About the Role
Sparkle Foundation is seeking a dedicated Monitoring & Evaluation Officer to join our team in Malawi. This role is crucial for fostering a culture of reliable planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and reporting across our programs. The M&E Officer will be responsible for developing and coordinating M&E activities, enhancing the capacity of staff and partners in M&E practices, and promoting knowledge transfer. The position ensures that M&E systems and capacity-building initiatives effectively support Sparkle Foundation, its network members, and partners in the country, in alignment with organizational guidelines and policies.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system to track project results at output, outcome, and impact levels.
- Collaborate with data processors and program officers on weekly data updates.
- Work with program officers to collect essential data on nutrition, health, and education for an effective M&E system, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in Sparkle programs and services for donor reporting.
- Develop and review data collection tools for current country programs.
- Maintain and update the overall indicator tracker with program data submissions.
- Collect community feedback and ensure timely feedback to county offices implementing programs.
- Develop M&E plans for all projects and proposals and oversee their implementation.
- Ensure all grants have updated work plans and performance management plans (PMPs) aligned with approved proposals, reviewing and updating them regularly.
- Conduct regular data quality assessments and audits based on agreed indicators to inform decision-making.
- Alert program officers to required corrective actions to prevent implementation delays, flagging operational issues and risks.
- Review monthly progress reports from program staff before submission to the Country Director, ensuring they are supported by evidence and provide constructive feedback.
- Ensure cross-cutting issues such as participation, gender, age, and disability are effectively addressed and mainstreamed in all project implementations as an accountability measure.
- Facilitate the design and execution of assessments, surveys, and evaluations.
- Assist in developing Terms of Reference (TORs) for external surveys and consultant recruitments.
- Coordinate the review of all survey reports to ensure quality and accuracy.
- Liaise with the Country Director to ensure all projects adhere to accountability requirements by initiating baseline surveys for new projects.
- Coordinate all country quarterly and annual reviews across Sparkle programmes.
- Provide evidence for program learning, share insights, and offer constructive advice to program staff to ensure quality program delivery.
- Lead program staff in monitoring activity implementation and conduct periodical evaluations meeting laid down standards.
- Share lessons learned from mid-term and end-line surveys with the Country Director and Program staff for decision-making and program improvement.
- Ensure Sex, Age, Disability Disaggregated Data (SADD), Accountability, and Gender standards are consistently adhered to in program delivery.
- Build staff capacity through training on new data monitoring tools and ensuring data quality.
- Stay updated on new M&E approaches and tools, providing training to Sparkle staff as needed, enabling them to monitor and evaluate their own efforts and produce progress reports.
- Regularly collect and analyze community feedback to facilitate quality improvement.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies or Project Management.
- Fluency in national languages and English (spoken and written).
- A minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in an M&E position, responsible for implementing M&E activities in projects.
- Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator selection, target setting, reporting, database management, and developing M&E and performance monitoring plans.
- Knowledge of major evaluation methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, and impact) and data collection/analysis methods.
- Experience in designing, implementing, and operating project Monitoring tools.
Desirable Personal Attributes
- Reliable, accurate, and systematic approach to work.
- Computer literate with proven ability to use Microsoft Office Packages.
- Goal-oriented, problem-solving, independent, committed, innovative, and motivated.
- Ability and willingness to learn and acquire new knowledge relevant to the function.
- Excellent social, interpersonal communication skills, and a strong team spirit.
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships.
- Understanding of and commitment to confidentiality.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their application letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV), including the names and contact details of three traceable referees, to Procurement@sparklemalawi.org by 1st May 2026.