Program Officer, Research Monitoring and Evaluation

Organization Profile

Since 2003, Room to Read India has been working to transform the lives of children through education. To date, we have positively influenced more than 18 million children across 10 states: Chhattisgarh, New Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Learn more at

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Position Overview

The Officer, Research, Monitoring & Evaluation (RM&E), will lead all research, monitoring, and evaluation functions at the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) in Jharkhand. This role is central to strengthening government monitoring systems, driving data-informed decision-making, and ensuring high-quality program implementation.

The Officer will work closely with government stakeholders, program teams, and Room to Read's India Country Office RM&E team to coordinate data collection, analysis, reporting, and capacity building. This position involves regular travel across the state for monitoring and technical support.

Responsibilities

Lead RM&E Strategy at State Level

• Plan, coordinate, and implement RM&E activities aligned with program and government priorities.
• Act as the primary point of contact for RM&E at the SPMU, ensuring coherence across state and national teams.

Data Collection, Validation & Quality Assurance

• Oversee data collection and reporting processes in collaboration with district teams and government officials.
• Conduct regular data quality checks and ensure compliance with established protocols.

Technical Support & Capacity Building

• Provide hands-on technical assistance to government counterparts to strengthen their monitoring and reporting systems.
• Build capacity of government and program teams on data collection, monitoring, evaluation, and use of data for decision-making.

Assessments, Studies & Analytics

• Support the design and execution of surveys, field studies, and evaluations.
• Analyze and synthesize data to generate insights that inform program improvements.
• Refine and enhance dashboards, data visualizations, and reporting formats for stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting

• Prepare high-quality reports, briefs, case studies, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support state-level planning, donor visits, and strategic discussions by providing timely data and insights.
• Actively participate in review meetings, ensuring data-driven discussions and follow-through on action items.

Program Quality & Learning

• Identify key issues affecting program quality and link RM&E processes with quality assurance and improvement.
• Foster a culture of learning and evidence-based decision-making within the SPMU.

Other Duties

• Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the reporting manager or organizational leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• Postgraduate degree in Social Sciences, Education, Public Policy, Development Studies, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL/RM&E), preferably in the education sector.
• Proven experience in leading and coordinating RM&E strategies at state or large program level.
• Strong knowledge of data collection methodologies, validation, and quality assurance protocols.
• Ability to provide technical support and capacity building for government counterparts and program teams.
• Experience in designing and managing surveys, field studies, and evaluations (quantitative and qualitative).
• Proficiency in data analysis, synthesis, and visualization (Excel, Power BI, dashboards, reporting tools).
• Skilled in preparing clear reports, briefs, case studies, and presentations for diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate data-driven reviews and decision-making processes.
• Capacity to identify and address program quality issues through monitoring and evaluation.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the state for monitoring and technical support.

Preferred

• Experience with Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) programs.

Compensation & Benefits

Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits, including:

• A thirteenth-month bonus
• Health insurance
• Retirement plan
• Generous leave policies

Beyond monetary benefits, this role offers the opportunity to:

• Contribute to one of the largest education nonprofits in India
• Work directly with government partners to strengthen education systems
• Be part of an innovative, mission-driven organization transforming the lives of millions of children through literacy and gender equality in education