Program Manager (Monitoring)

Quest Alliance; Bengaluru; Hybrid; INR 914,000 - 1,095,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal Accident Insurance

Mediclaim Insurance

Wellness benefits

Internet reimbursement

Childcare support

Emotional health programs

Gratuity

Job summary

Quest Alliance in India seeks a Program Manager (Monitoring) to lead the MEL function for the Schools Program. You will own the monitoring framework, consolidate indicators, and drive data-quality processes across five states, coordinating seven M&E coordinators and database officers to deliver timely evidence for program decisions.

Working with Program, Analytics and Research teams, you will translate data into actionable insights, strengthen dashboards, and support donor reporting.

Qualifications

• 6-8 years in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning in nonprofit/education sectors.
• Hands-on with data validation, indicators, and donor reporting.
• Experience leading multi-state teams and building MEL capacity.

Responsibilities

• Own and strengthen the MEL framework, indicators, tools and monitoring protocols.
• Plan and lead monitoring cycles across districts and states.
• Ensure data collection and reporting against indicators with timely action on discrepancies.
• Lead compilation of internal and donor reports with clear interpretation of progress and risks.
• Establish data validation, audits, and triangulation across data sources.
• Strengthen dashboards, rubrics and visualizations in collaboration with Analytics and Research teams.

Skills

Monitoring & Evaluation

RBM / results frameworks

Team leadership

Data analysis

Reporting

Stakeholder communication

Dashboard interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

ODK

Kobo

MS Excel

SPSS

Stata

BI Tools

Job description

Role Purpose

The Program Manager (Monitoring) will lead the monitoring function for Quest Alliance’s Schools Program, ensuring that robust MEL frameworks, tools and data-quality processes generate timely, reliable evidence for program and strategic decision-making. The role will oversee a distributed team of seven M&E Coordinators and Database Officers across five states, strengthen data collection and validation against defined indicators, and ensure high-quality internal and donor reporting. Working closely with Program, Analytics and Research teams, the role will translate monitoring data into actionable insights, strengthen dashboard adoption and institutionalize evidence-led reviews across the Schools Program.

Role Purpose

The Program Manager (Monitoring) will lead the monitoring function for Quest Alliance’s Schools Program, ensuring that robust MEL frameworks, tools and data-quality processes generate timely, reliable evidence for program and strategic decision-making. The role will oversee a distributed team of seven M&E Coordinators and Database Officers across five states, strengthen data collection and validation against defined indicators, and ensure high-quality internal and donor reporting. Working closely with Program, Analytics and Research teams, the role will translate monitoring data into actionable insights, strengthen dashboard adoption and institutionalize evidence-led reviews across the Schools Program.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitoring Framework and Roll out Ownership
• Own and periodically strengthen the Schools Program MEL framework, indicators, tools and monitoring protocols in alignment with program strategy and learning priorities.
• Plan and lead monitoring cycles covering process monitoring, outcome tracking, periodic reviews and field validation across priority districts and states.
• Ensure monitoring systems generate reliable evidence on educator outcomes, implementation quality, adoption and maturity across program geographies.
• Work in collaboration with the Evaluation team to ensure the entire ToC pipeline is consolidated and tracked well.
• Establish and institutionalize standardized data-validation and verification protocols, including periodic audits, field checks and triangulation across data sources.
• Ensure timely and accurate data collection and reporting against agreed indicators; identify discrepancies and drive corrective action with state and program teams.
• Lead compilation of periodic internal and donor reports, ensuring clear interpretation of progress, trends, risks and outcome evidence.
• Establish SoPs and maintain tracking of the compliance violations and processes to ensure greater compliance and accuracy overall.
• Partner with Analytics and Research teams to translate monitoring indicators into dashboards, rubrics and visualizations, and strengthen interpretation of evidence.
• Facilitate periodic reviews using dashboards and MEL insights to support decisions on implementation quality, program strengthening and institutionalization.
• Translate complex M&E data into accessible, actionable insights, guidance and toolkits for program leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Manage, coach and enable a team of seven M&E Coordinators and Database Officers across five states, setting clear goals, reviewing quality and strengthening role capability.
• Build the capability of state and program teams to understand MEL frameworks, validation methodologies, dashboard interpretation and evidence-led decision-making.
• Strengthen decentralized ownership by enabling state M&E SPOCs and program leaders to co-own data collection, validation, review and learning processes.

Required Experiences & Skills

• 6-8 years of relevant experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, preferably in the nonprofit, education or development sector, with strong understanding of RBM, logframes/results frameworks, indicator design, monitoring tools, data validation and reporting.
• Hands-on experience with digital data-collection systems such as ODK or Kobo, Advanced Excel, and statistical analysis tools such as SPSS, Stata or equivalent.
• Technical proficiency or working knowledge of dashboard creation, maintenance and interpretation using business-intelligence or visualization tools.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing teams; experience leading distributed or multi-state teams is preferred.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, communication and presentation skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear insights for program, leadership and donor audiences.
• Familiarity with evaluation methodologies, longitudinal or outcome measurement, and rigorous data-quality practices will be an advantage.

Salary

The pay band for the position starts at Rs. 90,000/- per month (cost to company) ( The salary offered will be commensurate with the experience and expertise of the candidate)

Benefits

• Comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance covering up to ₹10,00,000 annually.
• Mediclaim Insurance covers up to ₹3,00,000 annually through our insurance partner, Anand Rathi, together with additional wellness benefits.
• Reach for the Stars (RFS) support of up to ₹5,000 each year to encourage your self-learning and professional development.
• Internet reimbursement of up to ₹750 per month, based on actual usage, to support our flexible and hybrid ways of working.
• Childcare support of up to ₹3,000 per month for employees with children below six years of age, through a matching contribution towards childcare or daycare expenses.
• Access to Quest Alliance's emotional health and wellbeing programmes, including:
• Group sessions valued at approximately ₹8,000 per session, fully sponsored by the organisation.
• One-to-one counselling sessions, valued at approximately ₹2,000 per session, fully sponsored by the organisation.
• Gratuity Allowance, reflecting Quest Alliance's long-term commitment to your financial security and social security. This amount is specifically earmarked by the organisation and becomes payable upon retirement or separation in accordance with applicable laws.

About Quest Alliance

Quest Alliance prepares young learners in India with the skills, mindsets, and support systems they need to thrive in life, learning, and work.

A social impact organization with close to two decades of experience, Quest Alliance works at the intersection of technology and future skills to make learning more equitable and relevant, especially for socially and economically vulnerable learners.

The organization influences systems to empower young learners in government high schools and trade and vocational institutes to holistically navigate their education to career transitions.

Quest Alliance works across 12 Indian states and is partnered with nine state governments, over 80 CSOs, national ministries, and funders. It has impacted 1.8 million young lives to date.

Learn More: Quest Alliance | LinkedIn | Youtube | Explore Career Pathways at Quest

At Quest Alliance, we pride ourselves on being an Equal Opportunities employer, embracing applications from all segments of the community. We are committed to ensuring that every applicant and employee is treated with fairness and respect, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, social status, caste, religious belief, age, or any other factor that is irrelevant to performance. Your individuality is valued and respected within our organization.