MEL Systems Officer

This is a people-facing, system-focused role. The MEL Systems Officer is responsible for maintaining the quality, organisation, and user uptake of Practical Action's online MEL system. You will develop the protocols that guide how data is entered and maintained, and support internal teams to follow them, ensuring colleagues always have accurate data to draw on for reporting, learning and influencing.

This role requires high degrees of organisational skills, demonstrating a methodical and people-oriented approach. You will act as a bridge between the MEL system and our internal MEL community, ensuring the system is user friendly, contains high-quality data, and that users feel supported in using it.

1. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION & ORGANISATION • Ensure high-quality and well organised MEL data, system structures, indicators, results, and templates and carry out routine data quality checks to ensure consistency. • Work with the Data & Insights team to ensure Power BI reports are optimised, providing useful management information for analysis and decision making. • Maintain clear, accessible user guidance documentation and standard operating procedures. • Coordinate with system providers and IT colleagues to develop system upgrades and fixes, and ensure smooth integration with the Outcome Harvesting system. 

2. USER SUPPORT & RELATIONSHIP BUILDING • Act as the primary point of contact for MEL and programme staff on system queries, providing high quality customer support, managing user accounts, permissions and access. • Routinely deliver onboarding and training sessions for new and existing users. • Build strong relationships across our MEL community, proactively identifying challenges and opportunities for system improvements.

3. REPORTING & DASHBOARDS • Produce organisational impact dashboards, MEL reports, and supporting information for both annual and donor reporting, all in clear, accessible formats for a range of stakeholders. • Support MEL colleagues to extract and present data for project reviews, evaluations and learning processes.

4. MEL PROCESS SUPPORT • Incorporate theories of change, results frameworks and indicators into the system as they develop over time, working with MEL colleagues to incorporate latest thinking. • Support knowledge sharing within internal communities of practice by ensuring that reports, evaluations, learning products and evidence are accessible on internal platforms. • Provide technical MEL advice and support to programme teams and II&I colleagues as required.

PERSON PROFILE Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience To be successful in this role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

ESSENTIAL

• Experience administering online data systems, databases or digital platforms, with confidence working with structured data and reporting tools.

• Highly organised and methodical, with a drive to produce high-quality output. • Confident communicator and relationship builder, with a focus on nurturing team coherence. • Demonstrable experience in leading and delivering training and user support.

• Good understanding of MEL concepts, indicators, results frameworks, data collection and theories of change. • Ability to explain system or data processes clearly to non-technical audiences.

• Fluent English, written and spoken. DESIRABLE

• Experience working in an international development or NGO context. • Familiarity with MEL or data collection platforms (e.g. Kobo, or similar).

• Experience producing dashboards or data visualisations (e.g. Power BI, Tableau, Excel).  Proficiency in one or more additional languages, Spanish, French or Arabic particularly.

LOCATIONS: UK, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Peru, Boliva, Nepal or Bangladesh 

It is a requirement of employment that you are able to provide the necessary documentation as proof of entitlement to legally work in the country to which you are applying

HOW TO APPLY

To apply please submit a copy of your CV and supporting that includes the answers to the following questions:

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. Please describe your experience administering an online data system, database or digital platform. What was the system, what was your role in managing it, and how did you ensure the quality and consistency of the data held within it

2. This role involves supporting a wide range of colleagues, many of whom are not technical specialists, to use our MEL system confidently and correctly. Please give an example of a time you have delivered training or user support on a system or process. What approach did you take, and how did you know it was effective?

3. Please describe your understanding of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) in an organisational context. What experience do you have working with results frameworks, indicators or theories of change, and how have you applied this in practice?