Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Evaluation (MEAL) Manager - Sierra Leone

About Imagine Worldwide

All children have immense potential, but hundreds of millions don’t have access to the learning they need. Imagine Worldwide’s mission is to empower millions of children across Sub-Saharan Africa with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to reach their full potential. We provide a tablet-based, personalized learning solution designed for the most challenging environments. Nine Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) across multiple countries and settings have shown dramatic learning gains, increased school attendance, and gender parity, all for less than $7 per child per year.

Imagine Worldwide partners with governments, organizations, and communities to provide child-directed, tablet-based learning that is accessible, effective, and affordable. We are a California-based (United States) nonprofit organization operating across seven Sub-Saharan African countries. Learn more on our website.

 

About the Role

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Manager plays a critical role in ensuring Imagine Worldwide delivers measurable learning impact to children through data-driven decision-making, accountability, and knowledge sharing. This position helps shape how evidence informs scaling decisions and long-term sustainability through government partnerships.

The successful candidate will provide technical leadership and coordinate with implementing partners and education sector stakeholders (e.g., Ministry of Education and decentralized structures) to ensure high-quality program planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and knowledge management.

The MEAL Manager will join a highly committed and collaborative team dedicated to helping every child reach their full potential. 

 

Key Responsibilities

The MEAL Manager will work closely with Imagine’s Program Director and local implementing partners to ensure effective monitoring and execution of program activities in Sierra Leone. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Evidence-Based Program Improvement

• Provide technical leadership for the implementation and continuous improvement of Imagine’s MEAL tools, systems, and methodologies.
• Support rigorous evidence generation to inform scale, nationwide adoption, and institutionalization within government systems.
• Analyse qualitative and quantitative data to generate lessons learned and apply them to improve program implementation.

Capacity Building & Staff Support

• Build capacity of Imagine and partner staff in setting and using MEAL plans, tools, and strategies.
• Supervise and provide technical oversight to MEAL staff, enumerators, or consultants engaged in research and data collection.

Data Management & Quality Assurance

• Oversee and manage quality data collection to monitor program activities against quality benchmarks.
• Conduct and supervise surveys, assessments, and impact evaluations.

Communication, Reporting & Dissemination

• Collaborate with program and communications teams to document and disseminate impact stories.
• Support the preparation and submission of timely, comprehensive reports for donors and stakeholders.
• Plan learning events (e.g., learning summits, reflection sessions) and contribute to donor engagement.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Development Studies, Social Sciences, Education).
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in monitoring and evaluation in development programs, including working with diverse partners and stakeholders.
• Experience working on programs with a significant technology or digital learning component is preferred.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Strong project and data management skills.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); additional local language fluency is a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and training skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data visualization/reporting tools.
• Experience developing and tracking KPIs for education or child-focused programming.
• Familiarity with digital data tools (e.g., KoboToolbox, CommCare, Power BI, Tableau, DHIS2)
• Experience managing multi-site and multi-partner projects.
• Proven ability to influence partners and adapt plans to changing needs.
• Understanding of evaluation methodologies and data-driven decision-making.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with mobile data collection tools and digital learning analytics.
• Experience in designing and supporting knowledge management frameworks.

Qualities

•  Passion for Imagine’s mission and vision 
•  Demonstrated commitment to equity in educational access and outcomes
• Passion for project management
• Demonstrated ability to think independently and solve problems
• Collaborative team player; clear and proactive communicator
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work in a fast-paced, changing environment

 

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Location

The MEAL Manager must be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone with travel to field sites as required. The MEAL Manager will frequently collaborate and coordinate with local staff from our Implementation Partner organizations, and Imagine HQ.

 

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Imagine Worldwide is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.