional languages relevant to ASEAN region (Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.)

Please follow the link to the full role profile:  Job Profile_APAC Regional_MER_Specialist_270226.pdf

Location: Based at Country Office Jakarta with 10-15% travel to implementing countries for LMS rollout, training of trainers, and technical support activities. It is important to note that YPII currently applies a mix of Working from Home and Working from Office arrangements.

Reports to: straight line to Regional Project Manager

Closing Date: March 13th 2026

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 application letter and detailed curriculum vitae in English by clicking the yellow “Apply now >>” button on this page. The application deadline is March 13th 2026. 

Pre-employment checks will be conducted in line with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People (PSHEA) policy.

Yayasan Plan International Indonesia is committed to protecting children’s rights and ensuring equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and a culture that promotes gender equality, girls’ rights, and inclusion.

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

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