MEL Director, Forest Garden Quality
Who We Are
At Trees for the Future (TREES), we believe farmers have the power to transform the world. For over 30 years, we’ve been a global leader in agroforestry training, partnering with farming families to build vibrant economies, sustainable food systems, and thriving ecosystems. Through our signature Forest Garden Approach—a proven nature-based solution—farmers restore their land, plant thousands of trees, and grow diverse crops, breaking cycles of climate change and generational poverty. By reclaiming their agency, farmers are creating new possibilities for their families, communities, and the environment. We’ve worked all around the world and are currently active in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, and Mali. TREES has planted over 400 million trees to date. Joining our passionate, collaborative team means empowering farmers to lead lasting change for people and the planet.
Learn more at trees.org.
THE ROLE
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director, Forest Garden Quality, will play a pivotal role in improving the quality, consistency, and utility of TREES’ data across all levels of the organization.
This role will lead the strengthening of TREES’ MEL systems to improve Forest Garden quality and ensure consistent, high-quality data collection, analysis, and use for decision-making across all five operating countries. The Director will oversee the development and implementation of country and global MEL systems, build local data ownership, and establish continuous feedback loops that drive program improvement.
The MEL Director will partner closely with the Program, Carbon, Development, and Marketing & Communications teams to generate credible impact data for carbon investors, and donor and corporate reporting, enhancing TREES’ accountability, program effectiveness, and credibility across both philanthropic and carbon markets.
Reporting to the Senior Director of MEL, this role requires deep technical expertise and experience building MEL systems from the ground up.
Responsibilities
TREES is an International Organization that strives to be the best home for staff wanting to make an impact on the farmers we serve. We believe that the diversity of our staff contributes to excellence. TREES values collaboration and teamwork that fosters increased engagement and innovation for professional growth.
We offer a multicultural, collegial work environment with a competitive salary, comprehensive medical insurance, workers' compensation, and substantial paid time off, including annual leave and sick leave.
APPLY
If this opportunity speaks to you, please apply with 1) a cover letter that explains why TREES’ work excites you and why this role is a fit for you, and 2) your resume. Ensure that both documents are shared as PDF or Word documents. Please submit your application by December 2nd, 2025. We review applications on a rolling basis.
Trees for the Future is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or other characteristics or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
We embrace and value diverse skill sets and backgrounds. We are a community of leaders who are proud to represent many different national, racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, gender, and other identities. Our diversity as a community is our strength, driving our ability to be empathetic, visionary, and effective leaders.
Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
At Trees for the Future (TREES), we believe farmers have the power to transform the world. For over 30 years, we’ve been a global leader in agroforestry training, partnering with farming families to build vibrant economies, sustainable food systems, and thriving ecosystems. Through our signature Forest Garden Approach—a proven nature-based solution—farmers restore their land, plant thousands of trees, and grow diverse crops, breaking cycles of climate change and generational poverty. By reclaiming their agency, farmers are creating new possibilities for their families, communities, and the environment. We’ve worked all around the world and are currently active in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, and Mali. TREES has planted over 400 million trees to date. Joining our passionate, collaborative team means empowering farmers to lead lasting change for people and the planet.
Learn more at trees.org.
THE ROLE
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director, Forest Garden Quality, will play a pivotal role in improving the quality, consistency, and utility of TREES’ data across all levels of the organization.
This role will lead the strengthening of TREES’ MEL systems to improve Forest Garden quality and ensure consistent, high-quality data collection, analysis, and use for decision-making across all five operating countries. The Director will oversee the development and implementation of country and global MEL systems, build local data ownership, and establish continuous feedback loops that drive program improvement.
The MEL Director will partner closely with the Program, Carbon, Development, and Marketing & Communications teams to generate credible impact data for carbon investors, and donor and corporate reporting, enhancing TREES’ accountability, program effectiveness, and credibility across both philanthropic and carbon markets.
Reporting to the Senior Director of MEL, this role requires deep technical expertise and experience building MEL systems from the ground up.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design and implementation of robust MEL systems that strengthen Forest Garden quality across TREES’ global programs.
- Assess existing MEL processes and co-develop refinements with country program and MEL teams to ensure consistency, reliability, and alignment with organizational priorities.
- Establish feedback loops that ensure data informs planning, execution, and course correction in real time.
- Build local MEL capacity by training and mentoring staff in data collection, management, and analysis.
- Collaborate with Program and MEL teams to embed stronger project management practices and evidence-based decision-making in implementation cycles.
- Produce and synthesize high-quality country- and global-level analyses to guide strategy and demonstrate impact.
- Partner with Development and Marketing and Communications teams to deliver credible, timely data for reporting and communications targeted for investors, donors and corporate partners.
- Contribute to the design of organization-wide KPIs, impact frameworks, and learning agendas.
- Ensure data integrity and compliance with ethical standards and data protection requirements.
- A systems builder with strong MEL expertise. You have designed, implemented, and institutionalized MEL systems that strengthen data quality, enable evidence-based decision-making, and enhance program impact across multiple countries and partners.
- A data-driven strategist and analyst. You are skilled in analyzing complex datasets, identifying patterns, and translating findings into actionable insights that inform program design and organizational learning. You’re skilled at balancing technical rigor with practical, field-informed implementation.
- A collaborative leader and mentor. You build strong relationships with country teams and inspire local ownership of data and results.
- An adaptive problem solver. You can navigate complexity and design practical solutions in resource-limited settings.
- A strong communicator and relationship builder. You translate technical findings into compelling insights that resonate with diverse audiences, from field staff to donors. Your warm, authentic communication style helps you build lasting relationships and relay information in ways that stick.
- A problem solver who owns your work. You overcome obstacles in your work by identifying them, adapting to new information, and proactively devising solutions. You act before being asked and hold yourself accountable when you set goals.
- An action-oriented, resourceful, and collaborative team member. You possess a “get it done” attitude, with the ability to stay focused and nimble in a dynamic environment. You work effectively across teams, time zones, and with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- An enthusiastic advocate for TREES’ mission and values. You are inspired to empower and support a team working to grow vibrant regional economies, thriving food systems, and a healthier planet. You thrive on a close-knit team that values shared integrity, inclusive collaboration, sustainable resilience, and continuous learning.
- Master’s degree in International Development, Statistics, Public and International Affairs, or related fields.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in MEL, including at least 5 years in leadership roles within complex, multi-country programs.
- Proven experience designing and institutionalizing MEL systems and data pipelines from concept to execution.
- Expertise in quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and visualization.
- Strong analytical skills with demonstrated experience using statistical software (e.g., STATA, R) or advanced Excel-based analysis for monitoring and evaluation.
- Strong familiarity with mobile data collection and digital data systems and tools (e.g., Kobo Collect, CommCare, Salesforce, Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
- Exceptional cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills.
- Knowledge of Swahili is an added advantage.
- Advanced statistical training or formal coursework in data science or econometrics is good-to-have but not mandatory.
TREES is an International Organization that strives to be the best home for staff wanting to make an impact on the farmers we serve. We believe that the diversity of our staff contributes to excellence. TREES values collaboration and teamwork that fosters increased engagement and innovation for professional growth.
We offer a multicultural, collegial work environment with a competitive salary, comprehensive medical insurance, workers' compensation, and substantial paid time off, including annual leave and sick leave.
APPLY
If this opportunity speaks to you, please apply with 1) a cover letter that explains why TREES’ work excites you and why this role is a fit for you, and 2) your resume. Ensure that both documents are shared as PDF or Word documents. Please submit your application by December 2nd, 2025. We review applications on a rolling basis.
Trees for the Future is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or other characteristics or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
We embrace and value diverse skill sets and backgrounds. We are a community of leaders who are proud to represent many different national, racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, gender, and other identities. Our diversity as a community is our strength, driving our ability to be empathetic, visionary, and effective leaders.
Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.