Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Specialist

Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Specialist- Short-Term
No. of Vacancy: 1
Functional Area: Programme Quality Innovation (PQI)
Reports to: MERL Manager
Location: Kathmandu (CO)
Travel required: Plan International Nepal working districts
Grade: D1
Type: Open to all applicants, Short-term employment up to 1 year; based in Country Office

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL:

Plan International is a development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women as legacy.

Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalized children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International has worked in 42 districts in Nepal since 1978.

Plan International strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Our ambition from now to 2027 is to see All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change.

Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Specialist based in the Country Office (CO) will ensure an effective MERL system is in place for Plan International Nepal programs/projects. The MERL Specialist will be primarily responsible to facilitate the programme/project team with development of results framework. He/she will be assigned with the task of critically/strategically analysing Plan’s ongoing programme/project (in collaboration with other MERL specialists) to inform the technical team and new opportunities. He/she will also be responsible for development and standardization of MERL systems and tools across all projects, and use standard tools to ensure it appropriately captures PMERL and MERL needs. The MERL Specialist will provide inputs to senior technical advisors and project managers in project design to ensure effective application of program learning as well as to lead on baselines, mid-term and endline evaluations and research for the projects assigned by the line manager.

Apply Before: Wednesday, 14th Jan 2026 (4:00 PM Nepal Time)

Description
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE:

Direct Line Manager: MERL Manager

Dotted Line Manager: N/A

Budget Accountability: N/A

Number of direct reports: N/A

External relationships and representation:

As assigned by the supervisor/Line Manager this position holder is responsible to represent Plan at national and international workshops, seminar and conferences related to monitoring and evaluation. S/he is also responsible for representing the organisation for providing various services to other NGOs or INGO Forums as assigned by the supervisor.

Risk management:

In accordance with Plan International’s Ethical MERL Framework and Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, the organisation is committed to ensure that the rights of the children, adolescents and youth who are participating in monitoring and evaluation activities are respected and protected. Therefore, the position holder should be proactive that all ethical issues are ensured.

Reach/breadth of the post/ or area of responsibilities:

This position holder will work closely with the Head of MERL to develop thematic/programmatic TOC, result framework, indicators to measure success. The MERL Specialist will work closely with the MERL team primarily in designing grants, capacity building of Plan and partners and where organizational level support is needed including CPAC, Annual Planning, Programme review and reflection.

The MERL Specialist will develop methods to track outputs and assess outcomes and report about these periodically to programme team and management. This position holder will be responsible for developing tools for data quality assurance and rolling out to ensure quality data for reporting to donors and GH for 200 million reasons. The MERL Specialist will conduct process monitoring regularly at project level to ensure interventions are delivered as per agreed standard and share the monitoring findings with concerned staff members in programme.

Capacity building of Plan and Partner staff in programme monitoring will be one of the key responsibilities.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Contribute to project design and reporting:
• Provide inputs in program development and facilitate planning activities including the design of project theory of change and/or logical. framework in line with programme in country strategy during proposal development.
• Compile and provide required data for reporting to donors and Plan International requirements.
• Ensure all projects meet Programme and Influence Quality Policy and Procedure Requirements.
• Ensure that all new assigned projects have allocated sufficient time and budget for MERL activities.

Establish effective project monitoring system:

• Design Monitoring and evaluation framework for all assigned projects.
• Work with the program team to develop data collection tools for the assigned projects.
• Determine pre-defined indicators for global reporting as per AOGD.
• Ensure monitoring data is collected, consolidated and analysed according to the MERL Standard.
• Perform regular field visits to ensure the quality of data collected by program and partner staff and to verify the accuracy of reported data.
• Prepare, disseminate and follow up MERL report as part of Plan International’s information management system.

Implementation of M&E Systems like PMERL, MIS across the projects of Plan International Nepal:

• Contribute to build up capacity of the Project team to implement and measure the performance through PMERL.
• Support project team to set up and implement PMERL for their project.
• Capacity building to the PNGO staffs of the project team to set up and implementation of MIS system.

Facilitate accountability and stakeholder feedback mechanisms:

• Support in conducting quarterly review and reflection with partner organisations and communities.
• Design, plan and carry out social audit.
• Develop and follow up plan of action based on recommendations from review/reflection and social audit events.
• Support the program team to establish complaints and feedback mechanism for assigned programmes/projects to respond to the complaints/feedbacks/concern from community and beneficiaries, including analysis of data with management actions identified.

Evaluations, research and learning generation:

• In collaboration with the senior technical advisors and the Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist, define the learning agenda.
• In collaboration with the Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Management Specialist, lead all evaluations and research activities.
• Participate in the development of data collection tools and the design of evaluations and research.
• Perform quantitative analyses using appropriate software (i.e., SPSS, or STATA or any statistical application).
• Work with program teams to utilise data for quality improvements.
• Document good practices, lessons learned and feedback to influence and guide the design and implementation of our programs.
• Organize learning events and workshops for to document lessons learnt, good practices and areas of improvement.

Develop capacity of Plan International Nepal and partner staff:

• Identify the capacity gaps and work with MERL Manager and senior technical advisors to build the capacity of the monitoring staff at Field and those of partners to ensure smooth implementation of MERL system, participatory monitoring and evaluation and improved for capacity.
• Support the MERL Manager in providing capacity building, training and mentoring in MERL to relevant staff in the country office, field offices and partner organisation.

Any other tasks as assigned by line manager in accordance to organizational mandate and priority.

• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Program Participants and Gender Equality and Inclusion (DEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant
• Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

Education qualification and experience:

• Master’s degree in social sciences, social research, development studies, public health or a related field oriented to monitoring and evaluation methods with at least 3 years of relevant experience OR, Bachelor’s degree in related field with at least 5 years of leading monitoring, evaluation, research, and accountability in national/international development organizations.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English and Nepali.
• Proven experience in a technical capacity involving design and implementation of evaluations/research or leading evaluation/research teams and drafting technical reports.
• Proven experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

Knowledge:

• Ability to implement data quality assurance mechanism for project level.
• Knowledge on digital data collection tools and procedure.
• Proven experience in managing multiple and competing tasks while maintaining quality of deliverables within deadlines.
• Experience of managing large datasets. Experience of using SQL server is an asset.
• Experience in use of statistical packages such as SPSS, R or STATA for inferential analysis.
• Experience in use of data visualization tools like Power Bi, Tableau, GIS.
• Experience in use of electronic data collection platforms like Kobo toolbox, ODK, ONA.
• Experienced in rights-based approach to development.

Skills:

• Skill to critically analyse data and produce comprehensive useful report to support programme to take decision.
• Experienced in TOR development and coordinate evaluations to get quality deliverable from consultants.
• Experience conducting interviews with young people, children and communities.
• Strong capacity and creativity in leading and facilitating participatory methodologies to meaningfully engage beneficiaries, including children, and receiving their feedback through approaches such as social audit, employing quality benchmarks.
• Experience in capacity development of staff or partners in project monitoring, evaluation or research.
• Facilitating child led/focused monitoring, evaluation or research.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE:

We are open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organization by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

We strive for lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

We work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT:

This position is based in Kathmandu, with frequent travel to field as necessary.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN:

Medium level: Medium interaction with children.

“Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected”

Application Deadline: Wednesday, 14th Jan 2026 (4:00 PM Nepal Time)

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