Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Specialist

Job Description

Job DescriptionAre you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?
If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.
At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering. If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today. ORGANIZATION SUMMARYWorld Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.
Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.

This position is reliant upon funding and may be subject to modification or termination based on resource availability.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor? If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you. World Relief in Chicagoland seeks a Senior Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (DMEAL) Specialist who will lead the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of Chicagoland’s impact measurement framework. This role will lead the transition to a more data-informed culture by refining our theory of action and ensuring data collection and reporting systems accurately reflect client growth, program effectiveness, and overall organizational impact. This position will be the lead expert in syncing and implementing measurement tools, streamlining data processes, and translating data into actionable insights for program staff, executive leadership, and program partners.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Key areas of focus:

1. Development, refinement, and piloting of data collection tools to determine feasible set of indicators that show the organization’s outcomes both as a whole and within program areas

• a. Create a seamless flow of data collection and provide training support for staff

2. Prepare systems and train staff for ongoing data collection and analysis
I. Outcomes and Evaluation Framework Development

• Theory of Action & Indicator Development: Lead the refinement and piloting of data collection tools to arrive at a feasible and consistent set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that accurately speak to and test the organization's Theory of Action.
• Assessment Tool Integration (Safety & Wellness and SPA): Provide technical assistance and strategic oversight on the adoption and adaptation of the Safety & Wellness Benchmark Assessment for IFS Chicagoland clients, ensuring consistent implementation and training for immigrant family services staff.
• Support adaptation to include measures of parenting and workforce development
• Conduct initial assessment and generate summary reports of program learning and effectiveness
• Tool Optimization and Efficiency: Convene a task group to review existing SPA (Skill/Awareness) measures, grant requirement checklists, and other grant program areas. Explore options for reducing data collection burden while optimizing the tool's use to better understand client growth and outstanding needs.
• Pilot a shortened/revised SPA tool and assess its construct validity against the Safety & Wellness benchmark.
• Client Feedback: Develop and pilot the WR Chicagoland Participant Satisfaction Survey by exploring existing best practices, compiling recommendations, and summarizing initial findings. Ensure this is integrated with WR’s national participant satisfaction survey requirements.
• Goal Striving Tools: Assess current goal-striving tools and processes, issuing recommendations for leveraging them to improve data collection, monitoring, and reporting.

II. Data System and Reporting Infrastructure

• Dashboard Development: Collaborate with each program to design, develop, and test dynamic dashboards for ongoing monitoring of program operations, outputs (participants, services, demographics), and outcomes.
• Agency-Wide Reporting: Initiate and collaborate on the development, testing and finalization of an overarching dashboard for the organization, tracking key agency metrics (clients served, program distribution, demonstrated growth and stabilization across life spheres).
• System Integration: Explore and develop options for data system integration across program areas (e.g., intake, service monitoring) to improve access and data sharing efficiency while minimizing burdens on staff and families.

III. Evaluation, Analysis & Learning

• Produce high-quality evaluation reports, learning briefs, and syntheses of findings.
• Ensure evaluation results inform program adaptation and organizational learning.
• Conduct statistical and qualitative analyses; interpret findings for practical application.
• Facilitate learning sessions, After Action Reviews, and pause-and-reflect workshops.
• Maintain a learning agenda and drive adaptive management cycles.
• Provide tailored coaching to program managers and MEL focal points.
• Strengthen agency systems for measurement, data governance, and learning.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Mature and personal Christian faith
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document
• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Program Evaluation, Statistics, Public Policy, Social Work, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in outcomes management, program evaluation, or Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), preferably within a non-profit or social services environment.
• Proven expertise in developing and refining data collection instruments (surveys, assessments, scales) to test program efficacy and theory of action.
• Advanced proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata) and/or business intelligence/dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences, including frontline staff and executive leadership.
• Deep understanding of validity and reliability as they pertain to social science measurement tools.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with data systems commonly used by non-profits (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics).
• Familiarity with programs addressing safety, wellness, parenting, and workforce development.
• A track record of building out new outcomes and evaluations practices in organizations.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to link program activities to high-level organizational outcomes and mission.
• Technical Expertise: Mastery of quantitative and qualitative data analysis methodologies.
• Project Management: Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and stakeholder groups simultaneously.
• Collaborative Leadership: Skill in providing technical assistance and oversight to non-research staff in a supportive, capacity-building manner.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for preparing reports, presentations, and training materials.

World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program for full-time, Regular, and part-time (25+ hours per week) employees World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health. ***Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.