Principal Specialist

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka

About the Organisation:

Our Partner organisation is on a mission towards Making Bharat Entrepreneurial. We believe that entrepreneurship is a powerful way to channelize an individuals potential. Entrepreneurship enables agency and allows an individual to work on their strengths while creating value for the world.

Our programs:

• Shiksha program works on developing entrepreneurial mindsets among the youth and enabling them to achieve their potential, having impacted ~24,00,000 learners across 12 Indian states.
• Vyapaar program focuses on nano businesses in India, and solving large problems faced by them, at scale; having already enabled up to a 27% income uplift for 5000+ entrepreneurs.The goal for the organisation is to build a thriving and supportive ecosystem, where every individual feels empowered to define their path

Position Overview

The Principal Specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) will lead the design, implementation, and management of M&E frameworks and also independently manage some programs. This role involves close collaboration with program teams to understand them, define the impact metrics, ensure data-driven decision-making, the creation of reproducible analyses, and continuous improvement of program outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• M&E Framework Design: Independently develop and refine M&E frameworks, including the identification of key indicators, data collection methodologies, and reporting mechanisms.
• Data Collection & Management: Build as well as oversee the design of data collection tools and ensure the accurate and timely collection, entry, and management of data.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Perform in-depth quantitative and qualitative analyses and draw insights that lead to action.
• Field Visits: Conduct field visits to program sites to collaborate with field teams, observe program implementation, and gather firsthand insights as well as validate data collected . Use these observations to inform and improve M&E processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to communicate findings, contribute to strategy development, and inform programmatic decisions.
• Learning & Improvement: Drive continuous learning within the organisation by identifying lessons learned, best practices, and opportunities for improvement. Lead workshops and presentations to disseminate findings and foster a culture of data-driven decision-making.
• Compliance & Quality Assurance: Ensure that all M&E activities comply with organisational standards, donor requirements, and ethical guidelines.

Qualifications

Education:

Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Management, Statistics, Economics, or a related field.

Skills:

• Extensive experience with M&E frameworks and methodologies
• Livelihoods, rural development specific will be an added advantage
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Working experience with Kobo Toolbox as well as other data collection tools
• Advanced analytical skills in Excel is essential; knowledge and experience in R, SQL, Python, or any other relevant data analysis tools, with a focus on creating reproducible work will be an added advantage.
• Working experience in data visualisation including developing dashboards - Looker Studio, Power BI etc.

Experience:

• At Least 8 years of experience in Monitoring & Evaluation, with a proven track record of leading M&E activities for large-scale programs.
• Experience working on livelihood programs will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated experience in managing data-driven projects and leading teams.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including donors, government agencies, and community organisations.

Personal Attributes:

• Eagerness to learn and adapt to new tools and processes, particularly those used at Vyapaar Program.
• High level of integrity, with a focus on ethical data management and reporting practices.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Spoken knowledge of Hindi is desirable.