Sr. Project Officer - MELS & Digital Transformation

Mployee.me; Dadri; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Passing Gifts Private Limited (PGPL) seeks a Senior Project Officer to lead MELS and Digital Transformation initiatives, focusing on IT-enabled systems, data collection, quality control, and learning dissemination across project communities. The role emphasizes AI-driven insights, predictive analytics, and capacity building for partners within India.

The position covers MELS development, data governance, and integration of IT tools for effective program monitoring, ensuring timely evaluations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in project planning, Monitoring and Management, Economics and/or Statistics, or Social Science and an IT understanding.
• Minimum of five years total NGO/IGO experience with at least 3 years in MELS and research.
• Knowledge of MELS plan, result framework, and evaluation management.
• Experience with data collection tools like ODK/SurveyCTO; data visualization with PowerBI/Tableau.
• Proficiency in data management, dashboards, and digital data tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead MELS: implement monitoring, evaluation, learning and systems for the project (35%).
• Oversee digital transformation: integrate PMIS with dashboards for real-time data visualization.
• Support data-driven decision-making through data management and analysis across project geographies.
• Collaborate on sub-award design and management and assist research initiatives.
• Support training and capacity building of partners on MELS and related components.
• Perform other duties as required (5%).

Skills

MELS & Evaluation

IT & Digital Transformation

Data Visualization

ODK/SurveyCTO

PowerBI/Tableau

Education

Bachelor’s degree in project planning/monitoring/economics/statistics/social science

Tools

Excel

SPSS/STATA

Job description

Description

Senior Project Officer: MELS & Digital Transformation

Background

Passing Gifts Private Limited (PGPL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Heifer International USA and it provides services in educating, consulting, training, advising, and providing professional and technical services to individuals, associations, and entities in India and abroad, particularly those who support or are working in the areas of social advancement and sustainable development. This position may also require service agreements, secondment agreements, between entities, etc.

PGPL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Function

This position will support the development and manage the implementation of monitoring, evaluation, learning and systems (MELS) and Digital Transformation of the organization. A strong emphasis for this role is on IT enabled system, digital innovation, data collection, ensuring data quality, partner capacity building on MELS, evaluation/survey management, integrity, data analysis, reporting, dissemination, and learnings.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES: (including approximate percentage effort)

MELS: Implement monitoring, evaluation, learning, and systems for the project. (35%)

• Lead the implementation of the MELS Plan for the project.
• Review and adjust MELS plans and targets, tools, and processes periodically and update the same.
• Coordinate for annual outcome monitoring/surveys.
• Work with external evaluators to conduct the Baseline, Mid-term and final evaluations while ensuring data quality.
• Conduct and manage the monitoring of project progress, living income validation, and output monitoring as per the MELS plan.
• Ensure the effective implementation of PGPL MELS policies and procedures for the project.
• Disseminate learning findings from project monitoring, evaluation, and research. Lead learning events with key stakeholders within the project communities, implementation partners, and PGPL in general.
• Elevate MELS-related challenges to the Project Director and Associate Director – MELS for coordination with the Executive Country Director to find timely solutions;
• Design data collection tools, plans, and processes for all required information, ensuring high quality and integrity of data.
• Support the development of project frameworks and logical frameworks for all new projects.
• Support in the rollout and manage the PGPL MELS system and IPMS for the projects.

Digital Transformation: Enabling IT, Innovations & IT Support (30%)

• Lead the integration of the organization's PMIS system with digital dashboards for real-time data visualization and decision-making.
• Develop and implement IT and digital solutions for the organization’s key operational areas, including Self-Help Groups (SHG), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO), and other livelihood initiatives.
• Build and manage IT-enabled tracking mechanisms for critical program activities such as access to finance, fodder security, farmer field schools etc.
• Guide and support teams in data collection, digital reporting, and IT system optimization to enhance program efficiency.
• Work closely with global teams to customize and improve IT tools, cloud services, and collaboration platforms.
• Support the design and implementation of AI-driven mechanisms for predictive analytics, process automation, and enhanced program monitoring.
• Identify opportunities for AI-driven insights, automation, and efficiency improvements across the organization’s digital ecosystem.
• Promote digital-first approaches for monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting to improve data-driven decision-making.
• Stay updated on emerging technologies and assess their applicability to improve workflow automation and program impact.

Project Effectiveness: Data management, Analysis and Support in Data-based decision-making (25%)

• Conduct and/or quality ensure all MELS data collected for the project.
• Organize routine data quality assessment on a quarterly basis and performance monitoring of each sub-Award on a semi-annual basis.
• Summarize/aggregate/analyze data at the state/project/FOAB/geography level to promote data- based decision-making and support in the program strategy.
• Manage all data properly in clean form, and analyze to use for project management, learnings, and meet all the reporting needs.
• Work with the project management team to respond to periodic clients and PGPL requests for additional information on project activities and results.
• Building capacity of the project partners, program staff and other stakeholders on MELS and related components (PR, LR, Outcome Monitoring).

Sub Award Design and Management (5%)

• Collaborate with project holders and PGPL teams in project design and MELS budgeting.
• Support in preparation of sub-award proposals.
• Support research and evaluation initiatives in the country.
• Assist in networking with other development organizations, governments and other line agencies in promoting PGPL development model/initiatives, and potential collaborations.
• Track physical and financial project progress against the annual plan.
• Contribute to the recruitment, training, and supervision of external parties that are contracted to implement special surveys and studies required for evaluating project effects and impacts.

May perform other job-related duties as requested (5%)

Qualifications And Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in project planning, Monitoring and Management, Economics and/or Statistics, or Social Science and or an equivalent with an academic focus on monitoring and evaluation or another related field; In addition, person should have good understanding about Information Technology (IT).
• Having a minimum of five (5) years of total experience in I/NGOs, out of which a minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience in MELS and research;
• Knowledge and understanding of project Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Result Framework.
• Knowledge of tool development using the ODK platform; SurveyCTO.
• A good knowledge of Advance Excel, SPSS/STATA; Data visualization tools like PowerBI, Tableau etc.
• Experience in the design and usage of digital data collection tools like Survey-CTO, ODK, key surveys, etc.;
• Sound knowledge and skills in project management, MELS plan, result framework, and evaluation management;
• A good knowledge and skills to manage project database management system.

Essential Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to navigate challenging situations to achieve goals and deadlines;
• Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity;
• Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision;
• Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner;
• Ability to work with sensitive information and to always maintain confidentiality;
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule;
• Fluent in Hindi, English, and Local Language spoken as well as written;
• Have an interest in animals/agriculture community development;
• Willingness and ability to travel locally and internationally;
• Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, web designing, collaboration platform and tools, and electronic mail software (Microsoft preferred);
• Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time.