Program Officer, Global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Officer
Orbis International · Latin America
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $85,000 / year
- Latin America
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Job highlights
- Design and implement MEL systems for new countries.
- Adapt global MEL frameworks to local contexts.
- Mentor country MEL managers and build capacity.
- Contribute to global MEL initiatives and reporting.
- Work remotely with international travel.
About the role
About Orbis
Orbis is an international nonprofit delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and territories worldwide so that individuals, families, and communities can thrive. Currently, around 1 billion people across the globe live with completely avoidable blindness and vision loss. For over four decades, Orbis has been tackling this challenge by building strong and sustainable eye care systems that leave a lasting legacy of vision. Orbis runs dedicated country programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America; develops and implements innovative training and technology, including an award-winning telemedicine and e-learning platform, Cybersight; and operates the world’s first and only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft.
Job Summary
The Global MEL Officer will take the lead in designing, implementing, and integrating Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems for countries without dedicated M&E staff, ensuring alignment with Orbis’s global standards and objectives. The role involves providing strategic guidance in adapting MEL frameworks to local contexts, incorporating global projects, and ensuring effective data collection, monitoring, and evaluation processes. Additionally, the role includes addressing data quality challenges, ensuring alignment with global MEL priorities, mentoring country MEL managers, building MEL capacity across regions, and contributing to global MEL initiatives to drive continuous improvement in systems, tools, and organizational impact.
Location
Working remotely (Preferred location would be in one of the countries where Orbis has long term projects: Bangladesh, India, China, Peru, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia).
Reporting & Working Relationships
The Global MEL Officer reports to the Technical Advisor, MEL and collaborates closely with the Global MEL team and Country M&E Managers and their equivalents; as well as Country Program/Project Managers in Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Caribbean.
Essential Job Functions / Key Areas of Responsibility
1. Leadership in M&E System Design and Integration for Countries without Dedicated M&E Staff
- Lead the design, setup, and implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks for countries that do not have dedicated M&E staff (e.g., Vietnam, Mongolia, China), ensuring alignment with Orbis’s global MEL system, Spectrum, and organizational goals.
- Provide strategic leadership in the operationalization of MEL frameworks, guiding teams in adapting strategies to local contexts while ensuring alignment with global standards.
- Ensure the incorporation of global projects into these country portfolios, aligning with donor requirements and global standards for MEL, and driving integration across regional projects.
- Develop and tailor data collection and monitoring tools for these portfolios, ensuring effective measurement of progress and impact.
- Support the implementation of portfolio-level MEL strategies and ensure integration of MEL processes into Spectrum and global reporting systems.
- Lead the development of comprehensive evaluation strategies, ensuring that projects are evaluated in a way that supports learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.
2. Cross-Regional Collaboration and Capacity Building
- Mentor and support country MEL managers, equivalents, and program staff, enhancing MEL capacity across regions and promoting cross-regional learning.
- Facilitate knowledge-sharing opportunities, ensuring that lessons learned are incorporated into the design and implementation of MEL frameworks across regions.
- Provide technical assistance and training to strengthen MEL skills, tools, and processes in regional teams, ensuring that MEL systems are integrated into program management effectively.
3. Contribution to Global MEL Initiatives and Reporting
- Actively participate in global MEL initiatives, including Value for Money assessments, Annual Program Impact Reports, and global outcomes tracking.
- Support the development and refinement of global MEL tools, frameworks, and methodologies to ensure consistency and quality across all projects.
- Collaborate with global MEL teams on cross-regional learning and knowledge sharing, contributing to the continuous improvement of MEL practices and organizational impact.
- Provide technical support to country teams in the use of the Orbis Spectrum system to ensure timely and consistent updating of project information and reports.
Key skills/competency
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Data Analysis
- Program Management
- Capacity Building
- Public Health
- International Development
- Cross-cultural Communication
- Project Design
- Data Visualization
- Reporting
Skills & topics
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Program Officer
- Global Health
- International Development
- Data Analysis
- Capacity Building
- Public Health
- Eye Health
- Nonprofit
- Remote Work
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your MEL experience, public health background, and international development work. Quantify achievements with data and impact.
- Craft a compelling cover letter: Express your passion for Orbis's mission and clearly articulate how your skills in M&E system design and capacity building align with the Program Officer role.
- Showcase your technical skills: Emphasize your proficiency in quantitative and qualitative methods, data analysis, visualization tools, and M&E software like Orbis Spectrum.
- Prepare for behavioral questions: Be ready to discuss your experience in cross-cultural collaboration, problem-solving, and adapting to diverse environments.
- Research Orbis's impact: Familiarize yourself with their work in eye care and global health initiatives to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What specific technical skills are most important for the Global MEL Officer role at Orbis International?
- The Global MEL Officer role requires strong proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including M&E planning, system improvement, and evaluation processes. Demonstrated experience in data analysis, data visualization, and basic statistical software (like Epi Info, SPSS, STATA) is crucial. Additionally, experience in developing simple project databases (Excel, Access) and managing data effectively is highly valued.
- What is the expected international travel for the Program Officer, Global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning?
- The Program Officer, Global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning position requires the ability to travel internationally approximately 20% of the time, potentially for extended periods. This travel is essential for on-site support, capacity building, and collaboration with country teams in regions like Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- How does Orbis International support the professional development of its Global MEL Officers?
- Orbis International fosters professional growth through cross-regional learning opportunities, mentorship from experienced MEL professionals, and technical assistance. The role encourages contributing to global MEL initiatives, which provides exposure to diverse methodologies and challenges, supporting continuous improvement in MEL practices and organizational impact.
- What is the preferred location for a remote Global MEL Officer at Orbis International?
- While the Global MEL Officer position is remote, Orbis International prefers candidates to be located in one of the countries where they have long-term projects. These include Bangladesh, India, China, Peru, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, and Zambia. This allows for closer collaboration and understanding of the local contexts.
- How does Orbis International ensure data quality in its global programs?
- Orbis International addresses data quality challenges through several key approaches. This includes developing and tailoring data collection tools, providing technical assistance and training to strengthen MEL skills, mentoring country MEL managers, and ensuring alignment with global MEL standards and the Orbis Spectrum system for consistent data entry and reporting.