Programme Manager - MEL

Peepul; Delhi; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Peepul is seeking a Programme Manager for its Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) function, dedicated to shaping impactful education initiatives in India. This role requires leadership in strategic design, quantitative and qualitative research, and stakeholder engagement.

The successful candidate will have a Master's degree and over 10 years of experience in MEL or related roles, with proven abilities in assessment design and team management. Join Peepul to drive educational transformation across India's public education system.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in MEL, research, or evidence roles in education.
• Proven experience in assessment design for student learning outcomes.
• Strong experience in team management and mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of MEL frameworks.
• Oversee quantitative and qualitative research studies.
• Build and manage relationships with research partners and stakeholders.
• Lead and mentor MEL team members.

Skills

Student learning outcome measurement

Quantitative research methods

Qualitative research methods

Stakeholder management

Data analysis for strategic insights

Education

Master's degree in Education, Economics, or related field

Job description

About Peepul

Peepul is an education-focused non-profit working with governments to strengthen India’s public education system at scale. We partner with national, state, and local governments to improve teaching, leadership, and system effectiveness in government schools.

Currently, Peepul works with governments in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, impacting over 9.75 million students, 325,000 teachers, and 100,000+ schools. Our work has received national and international recognition, including the Commonwealth Education Award for Innovation, and is supported by Indian CSR partners and leading global foundations.

Driven by our values of impact, excellence, and leadership, our 200+ member team is committed to delivering lasting, system-level change in education.

Learn more: http://peepulindia.org

Where we are on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

Over the last 2 years, we have built a sophisticated MEL function, that works with large‑scale data with Alteryx and PowerBI, partners with programmes to co‑design and implement impact measurement tools, has detailed Theories of Change of the organization and programmes, and connects the dots across experiences. In the next 3 years, we plan to leverage our impact track record and learnings, to be a leading thought leader in the sector, and be a role model of impact measurement. We are involved with one of the early Development Impact Bonds in education in India, are working on large‑scale programmes, and are staying deeply rooted in our exemplar schools as innovation grounds – all these pioneering initiatives come together to form a strong MEL launchpad for the organization.

About the role

Peepul’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning function has evolved into a strong and technically credible backbone for the organization. Today, the team comprises 12 dedicated MEL professionals with deep capabilities across quantitative and qualitative research, data management, field monitoring, dash boarding, and impact evaluation. The team works closely with programme, academic, and leadership colleagues, ensuring that MEL is not a parallel function but an embedded partner in programme design, execution, and refinement.

We have built a robust foundation of data systems across all programmes. This includes structured monitoring and evaluation data covering intermediate outcomes for teachers, school leaders, and government officials, alongside detailed student learning outcome (SLO) data through internal assessments and external evaluations. Our theory of change and results frameworks are clearly articulated at both programme and organisational levels, enabling coherent outcome tracking across geographies such as Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. The data collected feeds into regular reviews, informs training and coaching priorities, supports course correction, and strengthens conversations with government and funders around effectiveness and value for money.

We are now entering a new phase focused on integration, standardization, and insight generation at scale. Over the past few years, we have developed a strong suite of tools, templates, toolkits, data protocols, and dashboards. A central MEL dashboard is under development to consolidate programme data into a unified view, streamline reporting, standardise metrics across programmes, and strengthen leadership decision‑making. The next frontier for Peepul’s MEL journey is to deepen analytical rigour, sharpen causal inference in complex system contexts, strengthen automation and data governance, and further embed a culture of evidence‑informed decision‑making across the organization. This creates an exciting opportunity for a Programme Manager to shape the next phase of a sophisticated and impact‑driven MEL function.

Key Responsibilities (including but not limited to)

1. MEL Strategy and Systems

• Lead the design and implementation of MEL frameworks aligned with organisational and programme strategies.
• Provide technical leadership on student learning outcome assessment design for both internal and external assessments; design and implement assessments for internal monitoring and tracking; guide interpretation of learning data for programme improvement.
• Develop and strengthen systems for data collection, management, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting.
• Drive the use of MEL insights to shape programme strategy, scale decisions, and resource allocation.

2. Research and Evidence Generation

• Design and oversee quantitative and qualitative research studies, including experimental and quasi‑experimental evaluations where relevant.
• Translate research findings into actionable insights for programme and organisational decision‑making.
• Support empirical research projects to unearth learnings from the Peepul Exemplar Schools to contribute towards our scale programs.

3. Stakeholder Management

• Build and manage relationships with research partners, funders, and government stakeholders
• Represent the organization in technical forums, working groups, and evidence‑sharing platforms.
• Support donor reporting and technical discussions related to MEL and evidence; develop high‑quality evidence products for donors, partners, and policy stakeholders.

4. Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Lead and mentor MEL team members across projects and geographies.
• Build MEL capacity among programme and partner teams through coaching and training.
• Promote a learning culture across the organization.
• Collaborate with peers to leverage MEL as a strategic driver for organisational development.

Qualifications and Role Requirements

At Peepul, we seek talented professionals passionate about driving educational transformation and making a positive impact. We are looking for individuals who possess the following qualifications and meet the role requirements:

• Educational Background: Master’s degree (or higher) in Education, Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, Development Studies, or related field.
• Work Experience: We value both professional and personal experience. Candidates with 10+ years of total experience in MEL, research, or evidence roles, preferably in the education sector.

Other Skills

• Proven experience in student learning outcome measurement and assessment design.
• Strong experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Experience managing and mentoring teams.
• Demonstrated ability to translate data into strategic insights.
• Experience working with government education systems in India.
• Exposure to A/B testing, adaptive trials, or iterative programme design.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and problem solving
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Excellent communication and synthesis skills
• Ability to balance rigor with operational feasibility
• Collaborative leadership and coaching mindset

Language Proficiency

English and Hindi

How to Apply

Apply via Peepul's careers portal using "Apply" button.

You will be required to submit:

• CV (1–2 pages) outlining relevant experience and qualifications.
• Cover Letter explaining your motivation to work with Peepul and alignment with the role.

For queries related to the hiring process, reach out to [e-mail]