Assistant Director, MEAL (Agri-Food System Transformation & Microfinance)

Job Description

Title: Assistant Director, MEAL (Agri-Food System Transformation & Microfinance)

Company Name: WAVE Foundation

Vacancy: 1

Age: At most 45 years

Job Location: Dhaka

Salary: Tk. 70000 - 75000 (Monthly)

Experience:

• At least 8 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• At least 8 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Age At most 45 years

Master's degree from the Faculty of Agriculture, Economics, Development Studies, or a related field.

Experience:

At least 08 years of total professional experience in the development sector, including agriculture and/or microfinance programming.

Proven track record of at least 05 years in a senior MEAL leadership role managing complex agricultural, food system, and/or microfinance projects.

Prior experience working with microfinance institutions (MFIs), agri-finance programs, or rural financial inclusion projects is highly desirable.

Technical & Essential Skills:

Data-Driven Mindset: Proven ability to analyze complex agricultural and financial data sets to provide actionable recommendations for organizational leadership.

Team Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to work effectively within multi-disciplinary teams and foster a collaborative work environment.

Language Proficiency: Fluency in English and Bengali (both written and verbal) is mandatory.

Methodological Expertise: Strong command over both qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation methodologies, including microfinance portfolio analysis.

Software Mastery: Expert knowledge of Advanced Excel, Power BI/Tableau, SPSS/Stata, and Mobile Data Collection tools; familiarity with microfinance/loan management software is an advantage.

Location: Dhaka (WAVE Foundation, Head Office)

Job Summary: The Assistant Director, MEAL is a strategic role responsible for the design, implementation, and oversight of the MEAL system across WAVE Foundation's Agri-Food System Transformation and Microfinance programs. Reporting directly to the Executive Director (ED) and Deputy Executive Director (DED), the incumbent ensures program efficacy through a rigorous blend of qualitative and quantitative methodologies across agriculture, livestock, fisheries, natural resource management, agroecology, and microfinance/financial inclusion interventions. The role is pivotal in fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making and collaborative teamwork, translating technical agricultural and financial data into strategic insights for internal management, international donors, financial institutions, and government stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1. Designing Frameworks & Methodology

• Design and standardize comprehensive MEAL Frameworks, Theories of Change (ToC), and Logical Frameworks (Logframes) for all Agri-Food and Microfinance interventions.

• Apply mixed-methods approaches, integrating Quantitative data (yields, income, loan repayment rates, savings mobilization, adoption rates) with Qualitative insights (behavior change, financial inclusion outcomes, community perceptions, and case studies).

• Develop scientific and financial indicators to track technical progress, such as food system and agroecological transition scores, soil health improvements, climate adaptation indices, portfolio-at-risk (PAR), and household income/savings growth.

2. Data-Driven Decision Support & Executive Reporting

• Strategic Reporting: Prepare and present high-quality, evidence-based reports directly to the ED and DED to facilitate informed, data-driven decision-making regarding program strategy and resource allocation across agriculture and microfinance portfolios.

• Lead the development of technical reports for international donors and microfinance regulatory/funding bodies, ensuring strict adherence to compliance standards and indicators.

• Bilingual Communication: Produce content, research briefs, and impact stories in both English and Bengali to ensure high visibility across local and international platforms.

• Evidence-Based Advocacy: Synthesize field and financial data into policy briefs to support WAVE's advocacy efforts in the national agriculture and financial inclusion sectors.

3. Digital Data Systems & Database Management

• Architect and oversee advanced Mobile Data Collection systems using KoboCollect, ODK, or SurveyCTO for real-time field monitoring of agriculture and microfinance activities.

• Design and maintain a centralized integrated MEAL Database/MIS — including linkages to microfinance loan and savings management systems — to ensure data integrity and a seamless flow of information from the farm/field level to the Head Office.

• Implement rigorous data cleaning and validation protocols to ensure "zero-error" reporting and reliable evidence for management.

4. Advanced Analysis & Predictive Visualization

• Conduct sophisticated statistical analysis using SPSS, Stata, or R for quantitative datasets (including loan portfolio and repayment data) and thematic analysis for qualitative data.

• Lead the development of Interactive Dashboards (Power BI or Tableau) to provide the executive team with real-time visualization of agricultural and microfinance program performance.

• Utilize GIS mapping and AI-driven predictive analytics to track crop/livestock health, climate-related risks, and geographic trends in microfinance uptake and repayment.

5. Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Collaborative Team Approach: Work closely with cross-functional program teams (Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Natural Resource Management, and Microfinance) to ensure MEAL findings are integrated into daily project operations.

• Mentorship: Lead and mentor the MEAL team and field staff, building their capacity in modern monitoring techniques, qualitative interviewing, microfinance data tracking, and digital tool usage.

• Quality Assurance: Conduct regular "Data Quality Audits" and field monitoring visits — including branch/field-level microfinance operations — to verify the accuracy of ground-level data.

6. Accountability & Learning (CLA)

• Oversee Feedback and Response Mechanisms (FRM) to ensure programs remain accountable and responsive to the needs of farmers, microfinance clients, and marginalized communities.

• Facilitate Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches to ensure the organization learns from field challenges and shifts strategies based on real-time evidence across both agriculture and microfinance portfolios.

7. Microfinance Program Integration

• Support the design and monitoring of MEAL systems for microfinance and financial inclusion components linked to agricultural value chains, such as agri-loans, savings groups, and income-generating activities.

• Track and report on key microfinance performance indicators, including loan disbursement, recovery rates, portfolio quality, and client-level socioeconomic impact.

• Ensure alignment of microfinance MEAL practices with relevant regulatory requirements and donor compliance standards.

Workplace & Duration

• Job Location: WAVE Foundation Head Office, Mohammadpur, Dhaka.

• Status: Regular position (subject to a satisfactory 06-month probationary period).

• Field Commitment: Willingness to spend at least 50-60% of time in the field to interact with farmers and microfinance clients, verify interventions, and support field teams.

• Travel: Extensive travel to rural project and microfinance branch sites across Bangladesh is mandatory.

Salary Range: BDT 70,000 – 75,000 per month (negotiable, based on experience and qualifications)