Job Advertisement: Deputy Strand Lead – MERL Practice

Position Title: Deputy Strand Lead – MERL Practice
Location: Islamabad (field travel across Pakistan may be required)
Contract Type: Consultancy
Expected Tenure of Consultancy: Till 31 March 2027
Salary Range: PKR 150,000 per month

About the Role

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive early-career professional for the role of Deputy Strand Lead to support delivery of our Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) portfolio. The role involves coordinating across teams, supporting implementation, and ensuring high-quality outputs and documentation. The Deputy Strand Lead will work closely with the Team Lead, Strand Leads, consultants, and partners to deliver on the programme’s objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Strand Lead in planning, coordinating, and implementing assigned technical strands.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination with internal teams, consultants, and Implementation Partners.
• Manage scheduling, organization, and follow-up for meetings, workshops, and stakeholder engagements.
• Accompany technical teams on field visits, documenting key findings and supporting follow-up actions.
• Oversee the preparation, formatting, and quality assurance of technical reports, briefs, and programme documents.
• Compile periodic updates, trackers, and deliverables for submission to the donor or central programme team.
• Maintain systematic documentation systems (SharePoint, Teams, Google Drive), including version control and archiving.
• Coordinate travel and logistics for field visits and events.
• Provide operational support for procurement, workshops, and trainings in collaboration with operations staff.
• Work in-person from the Islamabad office (9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday–Friday) and be available for occasional travel across Pakistan.
• Demonstrate proficiency in English and Urdu.

Qualifications and Preferred Experience

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, economics, development studies, or a related field.
• 1–2 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, or programme coordination.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with ability to deliver under tight deadlines.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office; experience with SharePoint/Teams/Google Drive is highly desirable.
• Experience with donor-funded projects or research programmes is an advantage.
• Ability to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders, including donors and partners.

What We Offer

• A leadership opportunity within a dynamic MERL programme.
• Exposure to high-profile technical work with international stakeholders.
• A supportive environment with professional development opportunities.