Application Guide

How to Apply for Monitoring, Evidence and Learning Coordinator

at Village Enterprise

🏢 About Village Enterprise

Village Enterprise uniquely focuses on ending extreme poverty in rural Africa through entrepreneurship, innovation, and collective action, with a proven track record of impacting over 2.3 million lives. Their cost-effective model specifically empowers women, refugees, and youth to launch small businesses and savings groups, offering a dignified pathway out of poverty. Working here means contributing to an ambitious yet achievable goal: lifting 20 million people out of extreme poverty by 2030.

About This Role

As the Monitoring, Evidence and Learning Coordinator based in Kigali, Rwanda, you'll be responsible for designing and implementing Village Enterprise's MEL systems to track the impact of their poverty alleviation programs across Africa. This role directly contributes to evidence-based decision-making by collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on business launches, savings groups, and poverty reduction outcomes. Your work will ensure that program effectiveness is measured and learning is integrated to scale impact toward their 2030 goal.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve analyzing survey data from rural entrepreneurs in Rwanda to assess business growth, coordinating with field staff to refine data collection tools, and preparing evidence reports for donors. You'll also participate in team meetings to share learning insights that inform program adjustments, ensuring alignment with Village Enterprise's poverty reduction targets.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Village Enterprise Is Looking For

  • Has 3-5 years of hands-on experience designing and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems in international development, preferably in East Africa (Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, or Ethiopia).
  • Possesses strong quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills, with proficiency in tools like Excel, SPSS, Stata, or R, and experience with mobile data collection platforms (e.g., ODK, SurveyCTO).
  • Demonstrates expertise in results-based management, logical frameworks, and indicator development for poverty alleviation or entrepreneurship programs.
  • Is fluent in English (required) and Kinyarwanda or French (highly desirable), with excellent communication skills to present findings to diverse stakeholders, including field staff and donors.

📝 Tips for Applying to Village Enterprise

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific MEL experience in East Africa, quantifying impact (e.g., 'managed data collection for 200+ entrepreneurs in Rwanda').

2

Explicitly mention Village Enterprise's mission and 2030 goal in your cover letter, linking your skills to their focus on women, refugees, and youth.

3

Provide examples of how you've used MEL data to improve program outcomes in past roles, especially in entrepreneurship or poverty reduction contexts.

4

If you have experience with Business Savings Groups (BSGs) or similar community-based models, detail it prominently.

5

Address the Kigali location directly—explain your readiness to relocate or existing ties to Rwanda, as this is an on-site role despite the initial 'Remote' listing.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for Village Enterprise's mission to end extreme poverty through entrepreneurship, referencing their impact on 2.3 million lives.", 'Concrete examples of MEL work in East Africa, such as designing surveys for rural entrepreneurs or analyzing poverty data.', 'How your skills align with their need for evidence-based learning to scale programs toward the 2030 goal.', 'Your ability to work in Rwanda, including language skills or cultural familiarity, to support field operations.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Village Enterprise's 2023 Impact Report or website data on business launches, savings groups, and poverty metrics.
  • → Their geographic focus in Rwanda and other countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda) to understand regional nuances.
  • → Their partnerships and donors (e.g., USAID, foundations) to grasp funding and reporting expectations.
  • → Recent news or blogs about their innovation in entrepreneurship or MEL approaches.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you designed an MEL system for a poverty alleviation program—what indicators did you use and why?
2 How would you ensure data quality and ethical standards when collecting information from vulnerable populations like women or refugees?
3 What experience do you have with mobile data collection tools in low-resource settings?
4 How would you use MEL findings to improve Village Enterprise's business and savings group model?
5 Can you discuss a challenge you faced in East Africa and how you adapted MEL practices to local contexts?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application without mentioning Village Enterprise's specific mission or 2030 goal.
  • Overlooking the Kigali location—failing to address relocation or local experience in Rwanda.
  • Focusing only on high-level MEL theory without providing concrete examples from East African fieldwork.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Village Enterprise!

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