ABOUT ADESO

NEAR is currently hosted by Adeso, an expanding and vibrant African based international development and humanitarian organisation. Adeso and NEAR both aspire to prevent and overcome situations that adversely affect community well-being by: Influencing policy change and enacting systemic change through innovative solutions led by local and national actors.

POSITION PURPOSE

The M&E Manager is a new position within NEAR’s Learning Team, created to strengthen the organisation’s data and measurement capacity as our grant portfolio, member engagement, and initiative work grow in scale. The role sits alongside the Learning Manager and reports to the Learning Director.

The two roles are intentionally complementary, with a clear division of ownership. The M&E Manager focuses on the data infrastructure that makes that learning possible –and that demonstrates NEAR’s results externally: indicator systems, survey data design and analysis, grant MEL frameworks, and results tracking. The Learning Manager focuses inward on organisational and network learning: facilitation, synthesis, Labs support, team reflection processes, and learning events.

For example, on the Annual Member Survey, the two roles work in close partnership: the Learning Manager leads the overall process, from framing and translation through synthesis; the M&E Manager provides the technical backbone, with responsibility for instrument development, data collection coordination, data cleaning, and quantitative analysis.

This role is best suited to candidates who are genuinely systems- and data-infrastructure-oriented, and who bring strong quantitative analysis capability alongside the ability to translate findings for non-technical audiences. Candidates who are primarily facilitation- or synthesis-oriented, without a strong data management and quantitative analysis foundation, are unlikely to be the right fit.

SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Member Survey Design and Analysis

Serve as the technical backbone for the Annual Member Survey, working in close partnership with the Learning Manager who leads the overall process; responsibilities include survey instrument development, data collection coordination, data cleaning, and quantitative analysis
Own NEAR’s post-event survey portfolio and on-demand survey management, with responsibility for instrument design, data collection, and data analysis – coordinating with the Learning Manager on the broader learning process design
Produce accessible data summaries and visualizations for internal use and learning processes
Work closely with the Membership Team to ensure survey data informs member engagement strategy
Indicator Tracking and Results Frameworks

Maintain NEAR’s indicator framework and results tracking systems across programs and initiatives
Support program teams in tracking progress against workplan objectives and donor commitments
Conduct and maintain an ongoing indicator and data audit to ensure the indicator set remains fit for purpose
Flag data gaps, quality issues, or misalignment proactively
Contribute to NEAR’s Annual Report, including evidence of NEAR’s collective impact
Grant MEL Support

Provide data backbone support for NEAR’s donor-funded programs, working behind the scenes to ensure program teams and Operations have the data they need for reporting
Support MEL framework development for the Change Fund and Networked Financing Mechanism (NFM) as needed, in coordination with the Solutions Team
Maintain clear documentation of MEL systems, data sources, and methodology
Support donor reporting, including updates on progress towards agreed targets and impact
Systems and Tools

Own and maintain NEAR’s MEL data systems in Asana or equivalent, including dashboards, custom fields, and progress tracking
Support the Learning Director in the MEL system redesign planned for 2027
Develop and maintain clear data management protocols and documentation
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

Strong quantitative data analysis skills, including data cleaning, statistical summarisation, and cross-tabulation across large datasets, combined with solid MEL foundations in indicator design and results framework development
Strong survey methodology experience – design, administration, analysis, and synthesis across multiple instrument types, with particular proficiency in web-based member or stakeholder survey platforms such as SurveyMonkey, or equivalent
Experience maintaining indicator frameworks across multiple concurrent donor-funded programmes, including conducting data quality audits and tracking progress against targets over time
Ability to produce clear data visualisations and dashboards for non-technical leadership and donor audiences
Proficiency in Asana or a comparable project management platform
Strong data organisation, documentation, and data management habits, including experience developing and maintaining data management protocols and MEL system documentation
Demonstrated ability to translate data and analysis into formats that program staff and leadership can use
Comfortable coordinating across multiple teams and working as a behind-the-scenes support function
Detail-oriented and reliable – program teams and Operations will depend on this role for data accuracy
Collaborative by default, with experience working in close coordination with multiple teams simultaneously
Demonstrated commitment to localization, locally led knowledge, and Global South-led systems change, in line with NEAR’s mission and values
Preferred

Experience with member or stakeholder survey programs in network or civil society contexts
Familiarity with locally led funds, pooled funds, or financing mechanism measurement
Experience working in or with Global South organisations or networks
Comfort with the limits of conventional log-frame approaches in systems change and movement-building contexts
Based in the Global South or with substantial professional experience in Global South contexts
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, international development, social sciences, or a related field

All applications should be sent with "M&E Manager" in the subject line.

Each application package should include the following:

Cover letter with the applicant's current contact information (limited to one page) – please describe specifically your experience designing and managing MEL data systems and your experience with quantitative data analysis and survey programmes in network or civil society contexts
CV
Three professional references with complete contact information
Your expected annual gross pay in USD