MEL advisor

JOB ADVERTISEMENT : MEL advisor - IDH Cameroon IDH Cameroon - Position based in IDH offices in Yaoundé. We are excited to be searching for a proactive and pragmatic MEL advisor with an interest to join our team, and we hope it’s you! Your role. As MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) Advisor at IDH, you will provide hands-on technical support to design, implement, and continuously improve the project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system, ensuring high-quality evidence, compliance with Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) reporting requirements, and actionable learning for adaptive management across the Investment & PES (Payments for Environmental Services) Hub portfolio. This role will support the CAFI funded program which seeks to catalyse and de-risk private sector investment across agricultural commodity value chains, enabling them to become deforestation-free, low‑carbon, and climate‑resilient, while improving farmer incomes and livelihoods in Cameroon. By combining targeted technical assistance, catalytic seed capital, and performance-based PES incentives, IDH aims to support local enterprises and farmers to adopt sustainable practices, generate verified environmental outcomes, and build credible financial and impact track records. These, in turn, crowd in commercial finance and long-term private-sector demand for environmental services, reinforcing policy objectives and national climate commitments. Key Responsibilities: Lead the design and operationalisation of the project MEL plan (results framework, indicators, baselines/targets, data collection plan) aligned with CAFI requirements. Develop and maintain MEL tools and data systems (databases, dashboards, mobile data collection forms) and ensure interoperability with geospatial monitoring and partner systems. Establish and enforce data quality assurance (DQA) protocols, including verification plans, spot checks, and field audits, and document evidence trails for reported results. Coordinate performance tracking for PES-related indicators and environmental performance (e.g., land-use change, forest cover, adoption of sustainable practices) using GIS/GPS and remote-sensing inputs as relevant. Lead the preparation and quality control of MEL inputs to periodic reports (semi-annual/annual), ensuring completeness, accuracy, and timely submission to CAFI and other stakeholders. Facilitate structured learning and adaptive management: organize annual reviews, after-action reviews, and learning products; translate findings into corrective actions and decision notes. Plan and manage evaluations (mid-term and final) and any independent verification processes, including ToR development, consultant management, and management responses. Ensure gender-responsive and inclusive MEL, including disaggregated data, tracking of Gender Action Plan commitments, of adherence to Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) processes, and integration and monitoring of environmental and social (E&S) safeguards/Grievance Mechanism monitoring where applicable. Support integration and application of environmental and social (E&S) safeguard standards across Hub operations and partnerships; monitor compliance and support mitigation measures and grievance mechanisms. Build MEL capacity of staff and partners through training, coaching, and guidance on Result Based Management / Project Cycle Management and digital data collection standards.Who you are: As MEL Advisor, you are a structured and detail-oriented professional who thrives in complex programme environments where data quality, learning, and accountability are critical. You work comfortably across dispersed field si