POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position

:

MERL and Communications Officer

Location (and travel)

:

Islamabad- Pakistan (with travel across provinces)

Reports to

:

Country Representative

Reportees / Supervision

:

N/A

Working days/hours

:

This is a full-time position, requiring 40 working hours per week.

The Asia Foundation

The Asia Foundation is a non-profit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia. For over 70 years in Pakistan, we have been a trusted partner in strengthening governance, empowering women, promoting inclusive economic growth, and addressing climate change. Our approach is rooted in local partnership—we work with and through a deep network of local communities, governments, civil society, and the private sector to design and implement solutions that are tailored to Pakistan's unique and diverse contexts. From the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan to the urban centers of Karachi, our programs are designed to create a durable, systemic impact.

Role Summary

The MERL and Communications Officer will support the design, implementation, documentation, and communication of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities across The Asia Foundation’s programs in Pakistan. The position will strengthen evidence-based programming, data quality, accountability, learning, donor reporting, and knowledge products, while also supporting clear and compelling communications that showcase program results, lessons, and impact. The role requires strong analytical ability, writing skills, attention to detail, and the capacity to work closely with program teams, partners, and stakeholders across diverse contexts.

I. Main duties and responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of MERL (monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning) frameworks, results indicators, workplans, data collection tools, and reporting systems aligned with program and donor requirements.

• Coordinate timely collection, verification, analysis, and documentation of program data, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and strong data quality standards.

• Maintain and update project databases, indicator tracking sheets, dashboards, and evidence repositories to support program monitoring and decision-making.

• Assist in baseline studies, endline assessments, evaluations, research activities, learning reviews, and after-action reflections with teams, partners, and consultants.

• Prepare high-quality progress updates, donor reporting inputs, evidence briefs, case studies, success stories, lessons learned, presentations, and other knowledge products.

• Support accountability and feedback mechanisms, including stakeholder feedback, complaint referral documentation, and safeguarding-sensitive handling of information where applicable.

• Develop and coordinate program communications materials, including website content, social media posts, newsletters, event briefs, photo captions, and visibility materials, in coordination with The Asia Foundation’s HQ communications team where required.

• Ensure communications products comply with The Asia Foundation’s branding, donor visibility, consent, ethical storytelling, data protection, and safeguarding requirements.

• Build the capacity of implementing partners and internal teams on MERL tools, reporting templates, documentation standards, communications practices, and learning approaches.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

II. Qualifications

Education

:

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Communications, Media Studies, International Development, or a related field.

Work experience

:

• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in MERL, program monitoring, research, data management, communications, or knowledge management, preferably with an INGO, donor-funded project, or development organization.

• Demonstrated experience in developing and using monitoring tools, indicator trackers, data collection instruments, reporting templates, and learning documentation.

• Experience supporting assessments, evaluations, research studies, field monitoring, partner reporting, data verification, and results-based reporting.

• Experience preparing communications products such as success stories, case studies, social media content, event write-ups, presentations, and donor-focused visibility materials.

• Familiarity with Pakistan’s development context and experience working with program teams, implementing partners, communities, consultants, and diverse stakeholders.

Skills

:

• Strong understanding of MERL principles, results frameworks, indicators, data quality, evaluation methods, learning processes, and accountability standards.

• Excellent English writing, editing, documentation, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and professionally.

• Good analytical skills with proficiency in MS Excel and MS Office; familiarity with, Power 

• Essential to advanced proficiency in digital tools and platforms relevant to the role, including but not limited to productivity software (e.g., Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace), email and communication platforms, and the ability to adapt to new technologies and systems as needed

• Strong coordination, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with program teams, partners, consultants, and senior colleagues.

• High attention to detail, ethical judgment, cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, and commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, data protection, and accountability.

• Adaptable, proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced development environment.

Language

Fluency in English and Urdu required; regional language skills are an advantage.