JOB DETAILS:
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Country Director, the Lead, Program Planning and Monitoring will provide leadership, guidance, and technical support to the Country program team on planning and monitoring. You will coordinate program and portfolio planning to align with the country/regional strategic agenda, develop and implement investment tracking systems and monitoring frameworks, and manage tasks and processes to monitor progress on key indicators.

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE
• Coordinate strategic planning to align with the Foundation’s mission and national priorities, developing strategic plans using diagnostics and analysis.
• Lead strategy development processes, including root cause analyses and target setting.
• Manage program and portfolio planning with integrated programming processes and partnership mechanisms. Contribute to project design, including theories of change and implementation plans.
• Develop and implement monitoring standards and systems, strengthening partner-level M&E systems by aligning theories of change and implementing reporting processes.
• Build stakeholder relationships to provide guidance and support. Monitor KPIs and develop additional indicators to enhance impact.
• Provide strategic guidance for partner-level M&E plans, collaborate on monitoring requirements for MOUs, and support data collection, report writing, and documenting good practices.
• Lead data management, including recording, analyzing, and interpreting partner monitoring data. Advise on monitoring issues and program quality assurance.
• Develop learning mechanisms, conduct capacity assessments, support Monitoring Evaluation & Learning (MEL) capabilities, and participate in cross-functional initiatives.
• Manage the Program Planning and Monitoring team, including performance and staff development.
• Represent the team at internal and external events on monitoring and learning.

WHO YOU ARE
• Post-graduate degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics, or equivalent, with knowledge of research methods, particularly for gathering data among Indigenous communities, youth, and vulnerable groups using cultural perspectives.
• 10+ years of experience in the private and non-profit sectors, leading planning, M&E, and reporting systems, managing strategic and operational plans, and overseeing roadmaps and partnerships.
• Experience working with stakeholders in developing countries and internationally to design and implement results-based management systems for complex programs, ensuring adoption and utility by local stakeholders.
• Experience training on M&E systems, introducing new methods, setting up computerized Management Information Systems, and applying tech-enabled data collection, analysis, and reporting tools.
• Experience in participatory approaches, gender inclusion, youth engagement, and data quality assessments using mixed methods.
• Senior leadership and management experience, including living or working in local communities, navigating research protocols, and managing big data with government and academic institutions.
• Extensive experience in strategic planning, portfolio management, and implementation, with expertise in measuring outcomes, monitoring systems, and local research methods.
• Strong cultural knowledge and affiliation with national communities, including membership in relevant networks and authorities.
• Skills in developing measurable outcomes, understanding systems thinking and theory of change, and tools for Indigenous communities, with experience in stakeholder engagement and policy influencing.
• Possess professional maturity, sensitivity to different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Mastercard Foundation’s values and vision.