Short Term MEL Consultants

PALLADIUM PROJECT VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Title: Short Term MEL Consultants

Project Name: Growth Poles Project 2.0

Duty Station: Lilongwe, Malawi

Department: Programs

Reporting to: Deputy Team Leader – Program Quality Assurance and Learning

Hours of Work: TBD

Type: Short-term assignments

Deadline to Apply: November 28^th 2025 by 17:00hrs CAT

 Company Overview:

Palladium International is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value.  We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a global team and network of experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.

Project Overview:

Palladium implements the exciting Growth Poles Project 2.0 (GPP 2.0), a five-year ambitious initiative (Oct 2023–Sept 2028) funded by the Embassy of Ireland that aims to accelerate inclusive, sustainable, and resilient wealth creation in Malawi by mobilizing private sector investments in agriculture and natural resource management. The project advances a more inclusive, diversified, and resilient private sector that drives sustainable wealth creation while enhancing environmental and ecological diversity.

Consultancy Description:

Palladium seeks consultants for a variety of short-term monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) assignments supporting project coordination, learning, and adaptation. The MEL Consultants should be able to reliably deliver high-quality discrete tasks accurately and on deadline. The MEL Consultants will take on tasks based on project needs that arise, matched to their availability and areas of expertise. All MEL Consultants must have the legal right to work in Malawi, and be available to meet with the project team in Lilongwe. More than one consultant may be retained.

Success in this role is measured by:

• Agile deployment – The MEL consultant is responsive to inquiries about proposed assignments, and can rapidly comprehend new assignments and how to carry them out with minimal guidance.
• Timely execution – The MEL consultant proposes realistic timelines for deliverables and meets deadlines.
• Accuracy and attention to detail – The MEL consultant complies with all data quality protocols and deliverables contain minimal errors.
• Good communication – Updates on work are provided regularly, and the project is consulted about changes to approaches, methods, timelines, or deliverables.
• Contribution to improved project practices – Where appropriate, the MEL consultant provides feedback to the project on how to improve its MEL work.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Services are expected to be contracted in the following potential workstreams:

• Workstream #1: Field spot checks to audit data quality: Carry out spot check surveys, including questionnaire drafting, survey programming, logistics planning, data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and report writing.
• Workstream #2: Other survey data collection: Implement data collection for household or other quantitative surveys, including logistics planning and data collection.
• Workstream #3: GIS analysis: Generate maps using geospatial data to visualize and analyse project activities in Malawi.
• Workstream #4: Quantitative data cleaning and analysis: Conduct data cleaning and quantitative data analysis including generating descriptive and inferential statistics, including analysis for simple impact evaluations.
• Workstream #5: Qualitative evaluation: Carry out small qualitative studies, including questionnaire drafting, focus group administration or note-taking, transcription, translation, coding, analysis, and report writing.
• Workstream #6: Financial analysis: Conduct ex ante and ex post return on investment, internal rate of return, and/or economic rate of return modelling and analysis for key project activities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in statistics, economics, monitoring and evaluation, or other related field
• 5+ years of experience carrying out MEL work in areas related to the workstream of interest.
• Very good awareness of agriculture and private sector development in the Malawi context
• Understanding of key approaches employed by the Growth Poles Project, including private sector development, market systems development, and evidence-based policy and programming.
• Superior attention to detail and ability to produce final products with few errors.
• Strong communication, teamwork, and work management skills
• Must have own computer with access to word processing and spreadsheet software applications. Project will provide other hardware or software required for assignments.
• Ability to work in Malawi
• Ability to meet with project team in Lilongwe as needed
• Fluency in English required, fluency in Chichewa required for all work streams except GIS Analysis and Financial Analysis
• Ideally, familiarity with market systems development approaches for promoting agricultural technologies

How to apply:

Only electronic applications will be accepted. Interested applicants must send the following material to HRGPMW@thepalladiumgroup.com with the subject line “MEL Consultant Candidate – Name” (please insert your name):

1. CV/Resume
2. Cover letter including:

a. Your daily rate. Your daily rate should be gross, and inclusive of all your costs for completing assignments within Lilongwe e.g. transport, meals or other allowances for local work. (The project will separately cover any required travel related expenses for assignments outside of Lilongwe, and accommodation and expenses for over night travel .)

b. Please fill out and include the table (Link attached below) in your cover letter, indicating the workstream assignments you would be interested in, and a short summary of your experience related to that workstream. The workstream assignment document can be accessible using: Palladium GP SOW – MEL Consultants- Workstream

Applications that do not include a cover letter with the information above will not be considered.

Only qualified shortlisted applicants may be contacted. Palladium reserves the right to not award any consultancies under this advertisement.

Deadline to apply is November 28^th 2025 by 17:00 hrs CAT.