ACRC International Projects Manager – Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation Specialist at The University of Manchester

The African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) is currently seeking an International Projects Manager to lead on programme monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation (MELA) and provide operational support to a portfolio of projects in five African cities. The ACRC is a collaborative research program funded by FCDO that aims to address urban development challenges in Africa’s rapidly changing cities. The goal is to generate insights and evidence that will improve living conditions and urban services, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

In this role, the International Projects Manager will act as the operational link for a portfolio of action research projects in selected cities. They will provide project management support, respond to queries, and solve problems in an agile and effective manner. As a specialist in MELA, the post-holder will play a lead role in MELA activities. They will oversee all MELA activity across the program, problem-solving MELA issues, and sharing learning across projects and cities. The post-holder will work with key stakeholders, including city researchers, city uptake leads, the ACRC Uptake Director, and Research Leads, to develop appropriate indicators for each project and implement a reporting system for measuring progress. They will also coordinate inputs for funder (FCDO) reporting and recommend modifications to the MELA framework as needed.

This position is part of the ACRC’s Manchester-based operations team, working closely with project teams in each of the cities. Proven experience in supporting projects through the full project management cycle is essential. The ideal candidate will also have thorough knowledge and experience in MELA practice in large donor-funded programs and supporting the strengthening of MELA capacities in diverse institutions. Some international travel (approximately 1-2 weeks per year) is required.

In return, the successful candidate will receive a fantastic market-leading pension scheme, excellent employee health and wellbeing services, exceptional annual leave entitlement, additional paid closure over the Christmas period, and local and national discounts at major retailers.

The ACRC is an equal opportunities employer, welcoming applicants from all sections of the community. The university also supports flexible working arrangements. Hybrid working arrangements may be considered. Please note that recruitment agencies should not contact the ACRC regarding this position, as they do not accept CVs or applications from agencies.

For enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting, and interviews, please contact Helen Allwood, ACRC Operations Manager at helen.allwood@manchester.ac.uk. For general enquiries, please email People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk. Technical support for applications can be found at https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home. The application deadline is midnight on the closing date