Job Description

POSITION TITLE

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Coordinator (MERL Coordinator)

POSITION LOCATION

Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka

REPORTS TO

Senior Manager, GRIT

CONTRACT TERM

Two years

SALARY LEVEL

Based on experience and qualifications

APPLICATION DEADLINE

10 June 2026

EXPECTED START DATE

July 2026

Background

WUSC is a leading Canadian international development organization committed to providing education, economic and empowerment opportunities to improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged youth around the world, particularly women and displaced people. WUSC's vision is a world where every young person thrives and belongs, and its mission is to catalyze positive education and economic outcomes for young people. WUSC works as a facilitator and convener, bringing together diverse resources and stakeholders to tackle complex challenges at a systems level. WUSC leverages a wide network of actors from civil society, post-secondary education, the private sector and youth themselves to design and implement initiatives that will bring lasting change for the benefit of youth.

WUSC operates in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of over $45 million CAD. WUSC has over 300 staff globally implementing many development projects in collaboration with donors, such as Global Affairs Canada, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Mastercard Foundation. With support from Global Affairs Canada and other funders, WUSC has worked in Sri Lanka (SL) since 1989, contributing to national development goals through partnerships with the Government of Sri Lanka, civil society, the private sector, and other key development actors. WUSC Sri Lanka country office currently implements three projects namely GRIT, STRIVE and IGNITE; the specific project associated with this role is detailed below.

GRIT Project (Growth, Resilience, Investment and Training)

GRIT is a 6-year collaborative initiative (2023-2028) that will build sustainable pathways to enhance economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive growth in Sri Lanka, especially for young women in the North of the country. The GRIT project is testing innovative, sustainable models to improve the enabling environment and reduce gender-specific barriers to the equitable and sustainable growth of enterprises at all stages: incubation, start-up, early-stage and growth-stage. The project’s focus is on enterprises owned by, operated by, or serving women in the North of Sri Lanka.

By investing in social marketing, capacity building, knowledge exchange, and partnerships, GRIT aims to achieve transformative change within the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sri Lanka that is sustainable and scalable. A wide array of key stakeholders, including incubators and accelerators; fund managers; members of the diaspora community; women's groups, including women's rights organizations; and key technical experts will be engaged throughout the project cycle. This collaborative approach will strengthen the nascent entrepreneurial and impact-oriented investment ecosystem in the country.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager (SPM) - GRIT, the MERL Coordinator is responsible for monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities under the GRIT project. GRIT is a gender-transformative project, and this role carries an explicit responsibility to ensure that gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) principles are reflected in what is measured, and in how data is collected, analysed and used.

Further details regarding the job description can be found on BambooHR.

Please click the link below to access the full JD.

Qualifications and Competencies

Education

  • A university degree in a relevant field (social sciences, data science or other related field).

Experiences & Competencies:

  • Minimum of three years work experience in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning, with an emphasis on reporting to diverse project stakeholders.
  • Strong technical skills in monitoring and evaluation, including demonstrated ability developing quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments and analyse quantitative and qualitative data.
  • Proficient in Google Workspace, relevant data management platforms, quantitative and qualitative data analysis software (e.g. SPSS, NVivo) and data collection software/applications.
  • Experience working in partnership with local organisations and government departments.
  • Demonstrated dedication to applying a gender equality, diversity and inclusion lens to monitoring, evaluation, research and learning.

Language:

  • Fluency in English and Tamil is essential. Sinhala is an added advantage.
  • Excellent writing skills required in English.

Why work with WUSC

WUSC offers a dynamic work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce. We offer employees and volunteers exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations. WUSC is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application

If you are interested in this position, Please follow this link to apply through our website.

https://wusc.bamboohr.com/careers/313?source=aWQ9MjE%3D