Job Description
Job Posting Organization:
Pact is a global nonprofit organization that has been operational since its establishment in 197
Job Overview:
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director is a pivotal role within Pact, providing strategic leadership, vision, and oversight for the program’s monitoring, evaluation, learning, data management, analytics, and performance measurement functions. The MEL Director is responsible for leading the development and implementation of MEL systems that ensure data quality and accountability, strengthen program performance, and generate timely evidence to inform strategic and operational decision-making. This role requires close collaboration with program teams, sub-awardees, government stakeholders, and the funder, as well as Pact’s global MEL team. The Director will lead the analysis, interpretation, and use of program data to identify trends, performance gaps, emerging risks, and opportunities for program improvement. Additionally, the MEL Director oversees the accurate and timely reporting of program results, promotes organizational learning, and ensures compliance with applicable donor requirements, data-protection obligations, ethical standards, and Pact quality standards. This position is crucial for ensuring that Pact's programs are effective and that they meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The MEL Director's key responsibilities include leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the program’s comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan. This involves ensuring the timely collection, management, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of high-quality data in accordance with donor requirements. The Director will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems, tools, methodologies, and processes across program implementation areas. They will lead annual and periodic target-setting processes, including target disaggregation and routine monitoring of performance against approved targets. The MEL Director will also oversee the development, measurement, analysis, and reporting of output, outcome, objective, and goal-level performance indicators, ensuring that all program MEL reporting requirements are met accurately and within required timelines. Furthermore, the Director will develop and oversee robust data-quality assurance systems and processes, ensuring that identified data-quality gaps are documented, addressed, and monitored through appropriate corrective actions. They will lead advanced analysis and interpretation of program data to identify trends, performance gaps, emerging issues, and opportunities for program improvement, translating findings into actionable recommendations for program and senior management. The MEL Director will also design and oversee outcome assessments, evaluations, and learning studies, ensuring that appropriate ethical review, informed-consent, confidentiality, and approval requirements are followed. They will lead the development of learning products, analytical briefs, and thought leadership products using program monitoring, evaluation, and learning evidence, representing the program at relevant technical forums and other knowledge-sharing platforms. Additionally, the Director will establish and oversee program data-governance arrangements, ensuring compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other relevant regulations. They will also provide MEL leadership for program transition and sustainability, monitoring transition milestones and indicators, and generating evidence to inform management decision-making.
Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master’s degree and at least 10 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, including a minimum of five years of management and leadership experience. Candidates should possess a Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, Statistics, Epidemiology, or another relevant discipline. Additionally, a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning is required, preferably within health, HIV/AIDS, social welfare, or other large-scale development programs, including experience with PEPFAR-funded programs. Candidates must demonstrate experience providing strategic leadership and technical oversight of complex MEL functions, managing and strengthening multidisciplinary MEL teams, and designing and managing MEL frameworks, methodologies, indicators, tools, information systems, and data quality assurance processes for large, data-intensive programs. Strong knowledge of PEPFAR MER indicators and reporting requirements, donor reporting systems, and relevant program monitoring and reporting requirements is essential. Candidates should also have demonstrated expertise in data management, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and dashboard development, with a strong track record of translating program data into actionable insights for program improvement and decision-making. Experience supporting program transition, sustainability, and institutionalization of MEL systems, as well as designing and implementing evaluations, outcome assessments, and learning studies, is also preferred.
Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field such as Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, Statistics, Epidemiology, or another related discipline. This educational background is critical for understanding the complexities of monitoring and evaluation in large-scale development programs, particularly those focused on health and social welfare.
Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, with at least five years in management and leadership roles. Candidates should have experience in managing multidisciplinary MEL teams and providing strategic oversight for complex MEL functions. Experience with PEPFAR-funded programs and large-scale development initiatives is highly desirable, as is a proven track record in designing and managing MEL frameworks and methodologies.
Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, with excellent written and verbal communication skills required. Candidates should possess strong analytical, report-writing, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, particularly in the context of working with diverse communities and stakeholders in South Africa.
Additional Notes:
The position is a full-time role, and candidates should be willing to travel within South Africa up to 40% of the time. The organization prefers South African nationals or permanent residents for this role. The MEL Director will be responsible for developing and managing realistic MEL budgets and resource plans aligned with program priorities and donor requirements. They will also monitor MEL expenditure and resource utilization, identifying emerging requirements or opportunities for efficiency. The role involves supporting the procurement and deployment of MEL-related systems, software, equipment, technical assistance, and other resources in coordination with finance and operations teams.
Pact is a global nonprofit organization that has been operational since its establishment in 197
- With a presence in over 60 countries, Pact is dedicated to fostering thriving, resilient communities that can chart their own development paths. The organization focuses on delivering solutions that are rooted in evidence and driven by data, ensuring that its programs are effective and impactful. Pact's mission is to create a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant, and it achieves this through its Programs Team, which bridges program management, technical support, and business development. The team is committed to program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring, and evaluation, and it provides organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs Department influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans, supports the advancement of innovative solutions, pursues new business opportunities, and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. The organization promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect in all its operations.
Job Overview:
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director is a pivotal role within Pact, providing strategic leadership, vision, and oversight for the program’s monitoring, evaluation, learning, data management, analytics, and performance measurement functions. The MEL Director is responsible for leading the development and implementation of MEL systems that ensure data quality and accountability, strengthen program performance, and generate timely evidence to inform strategic and operational decision-making. This role requires close collaboration with program teams, sub-awardees, government stakeholders, and the funder, as well as Pact’s global MEL team. The Director will lead the analysis, interpretation, and use of program data to identify trends, performance gaps, emerging risks, and opportunities for program improvement. Additionally, the MEL Director oversees the accurate and timely reporting of program results, promotes organizational learning, and ensures compliance with applicable donor requirements, data-protection obligations, ethical standards, and Pact quality standards. This position is crucial for ensuring that Pact's programs are effective and that they meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The MEL Director's key responsibilities include leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the program’s comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan. This involves ensuring the timely collection, management, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of high-quality data in accordance with donor requirements. The Director will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems, tools, methodologies, and processes across program implementation areas. They will lead annual and periodic target-setting processes, including target disaggregation and routine monitoring of performance against approved targets. The MEL Director will also oversee the development, measurement, analysis, and reporting of output, outcome, objective, and goal-level performance indicators, ensuring that all program MEL reporting requirements are met accurately and within required timelines. Furthermore, the Director will develop and oversee robust data-quality assurance systems and processes, ensuring that identified data-quality gaps are documented, addressed, and monitored through appropriate corrective actions. They will lead advanced analysis and interpretation of program data to identify trends, performance gaps, emerging issues, and opportunities for program improvement, translating findings into actionable recommendations for program and senior management. The MEL Director will also design and oversee outcome assessments, evaluations, and learning studies, ensuring that appropriate ethical review, informed-consent, confidentiality, and approval requirements are followed. They will lead the development of learning products, analytical briefs, and thought leadership products using program monitoring, evaluation, and learning evidence, representing the program at relevant technical forums and other knowledge-sharing platforms. Additionally, the Director will establish and oversee program data-governance arrangements, ensuring compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other relevant regulations. They will also provide MEL leadership for program transition and sustainability, monitoring transition milestones and indicators, and generating evidence to inform management decision-making.
Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master’s degree and at least 10 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, including a minimum of five years of management and leadership experience. Candidates should possess a Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, Statistics, Epidemiology, or another relevant discipline. Additionally, a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning is required, preferably within health, HIV/AIDS, social welfare, or other large-scale development programs, including experience with PEPFAR-funded programs. Candidates must demonstrate experience providing strategic leadership and technical oversight of complex MEL functions, managing and strengthening multidisciplinary MEL teams, and designing and managing MEL frameworks, methodologies, indicators, tools, information systems, and data quality assurance processes for large, data-intensive programs. Strong knowledge of PEPFAR MER indicators and reporting requirements, donor reporting systems, and relevant program monitoring and reporting requirements is essential. Candidates should also have demonstrated expertise in data management, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and dashboard development, with a strong track record of translating program data into actionable insights for program improvement and decision-making. Experience supporting program transition, sustainability, and institutionalization of MEL systems, as well as designing and implementing evaluations, outcome assessments, and learning studies, is also preferred.
Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field such as Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, Statistics, Epidemiology, or another related discipline. This educational background is critical for understanding the complexities of monitoring and evaluation in large-scale development programs, particularly those focused on health and social welfare.
Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, with at least five years in management and leadership roles. Candidates should have experience in managing multidisciplinary MEL teams and providing strategic oversight for complex MEL functions. Experience with PEPFAR-funded programs and large-scale development initiatives is highly desirable, as is a proven track record in designing and managing MEL frameworks and methodologies.
Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, with excellent written and verbal communication skills required. Candidates should possess strong analytical, report-writing, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, particularly in the context of working with diverse communities and stakeholders in South Africa.
Additional Notes:
The position is a full-time role, and candidates should be willing to travel within South Africa up to 40% of the time. The organization prefers South African nationals or permanent residents for this role. The MEL Director will be responsible for developing and managing realistic MEL budgets and resource plans aligned with program priorities and donor requirements. They will also monitor MEL expenditure and resource utilization, identifying emerging requirements or opportunities for efficiency. The role involves supporting the procurement and deployment of MEL-related systems, software, equipment, technical assistance, and other resources in coordination with finance and operations teams.
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We are not liable for any decisions or actions taken by applicants in response to this job listing. By applying, you agree that all application processes, interviews, and potential job offers are managed exclusively by the listed employer or organization.
Beware of fraudulent job offers. Do not provide sensitive personal information or make any payments to secure a job.