This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the Washington DC office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the Program:

World Resources Institute (WRI) has set ambitious targets to drive systems change for a low-carbon economy that benefits people, nature, and climate. As part of the Research, Data, and Impact (RDI) department, the Managing for Results (MfR) team is integral to delivering WRI’s Strategic Plan, 2023–2027: Getting the Transition Right for People, Nature and Climate. This strategy is enabled by five major shifts in WRI’s approach:

• Shift 1: An integrated approach for People, Nature, and Climate.
• Shift 2: Focus on systems change.
• Shift 3: Emphasis on country transitions to deliver impact.
• Shift 4: A unified approach to measure success, including a new level of rigor in how WRI sets targets, creates theories of change, tracks progress, and evaluates and learns from the results.
• Shift 5: Reshaping the institution, including flexible fundraising, project management, partnership, global network governance and culture.

The MfR team ensures WRI is equipped to understand if and how its work is contributing to the longer-term positive changes WRI intends to make in the world and fosters a culture of learning and accountability. Over the next several years, MfR will accelerate a “step change” in PMEL practices and culture at WRI to enhance programmatic effectiveness and demonstrate impact. The specific goals of the step change in PMEL include having:

• Robust, evidence-based theories (TOC) of change for programs and projects that are easily accessible for staff and partners to facilitate shared understanding, and ongoing testing, learning and improvements with regard to proposed pathways to change and learning;
• Relevant, verifiable quantitative and qualitative WRI results data that are easily accessible through an online reporting system, useful, and where contribution is well understood and WRI’s commitment to address social inequalities is reflected in the results; and
• Regular monitoring of program implementation using mixed-methods data analysis and visualization, and timely Pause and Reflect sessions across program cycles to review TOCs and M&E data and discuss learnings and changes needed to achieve the results in the strategic plan;
• Sufficient PMEL expertise and capacity across WRI country and program teams to support timely and evidence-based adaptive management; and
• Iterative cycles of evaluation that support ongoing reflection and learning, systematization and dissemination of lessons learned.

Job Highlights:

Reporting to Senior PMEL Manager, MfR, you will play a key role in ensuring that WRI programs and country offices establish and maintain high quality planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, anchored in robust TOCs and MEL practices. You will lead the monitoring workstream and may have one or more direct reports, under the supervision of the Senior PMEL Manager for MfR. You will play an instrumental role in supporting WRI’s programs and country offices to deliver high quality, meaningful results against the organizational Results Framework, ensuring a focus on equity. You will also collaborate with the Global Director for MfR as well as colleagues across the Institute, including global programs and country offices. The position will require travel approximately 20% of the time.

What you will do:

Data Measurement, Quality Assurance and Synthesis (40%):

Lead follow-on work from FY25 measurement and data quality assurance (DQA) initiatives in collaboration with MfR and the PMEL Working Group. Lead efforts to elevate WRI’s monitoring systems, processes and tools to ensure they meet high standards of quality and enable deeper insights into WRI’s role in driving systemic change. This includes embedding rigorous, equity-focused measurement and learning practices that accelerate adaptive management and strategic decision-making:

• Coordinate with MfR, country, and global PMEL leads to ensure timely and quality reporting of Outcome, Intervention Target, and Impact data in WRI’s online system, aligned with annual workplan processes.
• Lead MfR and support teams in applying DQA principles and guidance throughout MEL Plan development, data collection and reporting for quality, reliability and strategic alignment.
• Lead MfR and teams in synthesizing evidence to inform adaptive management and strategic decisions.
• Support use of indicator measurement toward strategic learning review processes and new strategic planning.
• Support the advancement of contribution analysis and other complexity-aware approaches to rigorously assess WRI’s influence on systemic outcomes and generate actionable insights that inform strategy and amplify impact.

Monitoring Plan Development & Reporting Systems (25%): Redesign and strengthen monitoring plans (indicator descriptions) and reporting processes to ensure data are high-quality and strategically aligned to capture progress toward systems change—while improving accessibility and usability for decision-makers.

• Develop and update PMEL standards and guidance (IDS, SMART) to ensure equity and evidence-based approaches in indicator and measurement quality.
• Prepare and review Indicator Description Sheets (IDS) for upload and use in WRI’s online reporting system, ensuring alignment with MEL Plans, TOCs, and the WRI Results Framework.
• Support improvements to Monitoring Plans for indicator quality and strategic alignment.
• Update WRI’s online reporting system structure, coding conventions, and user access protocols to support accurate indicator reporting.
• Conduct pilots to improve user experience and data visualization in WRI’s online reporting system.

Measurement Capacity Strengthening and Application of PMEL Standards (25%): Lead a capacity-building agenda that equips WRI teams to apply advanced measurement standards while also applying innovative measurement approaches—raising the bar for data quality and fostering a culture of evidence-driven learning and adaptation.

• Design and deliver training modules (including recorded sessions) on IDS/SMART indicators, DQA, and WRI’s reporting system.

• Provide guidance and examples for developing high-quality indicators and adapting poorly written ones into clear, measurable indicators.
• Strengthen peer learning on data collection, quality assurance, reporting, and adaptive use through PMEL community of practice and other channels.
• Develop and implement a plan to gradually raise DQA standards for data reported in WRI’s online system.
• Ensure teams apply updated PMEL standards and guidance, including IDS and SMART indicators.
• Integrate IDS and SMART guidance into TOC materials and MEL Plans.

• Maintain an integrated repository for DQA and annual planning/reporting data and ensure compliance with data governance standards.

Other MfR and WRI needs as requested (10%)

What you will need:

• Education: You have a completed master”s degree in international development, public policy, economics, environmental studies, systems modeling, MEL or a related field. Relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted.
• Experience: You have a minimum of 8 years of full-time relevant experience in PMEL, with demonstrated expertise in systems based, traditional, and complexity aware monitoring, evaluation and assessments; in collaboratively designing, facilitating management of, and implementing small and large evaluations; and in training others on the use of both traditional and innovative evaluation methods.
• Technical Skills:
  • Proficiency in developing and using MEL frameworks, MEL plans, data collection, analysis, and visualization tools.
  • Proven expertise in complexity-aware evaluation, contribution analysis, and systems modeling—demonstrating ability to translate complex data into strategic insights that accelerate impact.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, with attention to detail and a focus on results.
• Cultural Competence: Experience working with multicultural teams and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities in global development contexts
• Values Alignment: Commitment to WRI’s mission and values, including integrity, innovation, urgency, independence, and respect.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required; proficiency in French, Spanish or Bahasa is strongly preferred.
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

Potential Salary: US salary range: 96,000 and 125,000 USD.

The Hague: 68K to 82K Euros

London: 54K to 68K Pounds
Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of December 21, 2024. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Impact, Integrity, Independence, Partnership and Care.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment; we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.