Job / Role Purpose:

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer is responsible for assessing and improving the effectiveness of the Rwanda Creative Program. S/he will be responsible for designing and implementing a robust MEL framework that tracks program outputs, outcomes, and impact, and provides strategic learning to improve performance. The Officer will ensure that evidence and data collected from field activities are translated into actionable insights for adaptive program management and donor reporting.

Key duties and responsibilities 

MEL System Design and Implementation

• Develop and operationalize a comprehensive MEL framework aligned with the Funding Agency’s results framework and program logic.
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs), data collection tools, and reporting formats to measure program inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact.
• Work collaboratively with consortium partners to harmonize MEL approaches and tools across implementation areas.

Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting

• Design quantitative and qualitative tools to collect data on capacity building, artisan product innovation, youth participation, income generation, and market access.
• Coordinate baseline, midline, and endline assessments, as well as regular field monitoring visits.
• Clean, analyze, and visualize data using Excel, Power BI, or other statistical software (e.g., SPSS, STATA).
• Prepare monthly and quarterly MEL reports to inform programming and meet donor requirements.

Learning and Knowledge Management

• Document case studies, success stories, lessons learned, and innovative practices that emerge during implementation.
• Organize reflection sessions with program staff and partners to review progress and adapt strategies.
• Maintain a knowledge repository of MEL documents and data sets for internal learning and future program design.

Capacity Building and Quality Assurance

• Train Gahaya Links field staff, cooperative leaders, and trainers on data collection tools and participatory M&E techniques.
• Monitor data quality and ensure that field reports are timely, accurate, and gender/inclusion disaggregated.
• Provide technical support to improve the capacity of program staff to integrate MEL into their workstreams.

Collaboration and Donor Compliance

• Work closely with the Fund Manager, consortium MEL leads, and Funding Agency on reporting and performance reviews.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy and ethics standards.
• Participate in external evaluations and ensure Gahaya Links’ contributions are well documented.

Impact Assessment

• Conduct impact assessments and evaluations to assess the effectiveness, sustainability, and scalability of Gahaya Links’ interventions.
• Collaborate with program teams to design theories of change, logic models, and evaluation frameworks that align with program goals and drive continuous learning and improvement.

Other duties

• Perform other work-related ad hoc duties as may be requested by the Line Manager from time to time.