Social Design

POSITION OVERVIEW We are seeking an innovative and analytical Social Design & Monitoring Specialist who will bring a fresh lens to how we design, evaluate, and learn from our interventions. This role goes beyond traditional monitoring and evaluation—it's about reimagining our projects through human-centered design principles, creating rigorous yet creative evaluation frameworks, and translating data into compelling narratives that drive organizational learning and program improvement. You will work across our entire portfolio, helping us understand not just what we're achieving, but how our interventions are evolving, why they're working (or not), and what we can learn to amplify our impact. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. Social Design & Program Innovation (40%) - Apply social design thinking and human-centered design methodologies to evaluate and strengthen existing programs across healthcare, education, and rural development - Strain projects through a social design lens to identify opportunities for innovation, community ownership, and sustainable impact - Facilitate design workshops and participatory exercises with communities, staff, and stakeholders to co-create solutions - Develop theory of change frameworks and logic models that capture the evolution of our interventions from inception to implementation to impact - Identify and document emergent innovations and adaptive practices within ongoing programs - Recommend design improvements based on ground realities, community feedback, and evidence-based practices 2. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (35%) - Design and implement comprehensive M&E frameworks for diverse projects—from mobile medical units to bio-villages to skill development programs - Develop creative yet rigorous methodologies for baseline, midline, and endline assessments that go beyond conventional metrics - Create data collection strategies that balance quantitative rigor with qualitative depth and human storytelling - Design and maintain interactive dashboards and visualization tools that make complex data accessible and actionable - Conduct periodic program evaluations that assess what we started with, what projects have developed into, and what they could become with strategic changes - Establish feedback loops and learning mechanisms that enable real-time program adaptation - Track both intended outcomes and unintended consequences of our interventions 3. Research & Documentation (15%) - Lead action research initiatives that generate evidence and insights for program improvement - Document case studies, impact stories, and learning briefs that capture the depth and nuance of our work - Synthesize findings into compelling reports for internal learning, donor reporting, and external dissemination - Stay updated on best practices in social design, participatory evaluation, and development sector innovations - Build organizational knowledge management systems that preserve institutional memory and facilitate learning 4. Reporting & Communication (10%) - Write clear, compelling evaluation reports that blend data with narrative storytelling - Prepare donor reports, impact assessments, and project documentation with visual appeal and analytical depth - Present findings to internal teams, funding partners, and external stakeholders in accessible formats - Translate complex data into actionable recommendations for program teams and leadership REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: - Master's degree in Social Work, Development Studies, Public Health, Design (Social Design/Service Design), Anthropology, Sociology, or related field - Certification or specialized training in Monitoring & Evaluation, Social Design, Human-Centered Design, or Design Thinking is highly desirable Experience: - Minimum 3-5 years of experience in program evaluation, social research, or monitoring and evaluation in the development sector - Demonstrated experience applying design thinking or human-centered design methodologies to social programs - Proven track record of designing M&E frameworks, data collection tools, and evaluation methodologies - Experience working with diverse programs across sectors (health, education, livelihoods, rural development) - Field experience working with grassroots communities and understanding ground realities Technical Skills: - Strong research methodology skills—both qualitative (FGDs, KIIs, ethnographic methods, participatory approaches) and quantitative (surveys, statistical analysis) - Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools (Excel, SPSS, R, Tableau, Power BI, or similar) - Experience designing dashboards and interactive data visualization systems - Excellent report writing and documentation skills with ability to blend data and storytelling - Familiarity with participatory evaluation approaches and community-based monitoring Soft Skills: - Creative and critical thinker who can see beyond conventional frameworks - Strong analytical skills with attention to detail and ability to synthesize complex information - Excellent communication skills—written and verbal—with ability to tailor messaging for different audiences - Collaborative team player who can work across multiple project teams and locations - Self-motivated with strong project management and organizational skills - Comfortable with ambiguity and able to work in dynamic, fast-paced environments - Cultural sensitivity and empathy in working with diverse communities PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience with digital data collection tools (KoBoToolbox, ODK, CommCare, SurveyCTO) - Background in participatory action research or community-based participatory research - Knowledge of SDGs and development sector frameworks - Experience working with multiple stakeholders including government, donors, and NGOs - Understanding of healthcare systems, rural development, or education programming in India - Publications or thought leadership in social design, M&E, or development practice SELECTION PROCESS Interested candidates should submit: 1. Updated CV highlighting relevant experience 2. Cover letter explaining your approach to social design and program evaluation (max 500 words) 3. Sample work: One evaluation report or case study demonstrating your analytical and writing skills 4. Brief write-up (max 300 words): How would you evaluate a mobile medical unit program serving remote tribal communities? What methodologies would you use and what questions would you seek to answer? Please email all the required documents to tahr@ashrayfoundation.org