Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer – DRC
Africa - Goma
Organization: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Duty Station: Goma RDC
Reports to: Senior Program Officer
Travel: Sud Kivu, Ituri et Nord Kivu
About CIVIC
The Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international non-profit organization with a global presence that works to improve the protection of civilians caught in conflict zones. CIVIC aspires to a world where no civilian is harmed by conflict. Our mission is to support conflict-affected communities in their quest for protection, as well as to strengthen the will and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to attacks on civilians. We advocate that no civilian caught up in conflict should be ignored and act as advisors, proposing concrete solutions to prevent and address harm to civilians. To find out more, go to https://civiliansinconflict.org/
Position Summary
The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer (MEL) will support CIVIC's programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo by strengthening the organization's capacity to generate, analyze, and use evidence to improve outcomes in the protection of civilians.
The MEL Officer will develop and maintain effective monitoring and evaluation systems, and ensure that program data, community perspectives, environmental analysis, and lessons learned are used to inform program adaptation, learning, strategy, and decision-making.
Working closely with CIVIC's program teams, partners and relevant colleagues, the MEL Officer will contribute to the entire program cycle — from design and implementation to monitoring, evaluation, reflection, adaptation and reporting — with a particular focus on understanding what is changing, for whom, how and why, as well as how CIVIC's work contributes to enhancing the safety of civilians.
Key Responsibilities
1. Performance monitoring and measurement
• Support the development and implementation of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) plans, theories of change, results frameworks and performance measurement frameworks.
• Supports teams in the development of relevant indicators to measure activities, immediate outputs/outcomes and, where appropriate, changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, practices, relationships, policies and outcomes related to the protection of civilians.
• Develop, adapt and maintain monitoring and data collection tools and systems.
• Support staff and partners in the collection, compilation, cleaning and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Conducts or supports monitoring and verification missions at program implementation sites.
• Monitor progress against set targets, identify gaps in implementation as well as emerging trends, and provide analysis and recommendations to program teams.
• Maintains monitoring databases and performance monitoring systems, ensuring their accuracy and regular updating.
2. Evaluation and Evidence Generation
• Support the conduct of baseline studies, outcome/outcome monitoring, endline, program reviews and evaluations.
• Contribute to the definition of evaluation questions, methodologies, data collection tools and analytical frameworks.
• Support the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Contribute to the analysis of expected and unexpected outcomes as well as changes in behaviours, practices and stakeholder responses, where relevant.
• Ensure that community perspectives and experiences are integrated into assessment and learning processes.
• Support the analysis of CIVIC's contribution to the observed changes, while taking into account the context and other factors that may have influenced these changes.
• Translate evaluation findings into clear, concrete and actionable recommendations for program adaptation and strategic direction.
3. Learning and adaptive programming
• Facilitate and/or support After Action Review sessions, learning sessions and program reviews.
• Helping teams evaluate what was planned, what actually happened, what changed, why results were achieved or not, and what adjustments need to be made.
• Identify, document, and share lessons learned, promising practices, innovations, challenges, and unintended outcomes.
• Support teams in transforming evidence and lessons learned into concrete program adaptations.
• Follow up on key recommendations from reviews and evaluations.
• Identify lessons that may be relevant to different programmes, geographies and thematic areas.
• Promote the use of evidence and thinking in program planning and strategic decision-making.
• Support adaptive management approaches to respond to changing contexts, risks, opportunities, and new data available.
4. Community-Driven Learning and Feedback
• Support mechanisms for collecting and analysing community feedback, views and perceptions of safety and protection.
• Assist teams in assessing whether interventions remain relevant to the priorities identified by affected communities.
• Ensure that community feedback is taken into account in reviews and program adaptation.
• Support the identification and documentation of significant changes that may not be captured by standard indicators.
• Promote ethical, inclusive, and conflict-sensitive approaches in data collection and community engagement.
• Ensure that monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities do not lead to additional risks to communities, partners or individuals concerned.
5. Knowledge management and evidence sharing
• Develop and contribute to the production of learning materials, including learning notes, case studies, change/outcome stories, evidence syntheses, and lessons learned documents.
• Document significant changes, emerging learnings, and evidence from CIVIC's programs.
• Organize and maintain Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) resources as well as learning resources, in accordance with CIVIC's information management requirements.
• Support internal knowledge sharing and communities of practice.
• Identify evidence and lessons that can inform CIVIC's broader advocacy, policy, and programming work.
• Contribute to CIVIC's organizational learning at the national, regional, and global levels.
6. Data quality, management and reporting
• Establish and maintain data quality assurance processes and perform regular data quality checks.
• Identify and correct inconsistencies, gaps, and errors in program data.
• Maintain appropriate databases and ensure proper documentation of data sources and collection methods.
• Ensure appropriate disaggregation of data where relevant and can be done safely.
• Maintain appropriate standards for data storage, privacy, and access, especially for sensitive information.
• Prepare tracking reports, performance updates, dashboards, and data visualizations.
• Contribute evidence and MEL analysis to donor reports and other external reports.
• Transform complex data into clear results and actionable, actionable recommendations.
7. Capacity building and collaboration
• Provide coaching, technical support and advice to programme teams and partners on monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) approaches, tools and processes.
• Train staff and partners on data collection, data quality, monitoring, and the use of evidence.
• Strengthen the capacity of partners to set up and use appropriate MEL systems.
• Promote practical, simple and easy-to-use MEL approaches.
• Work closely with CIVIC's Programme, Protection, Advocacy, and Operations teams, as well as relevant regional and global teams.
• Ensure that MEL considerations are integrated from the outset into program design and implementation.
8. Protection, ethics and sensitivity to conflict
• Apply the principles of Do No Harm, informed consent, confidentiality, and ethical research in all monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities.
• Assess and mitigate the risks associated with data collection in conflict-affected environments.
• Protect, where necessary, the identity and information of individuals and communities.
• Ensure that MEL activities do not expose communities, partners, or staff to additional safety or security risks.
• Comply with CIVIC's policies relating to Protection from Abuse and Exploitation, Data Protection, Professional Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), and Harassment and Discrimination.
Qualifications & Experience
• Master's degree (Bac+5) in monitoring and evaluation, statistics, social sciences, international development, research methods, economics, public policy or a related field. A Master's degree is an asset.
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in the field of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), research, data management or a related field.
• Proven experience in the design and implementation of MEL systems, frameworks and tools.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis skills.
• Experience in facilitating learning, reflection or program review processes.
• Professional experience with NGOs, humanitarian, protection, human rights, peacebuilding or civil society organizations.
• Experience in conflict-affected or fragile contexts is highly desired; experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or the Great Lakes region is an asset.
• Experience working with local partners is an asset.
Technical and fundamental skills
• Strong understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) principles and approaches.
• Experience in developing theories of change, results frameworks, indicators, and MEL plans.
• Strong data analysis, research and interpretation skills.
• Excellent proficiency in Excel and experience with digital data collection platforms such as KoboToolbox, ODK or equivalent tools.
• Experience in data visualization and/or with statistical software is an asset.
• Excellent report writing, communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to translate evidence into practical recommendations and concrete program adaptations.
• Good understanding of adaptive management, protection principles, conflict sensitivity, and ethical data collection.
• Strong attention to detail, critical thinking, ability to collaborate, integrity and respect for confidentiality.
• Ability to work autonomously and efficiently in complex and fast-paced environments.
Languages
• Excellent command of French, both written and oral.
• Good knowledge of English.
• Knowledge of Swahili and/or other relevant local languages is an asset.
What success looks like
Success in this position will not be measured solely in terms of reporting or maintaining monitoring databases. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer (MEL) will be considered successful when:
• CIVIC's teams have reliable and timely information on the implementation and results of the programmes;
• The results of monitoring and evaluations are regularly used to inform decision-making;
• Community perspectives contribute significantly to learning and program adaptation;
• CIVIC systematically capitalizes on the insights gained from its engagement with communities, armed actors, and decision-makers;
• Programmes are adapted based on evidence and the changing context of conflict;
• Evidence contributes to CIVIC's understanding of what enhances civilian safety;
• MEL is integrated into all stages of the program cycle, including program design, implementation, thought processes, and decision-making;
• Lessons learned from the different programs contribute to overall organizational learning and, where relevant, to CIVIC's advocacy and public policy work.
CIVIC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment; The Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
Note to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: CIVIC does not accept unsolicited applications from agencies and does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by agencies other than its approved partners.
Apply by October 15, 2026
Apply Here: https://civilians.bamboohr.com/careers/374