Case Study: Donor Reporting Quality and Delivery Reliability

Context

Regional Monitoring and Evaluation (Performance) Manager at DAI (Apr 2023 - Apr 2025) supporting a $14M USAID-funded program across 4 Central Asian countries with 15+ implementing partners.

Problem

Quarterly and annual reporting required high evidence quality, consistent indicator definitions, and strict submission timelines. Partner data arrived with uneven quality and timing, creating risk for donor deadlines and audit-readiness.

Actions

Built standardized data-collection workflows and reporting templates for partner submissions.
Implemented quality-control checks for indicator definitions, source documentation, and evidence traceability.
Coordinated cross-country KPI tracking across 4 country offices and HQ with shared reporting cadence.
Led partner capacity-building sessions to improve data completeness and confidence.
Piloted AI-assisted drafting workflows with manual quality gates for final donor outputs.

Results

Delivered 100% on-time quarterly and annual donor reports for 8 consecutive quarters.
Reduced partner submission delays by 40%.
Improved partner self-reported data confidence from 6.2/10 to 8.7/10.
Maintained audit-ready compliance documentation and supported 2 USAID audits with zero findings.
Reduced report preparation time by 25% while maintaining quality controls.

Relevance for Future Roles

Demonstrates readiness for Program/Portfolio Manager and PMO/Compliance roles requiring cross-border coordination, evidence governance, risk control, and executive-ready reporting.

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Author: Vassiliy Lakhonin