Professionals with extensive experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) have an opportunity to join Think Equal as a Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Lead. The fully remote position offers experienced MEL specialists the opportunity to provide strategic and technical leadership across a global education portfolio while strengthening evidence, learning and organisational impact.
The role is open globally and is offered as a 12-month independent contractor consultancy, with an expected workload of approximately 40 hours per week. The consultancy fee is US$4,000 per month, and the application deadline is 23 August 2026.
About the Senior MEL Lead Role
The Senior MEL Lead will work within Think Equal’s Education Impact Team, providing strategic and technical leadership for the organisation’s MEL function. The successful consultant will help ensure that evidence-based approaches are integrated throughout programme design, implementation, sustainability and scale.
A major focus of the position will be establishing and maintaining high-quality MEL frameworks, tools and data systems. These systems will help teams track programme impact, implementation fidelity and sustainability throughout the project lifecycle.
The role also aims to strengthen a culture of evidence and continuous learning. The Senior MEL Lead will work with central and programme teams to ensure that MEL findings are translated into programme improvements, strategic decisions and scale-up planning.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will have a broad range of responsibilities covering MEL systems, data management, research, learning and organisational quality assurance.
Key duties include:
- Defining and maintaining Think Equal’s organisational MEL framework, tools and standard operating procedures.
- Ensuring MEL systems align with organisational KPIs and the Sustainability Framework.
- Developing approaches for monitoring programme fidelity, outcomes and impact.
- Establishing standardised MEL data-capture methodologies.
- Developing and overseeing central data architecture, dashboards and reporting systems.
- Supporting real-time visibility of programme outcomes and sustainability indicators.
- Expanding the use of digital data collection platforms such as KoboToolbox.
The Senior MEL Lead will also oversee rigorous evidence-generation approaches. This includes supporting randomised controlled trials (RCTs), A/B testing, longitudinal studies and independent evaluations. The role will incorporate methodological rigour, value-for-money analysis and costing approaches into evaluations while also leading the production and quality assurance of MEL reports.
Research communication will form another important component of the position. The consultant will contribute to research papers and external reports and support the publication of research that strengthens Think Equal’s position within the international education sector.
Supporting Teams and Organisational Learning
Beyond technical MEL responsibilities, the Senior MEL Lead will provide guidance, training and ongoing support to project teams. This includes building colleagues’ confidence and capacity to use MEL frameworks, tools and data systems effectively.
The consultant will also establish clear responsibilities between the central MEL function and project-level MEL leads and provide quality assurance for project MEL activities.
Sustainability is another important part of the position. The Senior MEL Lead will embed sustainability indicators into MEL frameworks and data systems and track sustainability outcomes from programme design through post-implementation. The role will also help ensure that MEL evidence contributes to strategic decisions and organisational learning.
Qualifications and Experience
Think Equal is seeking a highly experienced MEL professional. Candidates should have a postgraduate qualification in research methods or a related field, alongside extensive experience designing and managing MEL functions within international education contexts, including low- and middle-income country settings.
Applicants should demonstrate strong quantitative and qualitative research expertise, experience standardising MEL tools across multi-country portfolios and practical experience with RCTs, mixed-methods evaluations and longitudinal studies.
Strong data-management capabilities are also required, including experience developing MEL systems, dashboards and reporting architectures. Excellent analytical, communication, interpersonal, training and capacity-building skills are essential.
Experience in early childhood education (ECE), social and emotional learning (SEL), education systems strengthening, sustainability frameworks, KoboToolbox, data visualisation or costing analysis would be advantageous.
Remote Working and Contract Details
Think Equal operates as a fully remote global organisation. The Senior MEL Lead will work from their own location while retaining flexibility around working hours and methods, subject to agreed deliverables, timelines and coordination requirements.
International travel may occasionally be required with advance agreement. The consultancy will run for 12 months, with an expected commitment of approximately 40 hours per week and a monthly fee of US$4,000.
About Think Equal
Think Equal is a global education initiative focused on creating a more just, inclusive and empathetic world by integrating Social and Emotional Learning into early childhood education.
Its programme serves children aged three to six and provides educators with learning resources, including narrative picture books, lesson plans and classroom and home resources. According to the listing, Think Equal operates across 39 countries on six continents and its programme has reached more than 740,000 children in 48 languages.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their applications through Think Equal’s official careers page. The application deadline is 23 August 2026.
For experienced MEL professionals seeking a global remote consultancy, this role offers an opportunity to influence education programmes through stronger evidence, rigorous evaluation, effective data systems and continuous organisational learning.
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