Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer (Cape Town based)

Contract: Permanent
Wordworks is a South African non-profit organisation that focuses on early language and literacy development in the first eight years of children’s lives. Since 2005, we have worked in under-resourced communities with those adults best positioned to impact on young children’s language and literacy development.

Wordworks offers training, resources and support for partners across the country who wish to use our early language and
literacy programmes in their own networks. The organisation is also part of a number of multi-stakeholder projects promoting early literacy. Wordworks is driven by its vision of “A world where all young children have quality early learning experiences so that they develop holistically and grow to their full potential”.

We seek to recruit a MEL Officer who will form part of the MEL team, supporting the monitoring, evaluation,
reporting and learning activities of the organisation.

Purpose of the role
The MEL Officer will support the monitoring, evaluation and learning activities that Wordworks undertakes through collection, management, analysis and presentation of data. The role will maintain and improve effective MEL systems which inform a reflective and accountable working culture and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation’s work in order to ultimately support monitoring, learning, research, evaluation, planning and reporting within the organisation, as well as knowledge sharing outside the organisation.

Key responsibilities
Data collection:
● Develop, review and improve data collection tools and systems and ensure up-to-date templates are accessible in centralised folders.
● Orient colleagues and partner organisations to data collection tools to ensure effective application and mediation in the field.
● Work with all Wordworks programme staff to undertake MEL data collection, capture, cleaning and verification to ensure quality and integrity of data.
● Update colleagues and members of WordNetworks on outstanding data and ensure collection of missing data.
Data management & analysis:
● Routinely save and file all electronic and hard copy data, labelled clearly and organised in secure files or folders on the Wordworks Shared Drive. Archive at the end of projects/audits.
● Provide support to the review, development and implementation of POPIA-compliant data management approaches.
● Maintain the cloud-based data management system to efficiently meet data requests.
● Develop, review and improve data capture templates and systems so as to facilitate speedy analysis.
● Conduct analysis of programme and project data to track performance.
● Monitor programme implementation in line with MEL plans and programme logic models and provide feedback to programme managers and teams.
Data-based learning:
● Contribute to the development of written programme theory and logic model documents for each programme to link organisational strategy with practice.
● Ensure that each programme has a timeline for MEL activities, based on annual programme plans.
● Assess and articulate Wordworks’ progress towards impact through regular MEL data analysis and the development of user-friendly MEL reports and products.
● Present MEL data to Wordworks staff and partners and externally as appropriate, including conferences, forums and communities of practice.
● Support and build capacity of Wordworks staff, partners, and other stakeholders to engage with MEL data through intentional learning and reflection processes.
● Prepare for and support the facilitation of learning processes and reflections with Wordworks programme staff and other stakeholders.
● Support evaluations and research projects as needed, working in line with Wordworks’ MEL approach, and where possible, drawing on existing tools and systems.
Reporting and accountability:
● Provide data input for funding proposals, donor reports, marketing materials, annual and other stakeholder reports.
● Assist in building reports and summary dashboards in the data management system that are accessible and in line with internal and external accountability measures.

Key competencies and behaviours expected
● Highly organised
● Can-do/flexible approach
● Communication and collaboration
● Problem solving and innovation
● Eye for detail
● Proactive, conscientious and accountable
● Confident in understanding and manipulating data
● Able to work at pace
● A client-service orientation
● A strong commitment to teamwork
● Able to build and maintain excellent working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders
● Able to work respectfully with people from different backgrounds
● A positive, friendly and professional attitude
● Acts as a role model for a ‘learning organisation’ culture by seeking insight and using problems as
opportunities to learn in a non-judgemental environment.

Person Specification
Essential
● A bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline with substantial written and numerical elements
● Either a formal qualification in Monitoring and Evaluation, or a minimum of two years of experience in M&E or quantitative and qualitative research in a non-profit context
● Reading, writing and speaking fluency in an African language
● Excellent written communication skills in English, including the ability to tailor writing for different audiences
● A commitment to a career in the non-profit sector
● Experience of providing administrative and operational support in a similar role and a real interest in the evidence generated in research and education-based projects and products
● Experience in developing and improving administrative and operations systems or procedures
● Strong organisational and time management skills, ability to assimilate information, forward plan and coordinate tasks and resources (including people) on a range of projects
● Strong IT skills, including knowledge of the Google Suite and MS Office, strong spreadsheet skills, exposure to project management applications and different video conferencing platforms and an aptitude for using and learning technology tools, software and platforms
● Good verbal communication and visualisation skills, and the willingness to get involved in preparing and delivering presentations
● High level of numeracy and the ability to work with complex logistical processes
● Ability to work unsupervised and under direction, as part of a team or as an individual.
Desirable
● Experience with Google Data Studio and Google Analytics
● Experience in working in an education and/or Early Childhood Development environment
● Strong understanding of literacy, ECD and the early grades sector in South Africa
● Experience in presenting and publishing (in print or online) analytical materials to a range of expert and non-expert audiences
● Ability to train colleagues and partners in the purpose and use of MEL tools and systems.

Applications
All applications MUST BE SUBMITTED on this APPLICATION FORM. Please click on the application form link to complete the application and submit your 3-page CV and a 1-page motivation letter by 12 April 2024.
We will only communicate with shortlisted candidates, and if you do not hear from us within 2 weeks after the closing date, consider your application unsuccessful.

Please visit this website for more information on Wordworks.