FISH RIGHT PROGRAM
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Team Leader
Background and Overview
The Fish Right Program is the flagship fisheries program of the United States Government in the Philippines, designed to promote sustainable fisheries management while strengthening fisheries-based livelihoods and inclusive economic growth. The program supports national and local partners to improve governance, market systems, and private sector engagement across priority fisheries management areas.
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Team Leader will provide strategic leadership in designing and implementing a robust MEL system that ensures accountability, supports adaptive management, and facilitates continuous learning across the program. The position will work closely with the Chief of Party, program advisers, and component and site-based teams to ensure that performance monitoring, reporting, and learning processes are fully integrated into implementation.
Reporting and Coordination
Reports to: Fish Right Chief of Party (CoP) or his designated representative
Coordinates with:
- Fish Right technical component leaders and site-based teams
- URI Technical Team
- Program partners, subcontractors, and implementing partners, as required
RESPONSIBILITIES:
MEL Plan Development
The MEL Team Leader shall:
- Lead the design and continuous refinement of the program’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan, ensuring alignment with the approved results framework and donor requirements.
- Work closely with component leaders and site teams to define performance indicators, learning questions, targets, and data collection methodologies across all program components.
- Lead the development of baseline requirements, including data collection tools, sampling approaches, and analysis plans.
- Support the development of learning agendas and facilitate evidence-based decision-making.
MEL Plan Implementation
The MEL Team Leader shall:
- Provide overall leadership and technical oversight in the operationalization of the MEL Plan across program components and geographic sites.
- Establish, maintain, and continuously update the program’s MEL database, indicator trackers, and documentation systems, ensuring data accuracy, timeliness, and completeness.
- Develop and implement data quality assurance (DQA) procedures, including routine data quality assessments and field-level data verification.
- Coordinate with technical teams to ensure that monitoring data informs program planning, implementation adjustments, and adaptive management.
- Support the preparation of periodic program reports, including quarterly and annual reports, donor-required performance reports, and ad hoc reporting requests.
- Ensure compliance with donor reporting standards and timelines.
Data Management
The MEL Team Leader shall:
- Assist in the development of SOW, technical requirements, and deliverables for data collection, analysis, and management activities.
- Provide oversight and quality assurance for service providers, ensuring adherence to agreed methodologies and data standards.
- Support the collection, validation, analysis, and management of data in alignment with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan.
- Maintain databases to support programmatic reporting and decision-making.
- Generate insights and recommendations from data collected through Fish Right.
Learning, Adaptive Management, and Knowledge Sharing
The MEL Team Leader shall:
- Facilitate regular learning and reflection sessions with program staff and partners to assess progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
- Promote the use of MEL findings to support adaptive management, strategic decision-making, and course correction.
- Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories for internal learning and external communication.
- Support evaluations, assessments, and studies as required by the program or donor.
Perform additional duties as assigned by the Chief of Party to support overall program objectives and operational needs.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Skills
This position requires skills in the following areas:
- Critical thinking
- Database management
- GIS mapping
- Team building and interpersonal communications
- Multi-tasking that involves leading the tracking of multidisciplinary output and impact indicators, evaluation, and learning
- Problem-solving
- Leadership
- Excellent verbal and written English
Experience:
- A minimum of five to seven years’ progressively responsible, professional experience in MEL
- Experience leading qualitative and quantitative research, including supervising data collectors and local subcontracts
- Demonstrated experience in MEL activities for U.S. Government-funded development programs, including MEL plan development, indicator selection, target setting, survey and assessment design, evaluation methodologies, Data Quality Assessments (DQA), and related technical MEL functions.
- Knowledge of and hands-on experience with U.S. Government program cycles and evaluation policies.
- Excellent facilitation and presentation skills.
- Fluency and excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
- Demonstrated ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations and implementing partners.
- Willing and able to travel throughout the Philippines.
- Demonstrated experience in the use of MEL software applications, databases, spreadsheets, and/or word processing required including Microsoft Excel and Word. Experience in using the Miradi software preferred.
- Demonstrated IT skills such as modifying Windows operating system options, setting up email accounts and restoring documents from online file systems
Education:
- BSc degree Marine Biology, Fisheries, Marine Ecology, or equivalent
- Formal training in MEL is preferred
Other:
- Resident or citizen of The Philippines
How to Apply:
To apply, please email all the following:
- Cover letter
- Resume or CV
- Three professional references with contact details
To the attention of:
Rheyzelene T. Guimbungan
Finance & Admin Manager
Fish Right Program
rguimbungan@fishright.crcuri.org