Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning 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.

The Opportunity 

The role involves leading data planning, collection, analysis, reporting, and utilization while ensuring gender-transformative, inclusive, and participatory approaches. The incumbent will guarantee compliance with Plan International’s MERL policy, measure indicators in the project’s logical framework, and address data gaps. He/she will support the implementation of Community Feedback and Response Mechanisms, build MERL technical capacity among staff and partners with a focus on Results-Based Monitoring (RBM), and promote evidence-based decision-making and organizational learning by identifying lessons learned and good practices throughout the project lifecycle. This position is critical for ensuring accountability, learning, and continuous improvement, contributing to the high-quality and impactful delivery of the DRA-EJR and BRAVE Humanitarian Integrated and Inclusive WASH and FSL Projects.

Key Accountabilities Include;

A. Planning, Coordination & Quality Assurance

• Lead MERL Framework Implementation: Ensure timely and quality implementation of the project MERL plan aligned with the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and Results Framework.
• MERL Operational Planning: Coordinate annual and quarterly MERL work plans and budgets with the Project Manager and Thematic Sector Leads, ensuring efficient resource utilization.
• Coordination: Track planned activities, targets, and milestones; develop joint supervision tools; and organize regular monitoring visits with partners and government stakeholders to ensure quality delivery.
• Reporting: Prepare and submit high-quality, timely narrative and financial reports to the Project Manager.
• Technical Guidance: Provide MERL-related training and guidance to project teams and partners, ensuring tools and resources are effectively adapted to the local context.

B. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning

• Evaluations & Assessments: Coordinate baseline, midline, and end line evaluations, ensuring ethical standards and addressing knowledge gaps. Share findings and evidence through relevant platforms.
• Data Management: Oversee quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and visualization, ensuring gender-sensitive and inclusive data entry into PMERL and Insight dashboards.
• Accountability: Implement and maintain Community Feedback and Response Mechanisms with age-appropriate, gender-sensitive channels and timely responses.
• Evidence & Learning: Document and share lessons learned, best practices, and case stories; organize dissemination workshops and review meetings to promote adaptive management.
• Capacity Building: Strengthen staff and partner skills in Results-Based Monitoring, data collection and analysis, and digital tools.
• Inclusion & Alignment: Ensure MERL processes integrate gender equality, disability inclusion, youth participation, conflict sensitivity, digitalization, and climate adaptation, while aligning with PIE’s Country Strategy (2025–2029).
• Partner support: Build MERL capacity of local CSO partners through tailored training, technical support, and standardized tools.
• Performance Management: Conduct regular performance review meetings with partners, consortium members to assess progress and agree on corrective actions.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Ensure meaningful participation of adolescent girls, boys, youth, and persons with disabilities in monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Representation: Represent the project at government, donor, and NGO forums to share MERL lessons learned and position the organization as a thought leader.
• Collaboration: Foster partnerships with research institutions, universities, and consortium members in Kenya and Somalia for cross-learning and resource mobilization

The Individual 

Qualifications/ Experience/Skills Essential:

• BA/MA Degree in Statistics, Sociology, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related field
• Minimum 5 years of relevant MERL experience. At least 3 years in NGO Experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and digital data collection skills.
• Experience in youth-focused or participatory programming preferred.
• Experience in Monitoring Evaluation, Research and learning
• Knowledge of Quantitative methods for data collection and analysis, sampling strategies for quantitative methods. Proficient use of statistical analysis software such as SPSS, R, STATA.
• Experience in the use of Digital Data Collection tools or/and of data visualization software solutions.
• Experience in participatory facilitation and capacity development.

Qualifications/ experience desirable:

• Experience in working with similar program and MFA funded MERL framework is preferred
• Experience in Results-Based Monitoring and MERL is an asset. Experience in working on consortium projects and with local partners in similar program is an asset.
• Prior experience and expertise in applying MERL strategies from a gender transformative and inclusive approach is desirable

Languages required:

• Fluency in English language is essential
• In addition to Amharic other local Knowledge of Local Languages is a desirable

Safeguarding Children and Program Participants (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed per the appropriate procedures.
• Ensures that all staff in the unit/function/department are properly inducted on and understand their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Program Participants and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work.
• Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Location: Amara Program Area, Sekota 

Type of Role: BRAVE & DRN project - until December 31, 2026

Reports to:Emergency Program Implementation Manager 

Closing Date:May 25, 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.