Programme Design and Impact Advisor

The Donkey Sanctuary; Crook of Devon; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pension

Life assurance

31 days holiday (incl. Bank holidays)

Wellbeing team

Pilates and Yoga classes

Long service awards

Healthshield plan

Free parking

Subsidised restaurant and shop

Job summary

The Donkey Sanctuary invites applications for a Programme Design and Impact Advisor in Devon. You will lead MEAL across international programmes, ensuring evidence-based evaluation and learning. The role requires collaboration with colleagues and partners across multiple countries to maximise impact for donkeys and affected communities.

duties include developing monitoring databases, applying MEAL tools, and supporting funding proposals with integrated MEAL components.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or above, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Demonstrable track record of programme design and MEAL within international development.
• Understanding of MEAL systems, indicators and data-driven learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead on monitoring and evaluation of international programmes.
• Develop and maintain a shared MEAL database for data management.
• Implement and review a Results Framework and MEAL tools.
• Enable staff and partners to apply MEAL tools and develop MEAL plans.
• Improve reporting systems and processes across the team.
• Collaborate to develop surveys and participatory workshops for needs assessment.
• Support funding proposals with integrated MEAL activities and budgets.

Skills

Programme design

MEAL experience

Monitoring and evaluation

Theory of change

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership and mentoring

Education

Degree-level education

Tools

MEAL tools

Job description

These are exciting times for the charity, and we have an excellent opportunity for a proactive and highly professional individual with outstanding leadership, interpersonal and motivational skills to join the International Programmes and Partnerships Department as Programme Design and Impact Advisor.

Position: Programme Design and Impact Advisor
Location: Devon/Hybrid (This is a hybrid working position, combining home and onsite working under the guiding principles for such roles. The working pattern and requirement for site attendance will be agreed between the line manager and post-holder, currently anticipated to be 2-3 days per year)
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £44609 per annum
Closing Date: Sunday 27 September 2026.

About The Role

As Programme Design and Impact Advisor, you will lead and strengthen the monitoring, evaluation, learning and impact measurement of The Donkey Sanctuary's international programmes, ensuring programmes are evidence-based, results-driven and accountable.

Working collaboratively with colleagues and partners across multiple countries, you will support the design, monitoring and evaluation of high-quality international development programmes and drive organisational learning to maximise impact for donkeys and the communities that depend on them.

Your Principal Duties And Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading on ensuring that Donkey Sanctuary funded global programmes and projects are effectively and efficiently monitored and evaluated.
• Leading the development of a shared monitoring and evaluation database, enabling effective data management and contributing to an evidence-based portfolio.
• Implementing, promoting and regularly reviewing a Results Framework and associated Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) tools.
• Enabling staff and partners to effectively apply MEAL tools, develop and review project MEAL plans and identify appropriate monitoring indicators.
• Working with senior managers to improve reporting systems and processes, ensuring consistent best practice across the International Programmes and Partnerships team.
• Collaborating with colleagues to develop surveys and participatory workshops that inform community-led needs assessment and project design.
• Supporting International Teams in preparing funding proposals for institutional donors and partners, ensuring MEAL activities and requirements are fully integrated into project and programme plans and budgets. Please note that flexibility may be required for occasional international travel.

About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• Degree-level education or above, or equivalent relevant experience.
• A demonstrable track record of programme design and MEAL experience within international development or a related discipline.
• A thorough understanding of the technical elements of robust and effective MEAL systems and methodologies.
• Working knowledge and experience of theory of change and/or comparable programme development tools.
• Experience designing robust MEAL frameworks for performance measurement and impact assessment.
• Experience designing and/or carrying out mixed methods evaluation projects to high quality and ethical standards.
• Significant experience developing MEAL training and mentoring approaches and facilitating participatory capacity development initiatives.
• Proven experience leading, motivating and developing individuals and teams to achieve shared objectives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a range of stakeholders.

Benefits Include

• Competitive pension.
• Life assurance.
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 with each full year of service.
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan.
• Free parking.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About The Organisation

Join one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

You may also have experience in areas such as Programme Design, Programme Design Advisor, Impact Advisor, Programme Impact, MEAL, MEAL Advisor, Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation, MEL, MEL Advisor, Impact and Learning, International Development, Programme Quality, Programme Effectiveness, Programme Monitoring and Evaluation.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People.