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Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Portfolio Lead
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About This Opportunity
Country: Finland
Organization: UNOPS
Closing date: 26 Apr 2026
UN Global Pulse is the Secretary-General’s Innovation Lab. We work at the intersection of innovation and the human sciences to inform, inspire, and strengthen the ability of the United Nations family and those it serves to anticipate, respond, and adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
We support some of the UN’s highest-priority, system-wide innovation efforts, helping teams apply data science, responsible AI, and digital solutions to accelerate impact across initiatives such as the UN Global Pulse Accelerator Programme, UN80 priorities, and the DISHA programme.
Our teams are spread across the world, with hubs in Uganda, Indonesia, Finland, and the United States. Drawing on more than a decade of experience with digital innovation in the UN family, UN Global Pulse unites specialists from the digital and social sciences in search of solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, from conflict to climate change.
We aim to reduce the risks that innovation involves and move towards the opportunities. We restore public trust in technology by making it inclusive, accessible, and ethical. Our input brings value to the work of the UN and external partners in protecting the vulnerable and defending human rights.
The goals of the UN Global Pulse Network are: i) Support efforts to advance innovations, ii) Contribute to the development of global frameworks, and iii) Support the transformation of the UN family.
UN Global Pulse supports the United Nations system in advancing innovative, data-driven solutions to accelerate sustainable development outcomes. Through its structured Portfolio Approach, UN Global Pulse proactively sources and supports high-potential innovations aligned with a shared Theory of Change, with the objective of strengthening pathways to scale and systemic impact. The portfolio model provides strategic direction, coherence, and prioritization across initiatives, ensuring that innovation efforts are purposeful, evidence-informed, and results-oriented.
Within this context, the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) function plays a central strategic role. This position brings together portfolio strategy and MEL, ensuring that performance management, evidence generation, and adaptive learning are embedded across the portfolio lifecycle. By aligning portfolio implementation with robust results frameworks and mixed-method approaches, the function ensures that innovation efforts are measurable, scalable, and continuously refined based on evidence. Through close collaboration with project teams and network partners, the role strengthens organizational performance, supports informed decision-making, and fosters a culture of impact, learning, and continuous improvement across UN Global Pulse.
The role combines driving of UN Global Pulse’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) function with strategic guidance of the innovation portfolio process. It ensures robust, adaptive MEL frameworks while steering portfolio alignment with the Theory of Change, compliance standards, and evidence-informed decision-making. Working under the Deputy Head of Office, the incumbent will deliver on the following areas.
Build and Integrate the Organizational MEL Framework
Steer the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of UNGP’s organizational Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework, ensuring full alignment with portfolio structures and the overarching Theory of Change.
Expected Result: A coherent, institutionally embedded MEL system that strengthens performance management, accountability, and impact measurement across the innovation portfolio.
Strengthen Portfolio Governance and Compliance
Drive the portfolio process with guidance from UN Global Pulse senior leadership, ensuring that all projects comply with established portfolio requirements, results frameworks, and reporting standards.
Expected Result: Improved portfolio coherence, quality assurance, and systematic alignment of initiatives with strategic objectives and scaling pathways.
Embed Results-Based Management Across the Portfolio
Support portfolio teams to integrate robust results frameworks, indicators, and adaptive monitoring approaches throughout the project lifecycle, from experimentation to scaling.
Expected Result: Enhanced results-based management practices leading to measurable performance improvements and clearer articulation of impact pathways.
Institutionalize Adaptive Learning and Systems Thinking
Facilitate structured learning sessions to periodically review and update portfolio processes and MEL frameworks, applying systems thinking and change management principles.
Expected Result: Enabling evidence-informed portfolio steering and continuous organizational improvement.
Provide Strategic Advisory Support on Impact and Portfolio Direction
Synthesize insights from monitoring and evaluation activities to provide strategic advice to senior leadership on portfolio performance, prioritization, and scaling decisions.
Expected Result: Data-driven portfolio evolution that strengthens UNGP’s contribution to sustainable development outcomes and institutional transformation toward a performance- and impact-driven organization.
Supervise and guide the MEL Team
Directly supervise and provide day to day supervision, coordination and technical guidance to the small MEL team by setting clear performance objectives, conducting regular check-ins and supporting professional development to strengthen team capacity.
Expected Result: The Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning & Portfolio Lead will ensure effective coordination, task delegation and accountability within the team to deliver MEL outputs on time.
Education Requirements
Required
An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) preferably in International Relations, Business Administration, Economics, Monitoring and Evaluation, or other related field with 5 years of relevant experience is required.
A first-level university degree (Bachelor's) preferably in International Relations, Business Administration, Economics, Monitoring and Evaluation, or other related field with 7 years of relevant experience is required.
Experience Requirements
Required
Relevant experience in one or more of the following: MEL, Economics or International Development, of which a minimum of two years must be in an innovation context.
Desired
Demonstrated experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), including designing and applying Theory of Change frameworks to guide innovation projects and teams.
Experience in humanitarian or development sectors, including experience in international organizations or public sector contexts.
Experience in coordination and management of MEL processes across multidisciplinary teams.
Experience in delivering high-quality research, analysis preferably in both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
Experience in working with agile project management and portfolio management, ideally within an innovation context.
Experience of working in a UN organization. An understanding of project management and coordination practices in a UN context.
Experience in developing innovative approaches to MEL that address systems-level impact.
Experience facilitating strategic reflection, learning workshops, and/or portfolio reviews.
Experience designing mixed-method evaluation approaches in complex or uncertain environments.
Experience in leading and supervising teams.
How to apply
Please visit the link below for more information on how to submit your application:
https://careers.unops.org/careersmarketplace/JobDetail/2714
Key Details
Deadline
April 26, 2026