Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Trees for the Future is working to end hunger and poverty for small holder farmers through revitalizing degraded lands.
The Forest Garden Program is a simple, replicable and scalable approach with proven success. By planting specific types of fast-growing trees, fruit trees, hardwoods and food crops in a systematic manner over a four year period, families can positively change their lives forever. Forest Gardens consist of thousands of trees that provide families with sustainable food sources, livestock feed, products to sell, fuel wood and a 400% increase in their annual income in four years.

JOB SUMMARY

Education Master’s degree in Statistics, Demography, Economics, International Development, Environmental Sciences, or a related field preferred. A bachelor’s degree with substantial additional professional experience may be considered. Professional Experience Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning within large-scale NGO, development, or environmental programs. Demonstrated experience as the senior MEL lead across multiple regions or dispersed field operations. Proven experience strengthening or reforming MEL systems, including data quality assurance, documentation standards, and reporting workflows. Experience collaborating across functions (e.g., Program, Training, GIS, IT) to improve data systems and drive implementation improvements. Experience supervising and developing technical MEL staff. Experience engaging donors, investors, or auditors on technical data systems and reporting standards. Experience in agriculture, environmental, climate, or natural resource programs preferred, but not required. Experience with carbon-related standards is an asset, but not required. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead Kenya’s MEL Systems Transformation Oversee the overhaul and strengthening of Kenya’s MEL systems to ensure data accuracy, integrity, and verifiability in alignment with carbon reporting requirements. Partner with Central Office to implement and refine global MEL tools, systems, and QA/QC protocols. Identify system gaps in data quality, documentation, and audit trails and drive practical improvements in coordination with Central Office. Ensure reliable tracking of farm-level data, including spatial data and farmer identification systems, in alignment with evolving organizational standards. Support preparation for carbon validation, monitoring, and verification processes, and confidently represent Kenya MEL systems during investor and auditor site visits. Build and Lead a High-Performing Distributed MEL Team Directly supervise the MEL Officer, GIS Officer, and have secondary oversight of regional MEL Assistants across three regions, with anticipated team expansion. Strengthen team capacity in data quality assurance, problem-solving, and adaptive management practices. Establish clear quality standards, accountability mechanisms, and documentation expectations across the MEL function. Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and professional development of MEL staff. Foster strong collaboration between MEL and Program leadership, particularly the Director of Field Programs and Program Managers. Drive Country-Wide Transition Toward Evidence-Based Adaptive Management Lead an country-wide transition toward evidence-based adaptive management, ensuring data is understood and used as a tool for program improvement rather than performance policing. Design and facilitate practical learning loops that translate monitoring data into actionable program adjustments. Strengthen understanding among field staff, Lead Farmers, and managers regarding the purpose, standards, and value of high-quality data collection. Promote a culture of data integrity, transparency, and continuous improvement across regions. Ensure Field-Embedded Quality Assurance Conduct regular field visits (approximately 20%) to directly observe field implementation, data collection, shadow MEL Assistants, and identify quality risks. Review and strengthen data quality assurance protocols, including spot checks, verification procedures, and documentation practices. Work hands-on with field teams to correct inconsistencies and reinforce standards. Ensure monthly and quarterly reporting processes are timely, accurate, and aligned with internal and carbon-related requirements. Contribute to Global MEL Strategy and System Design Serve as a senior thought partner to Central Office MEL leadership during TREES’ global MEL systems redesign. Provide structured feedback on pilots and iterations of Salesforce, TaroWorks, GIS integrations, and reporting frameworks. Help ensure that new global systems are practical, field-ready, and scalable across country programs. 

REQUIRED SKILLS

Project management, Project monitoring and evaluation (M&E), Business strategy, Data analysis, Reporting

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Diploma, Associate's degree