Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager

Job Summary

In this role, you will play a central role in advancing efforts to understand how WRI is contributing to impacts and fulfilling our responsibility to test our assumptions. Working directly with WRI project teams, you will provide technical backstopping support. This may include supporting the development of robust theories of change, MEL plans for projects, assisting with proposal development and staffing plans for MEL activities, evaluations, publications reviews, training events, workshops, retreats and other learning events. Additionally, you will assist in the roll out of the new M&E system (DevResults) at WRI. You will assist teams in adopting the new system, ensure training meets the needs of staff, robust data quality controls, and best practices in PMEL are applied in WRI projects. You will provide support to the PMEL Training Manager, to drive improvements in PMEL capacity across the Institute. You will contribute to the Community of Practice, communications related to PMEL within WRI, and find other ways to integrate PMEL best practices into WRI’s programming.

Reporting to the Director of MfR, you will work closely with MfR and Executive Office colleagues, as well as teams across the Institute. This position is ideal for someone with technical expertise in PMEL, deep experience working with teams across technical areas to apply best PMEL practices, loves learning and utilizing new systems, has a client orientation and can effectively juggle multiple tasks. If you excel in fast paced work environments, are passionate about how to improve results, and have previous experience in the thematic areas of WRI, we want to hear from you.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based at any of our  WRIs offices worldwide once restrictions have lifted.

Job Responsibilities

60% of time:

• Provide technical support to WRI teams in PMEL, particularly in early project development and early implementation stages, supporting building capacity within the technical teams to continuously monitor and evaluate their work
• Review large grant proposals and provide technical support to teams, including but not limited to: the development and review of MEL plans, responding to donor questions and concerns related to MEL plans, ensuring teams are budgeting appropriately for MEL activities, and reviewing theories of change
• Provide support for the rollout, socialization, and trainings for the M&E software system (DevResults) for WRI. This could include setting teams up in the system, working with teams to build out their reporting through the system using PowerBI, linking M&E reports to planning and strategy refinement processes, supporting integration of systems to improve functionality
• Provide backstopping support to targeted projects in WRI’s International Offices that need PMEL support on short-term basis
• Contribute to the intentional cycle of evaluations in WRI by providing need-based evaluation support, designing and carrying out evaluations, assisting in the writing of lessons learned, tracking projects with evaluations, and ensuring the evaluation database is up to date and available for internal learning
• Support teams as they develop TORs for consultants and firms when they outsource MEL activities, ensuring that lessons learned are incorporated into strategies and programmatic work

40% of time:

• Lead the development of PMEL trainings, deliver MEL trainings to teams, support the continual refinement of training strategies and content
• Serve as internal reviewer for publications related to monitoring and evaluation, and other areas as appropriate
• Provide support for the development of the M&E policies and procedures for WRI
• Contribute to the MfR Community of Practice on PMEL by supporting coordination and thematic discussions, writing blogs and newsletters, circulating resources, etc
• Curate donor guidelines, policies, templates, etc. on PMEL for WRI teams and contribute to the WRI intranet (Banyan) resources and guidance on an ongoing basis
• Curate MEL resources for sharing internally with teams via the intranet (Banyan), Community of Practice, targeted technical support, Project Management Standards, etc.
• Engage in exchanges and learning opportunities with other organizations to improve PMEL practices in WRI
• Provide support to the Director of Managing for Results as needed
• All other tasks as deemed necessary for MfR to carry out its responsibilities

Job Qualifications

• Master’s degree with preference for degrees in public policy, economics, political science, environmental studies, or related field or  Bachelors and 2+ yrs additional relevant experience 
• Minimum 3 to 5 years of full-time work experience in a relevant field, with demonstrated experience in theory of change development, project design and implementation as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning
• Demonstrated experience training adults, preferably in developing theories of change, results frameworks, monitoring and evaluation, change management, or directly related subject areas
• Experience working with international teams
• Experience providing technical backstopping in a large, matrixed, NGO preferred
• Demonstrated sector-specific knowledge and experience related to WRI’s work in Food, Forests, Water, Energy, Cities, Climate and the Ocean
• Demonstrated passion for WRI’s mission, including a working knowledge of key issues within WRI’s portfolio
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Self-starter with ability to juggle multiple assignments at one time and bring deliverables to completion with minimal supervision
• Superb attention to detail
• Friendly, positive demeanor and determined attitude
• Sense of humor and team-focused
• Fluency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint required, preferred: PowerBI, DevResults, other M&E software systems

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with cover letter. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

Potential Salary: $59,000 – $77,000 if based in US. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

Program Overview

Managing for Results Overview Operating out of the Executive Office, the Managing for Results (MfR) team is a resource for the institution, supporting WRI’s work around the world on Food, Forests, Water, Energy, Cities, Climate and the Ocean. Our mission is to work across WRI’s Programs, Centers and International Offices (IOs) to help assess if they are setting the right goals, help measure progress toward accomplishing those goals, and provide tools and support to staff to measure progress and help understand if their work is contributing to the longer-term positive changes, or impact, we intend to make in the world. We aim to ensure that WRI programmatic teams are meeting established internal and external standards for best practices in strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. MfR’s strategy has three core components:  1. Developing a culture of results for learning and accountability to equip WRI for adaptive management and continual improvement through trainings and resources for all of WRI. 2. We support strategy development and planning to assess potential for impact and ensure projects are set up to achieve real-world change from the outset through equipping senior management with the information they need to make decisions 3. Targeted support of strategy and planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning to help ensure the approaches projects are implementing are effective and leading to results.

WRI Overview 

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. 

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include: integrity, innovation, urgency, independence and respect. 

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges, and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.  

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.   

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.