Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist

Internet Society • Remote, VA

17d • Remote

About The Position

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist supports the Internet Society Foundation’s MEL systems and works collaboratively with the Philanthropy and Empowerment teams. The role directly supports the Director, Learning, Evaluation & Impact in helping programs and funded projects collect data, identify and analyze results, communicate findings, and learn from data. The Specialist also contributes to capacity building for Foundation staff and grantees, including designing and conducting MEL trainings.

The position collaborates across the program portfolio, manages multiple priorities, and supports internal and external stakeholders in a dynamic, globally diverse environment. It calls for technical MEL knowledge, strong communication and collaboration skills, adaptability, initiative, teamwork, and resourcefulness. The role is remote from the employee’s home location and includes international travel for data collection, field research, trainings, or learning sessions.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in political or social science, international relations, or a related field.
• At least three years of professional experience in the international development sector, including at least two years in MEL-related roles.
• Demonstrated understanding of program theory-based approaches to program design, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Strong knowledge of and experience with common MEL elements, including logical frameworks, performance monitoring plans, and indicators.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate successfully with people at all organizational levels in a virtual work environment.
• Ability to design and conduct performance evaluations, including designing methodologies and data collection tools.
• Ability to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
• Experience designing and administering questionnaires and interviews.
• Ability to interpret and present data in a meaningful, user-friendly way.
• Significant project management experience, strong organizational skills, and ability to work across a range of projects.
• Cultural and gender sensitivity; ability to engage respectfully and welcomingly with colleagues and partners and demonstrate integrity by modeling the Foundation’s values.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Commitment to a more accessible and trustworthy Internet for all.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree.
• Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative data analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, R, NVivo, or Dedoose.
• Additional language skills in French and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support for the Foundation’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning efforts, primarily to program staff.
• Contribute to assessments and evaluations of Foundation projects by designing methodologies, sampling strategies, and data collection tools; collecting and analyzing data; and communicating findings in user-friendly formats.
• Support the design and implementation of learning and adaptation initiatives for program teams, including facilitating reflection sessions.
• Guide and assist with data collection and quantitative and qualitative data analysis for assessments and evaluations, including report writing and infographic development.
• Assist program teams in reviewing grant-level metrics and data collection for output, outcome, and impact results as appropriate.
• Provide technical MEL support to grantees through in-person and virtual training, guiding materials and resources, regular consultations, and real-time support to build institutional MEL capacity.
• Advise and assist grantees with MEL processes, activities, and products during project start-up and implementation, including logic models, theories of change, MEL plans, indicators, and evaluation and learning approaches.
• Travel internationally to conduct data collection, field research, trainings, or learning sessions.
• Support the Foundation’s data quality efforts by conducting data quality spot checks.
• Work with team members to complete projects, achieve organizational goals, and advance the Foundation’s Learning agenda and related efforts.
• Contribute to initiatives that build an equitable and inclusive workplace and embrace diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• Prepare external communications about the Foundation’s MEL efforts, including blog posts, articles, and presentations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off and paid public holidays.
• Benefits based on local in-country guidelines.
• Paid time to volunteer in the community.
• Annual company contribution toward professional development or higher education.
• Flexible work-from-home models.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level