MEL Associate, Poverty Embedded Evidence Lab at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Reports to: Manager, National Poverty Lab

Job Summary

• We are seeking a MEL Associate to support an embedded evidence lab established within a partner government agency implementing social protection programmes for vulnerable populations. 
• The partner agency’s portfolio spans areas such as nutrition and education support, conditional cash transfers, and economic empowerment and livelihoods programmes.
• The MEL Associate will work as part of an embedded team to strengthen the agency’s capacity to systematically generate, manage, analyze, and use data and evidence for programme improvement and policy decision-making. 
• This position requires hands-on MEL expertise, strong capacity-building skills, and the ability to work effectively within government systems. 
• The MEL Associate will collaborate closely with agency staff across multiple departments to co-create practical MEL systems, deliver training and technical assistance, support data analysis and visualization, and foster a culture of evidence-informed decision-making.
• This is an opportunity to apply MEL expertise in a high-impact setting at the intersection of social protection policy and practice, working directly within government to build the systems, skills, and organizational culture needed to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. 
• The ideal candidate combines technical MEL knowledge with practical implementation experience, excellent training and mentoring abilities, and a passion for sustainable capacity development in government institutions. 
• The MEL Associate may also be called upon to support other IPA Nigeria embedded lab engagements as organizational needs evolve.

Responsibilities

MEL Systems Development and Implementation:

• Support the development and implementation of an agency-wide MEL framework, working collaboratively with agency staff to develop theories of change, results frameworks, and indicator frameworks aligned with strategic objectives and reporting requirements.
• Design programme-specific MEL plans for individual programme teams, including data collection instruments, monitoring protocols, and quality assurance mechanisms tailored to each programme’s context and decision-making needs.
• Conduct data needs assessments across agency departments, mapping information requirements against existing data sources, identifying gaps, assessing data quality, and recommending solutions to strengthen data systems.
• Develop standard operating procedures, guidelines, and protocols for data collection, management, quality assurance, reporting, and data use that are practical, user-friendly, and appropriate to staff capacity levels.
• Implement data quality assurance mechanisms including verification protocols, spot-checks, data audits, and corrective action processes to ensure reliable and accurate programme data.

Capacity Building and Technical Support:

• Design and deliver MEL training workshops and learning sessions for agency staff at various levels on theories of change, indicator design, data collection methods, data analysis, data visualization, and evidence-informed decision-making.
• Provide ongoing hands-on technical assistance and mentoring to M&E officers, programme managers, and field staff on practical MEL tasks including designing data collection instruments, conducting data quality checks, preparing reports and visualizations, and using evidence for programme decisions.
• Build staff capacity to use data analysis and visualization tools including advanced Excel, statistical software (Stata, R, SPSS), database management tools, and visualization platforms (Power BI, Tableau).
• Facilitate learning events, data review meetings, and evidence-to-action workshops to promote peer learning, institutionalize data use practices, and foster an organizational culture of continuous learning and evidence-informed adaptation.
• Develop training materials, guidance notes, job aids, and tools to create institutional knowledge resources that support sustainable capacity strengthening.

Data Analysis, Visualization, and Reporting:

• Analyze primary and secondary programme data using quantitative and qualitative methods to generate actionable insights, and prepare clear data summaries, analytical reports, dashboards, and visualizations for various audiences.
• Support the development and maintenance of real-time monitoring dashboards displaying key performance indicators to enable programme managers and leadership to track progress and make timely adjustments.
• Contribute to high-quality technical outputs including evaluation reports, policy briefs, evidence syntheses, and lessons learned documents that communicate programme achievements, challenges, and learning.
• Support the partner agency’s external reporting obligations to relevant government leadership, donors, and other stakeholders, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Translate complex data findings into accessible, actionable insights for non-technical audiences through effective data visualization and clear written communication.

Evidence Generation and Coordination:

• Support the design and implementation of primary data collection activities including surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and case studies aimed at answering learning questions and generating evidence for programme improvement.
• Collaborate with IPA researchers and the assigned Lab Manager to support programme evaluations and research studies embedded within agency programmes, ensuring alignment with agency priorities and contribution to organizational learning.
• Coordinate with agency departments, the Lab Manager, IPA Nigeria team, and external partners to ensure alignment and maximize synergies across MEL activities.
• Support administrative and logistical requirements for lab activities including planning workshops, managing procurement, coordinating field visits, maintaining documentation, and contributing to work planning and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Economics, Demography, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy, International Development, or a related quantitative or social science field is required; a Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably in social protection, poverty reduction, livelihoods, or international development programmes.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools, including advanced Microsoft Excel, at least one statistical software package (Stata, R, or SPSS), and data visualization platforms such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Hands-on experience designing, strengthening, or implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, including data collection, management, and analysis frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programmes or workstreams simultaneously, including coordinating stakeholders, tracking progress, and managing deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach, or mentor others in MEL systems, including building institutional capacity for data use.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical analysis into clear, structured, and policy-relevant insights for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with government institutions or regulatory agencies is highly desirable.
• Willingness to be a team player and identify connections between work streams.
• Cultural and political sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies.
• Passion for making data-driven decision-making a reality in the development sector.