MEAL Director: Data-Driven Impact in EdTech Africa

Imagine Worldwide; Polska; Hybrid; PLN 469,000 - 704,000; Full time

Job summary

Imagine Worldwide seeks a Director of MEAL to lead monitoring, evaluation, and learning across Africa, guiding data-driven decisions and building strong MEAL teams. The role ensures rigorous analysis, dashboards, and reporting for program impact, with home-based work and international travel to collaborate with US/UK teams.

Ideal candidates have extensive data management experience, senior leadership ability, and a track record fostering a data-driven culture in a nonprofit environment.

Qualifications

• Honours Degree or Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science, or Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), or related fields. Master’s Degree preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in data-related roles, of which 5 years must have been at a senior level with demonstrated experience in leading and implementing enterprise data management interventions.
• Experience with building a data-driven culture in an organization to support better decision-making
• Experience working with remote or hybrid teams across multiple countries
• Experience working in the non-profit or social sector is an advantage
• Experience working in data management and comfort working with impact metrics

Responsibilities

• Oversee MEAL frameworks, indicators, and measurement plans across countries.
• Own and continually refine Imagine’s Theory of Change, ensuring monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategies are aligned with how Imagine enables improvements in learning outcomes
• Develop and maintain Master Data Management (MDM) definitions, procedures, standards, data review rhythms, and reporting deadlines in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain an up-to-date repository of program metrics for internal performance reporting, proposals, reports, and external parties, donor materials, and communications.
• Ensure that program data is trusted, accessible, actionable, and aligned with organisational impact goals.
• Ensure program dashboards, visualizations, and data platforms are intuitive, accessible, and optimized for leadership, country, and function teams to promote data-driven decision-making across the organization
• Ensure alignment of all data sources (LMS, platform analytics, MEAL tools, partner systems) with master data standards.
• Establish robust data governance and quality assurance protocols for timely, accurate, and ethical decision-grade data collection.
• Collaborate with the Director of Analytics to ensure interoperability and a unified data architecture that enables a single source of truth across all systems.
• Lead the development of dashboards, performance reports, and analytic models supporting the Delivery teams, i.e. Programs, Global Supply Chain, and Regional Supply Chain.
• Develop, test, and refine hypotheses related to the Theory of Change and challenge assumptions, using insights gained to drive program innovation and strategic learning:
• Formulate and pursue high-value programmatic questions that deepen understanding of product, program performance
• Oversee statistical analysis, segmentation, forecasting, and experimental design eg. A/B tests
• Collaborate with Directors to co-create data analysis plans for new initiatives, ensuring rigor and relevance
• Translate insights into clear narratives, visualisations, and recommendations for diverse audiences:
• Synthesize insights for the country teams, Senior Leadership Team, and Board, translating evidence into decisions that strengthen strategy, scale, and impact.
• Produce high-quality reports with accurate, compelling impact metrics and qualitative insights for funders, government, and external stakeholders, contributing to global knowledge on what works for edtech foundational learning program implementation
• Partner with Communications to ensure external messaging on our website, newsletters, annual reports, media, government reporting, social media is accurate, evidence-based, and reflective of Imagine’s impact
• Collaborate with Research and Technology on tool selection or development, survey implementation, and qualitative inquiry and analysis.
• Participate in cross-organizational initiatives, championing a culture of learning, accountability, and excellence.

Skills

Data analysis

Data cleaning

Data quality

Communication skills

Storytelling

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Multi-cultural collaboration

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Education

Honours Degree or Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science/MEAL

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Imagine Worldwide seeks a Director of MEAL to lead monitoring, evaluation, and learning across Africa, guiding data-driven decisions and building strong MEAL teams. The role ensures rigorous analysis, dashboards, and reporting for program impact, with home-based work and international travel to collaborate with US/UK teams.

Ideal candidates have extensive data management experience, senior leadership ability, and a track record fostering a data-driven culture in a nonprofit environment.