Introduction
Since 2023, the Scottish Government has funded the Climate Just Communities (CJC) project in Zambia, a flagship programme under its Climate Justice Fund in Zambia. The CJC project is ending in March 2026, but Scottish Government is running a Request for Proposals for a final year of support to CJC communities from April 2026 – March 2027. The project will develop and deliver, through a participatory approach, a series of interventions that build inclusive and climate change resilient communities in some of the most climate-vulnerable districts of Zambia.
The objectives of the project are to:
a) Empower communities to identify their own priorities to be addressed through climate justice support and build resilience to the local material and social impacts of climate change;
b) Empower the most marginalised within communities (including but not limited to marginalisation for reasons related to gender, age, disability or indigenous status) to participate and take action in building resilience to the local material and social impacts of climate change;
c) Empower communities to advocate for climate justice and local equity;
d) Create long-term, sustainable change within communities in line with the pillars of climate justice.
NIRAS Group (UK) Ltd is tendering to deliver this follow-on phase of the CJC project in Zambia. To deliver the assignment, NIRAS has developed a consortium of national and international organisations. Local Zambian NGOs function as the Community Delivery Partners (CDPs), responsible for delivering interventions and facilitating community participation at district level.
The project, if awarded, would be implemented across four of the most climate-vulnerable districts in Zambia: Luangwa, Sinazongwe, Shangombo, and Sioma. CJC Zambia to date has delivered interventions to over 30,000 direct beneficiaries in areas including water access; climate-resilient agriculture and livestock management; natural resource management (NRM); disaster risk reduction (DRR); economic development (access to finance, business development), gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), and climate advocacy.
Role Description
The MEAL Lead will be part of the CJC Zambia core team and will be responsible for overseeing the project’s monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning workstream, including implementing the project’s participatory MEAL approach with Community Delivery Partners, overseeing CJC’s results measurement system, and leading on technical progress reporting to the Scottish Government.
The MEAL Lead a 100% FTE role based in the NIRAS Zambia Office in Lusaka from 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027.
The MEAL Lead will report to the Team Leader.
Key Responsibilities:
· Leading on the design and implementation of the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation Accountability and Learning system, managing and improving a rigorous and participatory approach to Monitoring and Evaluation, including developing and qualitative and quantitative indicators to measure the project’s outputs, outcomes and impact.
· Liaising with CDPs in the collection of routine monitoring data, including ensuring monthly and quarterly reporting deadlines are met and beneficiary databases are updated according to grant agreement terms. A significant focus of the role will be ensuring robust data quality from CDPs and building CDP capacity around monitoring and reporting, including through monthly field visits to the CDPs, spot audits and engagement with communities. The MEAL Lead will be required to identify MEL Focal Points in all CDPs and to provide ongoing training for them as well as hold them accountable to implement the MEL system.
· Work with NIRAS colleagues to further develop the PowerBI dashboard ensuring this provides the programme management and Scottish Government with real-time updates on progress.
· Leading quarterly client reporting to communicate technical progress against intervention workstreams, and against the objectives and output targets as outlined in the CJC Zambia workplans and logframe.
· Designing and implementing a realistic participatory M&E approach for CJC Zambia, working with CDP staff to undertake quarterly learning and feedback sessions with CDPs, community members and local government staff to ensure that project activities are delivered in line with community theories of change, and that community feedback steers the implementation of activities.
· Facilitate quarterly learning sessions with CDP staff and the core team in Lusaka to ensure the team continue to improve based on learning.
· Supporting the design of an endline evaluation methodology and managing an external survey partner to conduct an endline evaluation, if requested by the client.
· Work with the Team Leader, Climate Justice Technical Advisor and the Communications Officer to develop and disseminate effective learning, research, and communications materials.
· Participate in cross-lot CJC monitoring, evaluation and learning activities as required.
· Present and respond to questions from programme stakeholders – including staff, client and partners on any aspects of the MEAL system.
· Participating in other tasks as requested by the Team Leader.
Key Deliverables
Deliverables will be determined on a quarterly basis and reflected in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
It is expected that the MEAL Lead will lead the preparation of client technical progress reports on a quarterly and annual basis, in close collaboration with the Team Leader and Project Manager.
Appraisal Process
KPIs will be produced, against which performance will be measured on an annual basis during an appraisal process.
Required Expertise
· Master’s Degree.
· Experience in project monitoring, evaluation and learning, preferably in a related development sector (climate adaptation, environment, agriculture, poverty reduction, livelihoods, etc).
· Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills.
· Experience in design and delivery of household surveys.
· Experience in participatory methods desirable.
· Experience in client reporting, including dashboards and reporting against project logframes.
· Strong attention to detail and report writing skills.
· Strong verbal communication, coaching and influencing skills - proven ability to enable and hold accountable staff and partners in their MEL activities
Application Process
To apply, please send your CV to FINANCE.ADMIN.ZM@niras.com by 23:59 on 27 January 2026.
