Program MEL Officer at Amref Health Africa

The Programme Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer will be responsible for strengthening the generation, analysis, interpretation and utilization of evidence to support programme performance, learning, accountability and impact measurement. The Officer will coordinate implementation of the programme MEL framework, track progress against agreed results and indicators, and facilitate systematic measurement and documentation of outcomes and the programme’s contribution to longer-term impact. The role will place particular emphasis on institutionalizing learning and adaptive management, generating credible evidence of programme effectiveness, and producing high-quality analytical reports that demonstrate results, emerging changes, lessons learned and programme contributions to improved sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The Officer will work closely with programme partners, district stakeholders and programme teams to ensure that evidence consistently informs programme decisions, innovation and sustainability.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

MEL framework and results architecture: Operationalize the contextualized Theory of Change, indicator reference sheets, indicator definitions, disaggregation requirements, results framework and MEL plan across the three result areas; maintain baseline, annual and endline targets and clearly document assumptions and data limitations.

Outcome and impact measurement: Apply mixed methods approaches to measure programme outcomes and contributions to impact across the three result areas, triangulating routine data, qualitative evidence and community feedback to demonstrate changes in SRHR service utilization, knowledge, agency, social norms, policy implementation and accountability.

Contribution analysis: Assess the programme’s plausible contribution to observed outcomes by examining implementation intensity, trends, context, alternative explanations and ToC assumptions. Distinguish outputs, outcomes and longer-term impact; avoid attributing district-level changes to the programme without adequate evidence.

Country learning agenda: Coordinate learning questions on adolescent-responsive and disability-inclusive services; knowledge-to-action and service uptake; youth participation, accountability and advocacy; the One Programme Approach; localization and sustainability; and climate-sensitive service continuity in flood-prone Butaleja.

Learning and adaptive management: Coordinate the programme learning agenda, outcome harvesting, reflection sessions and documentation of lessons learned, emerging outcomes and promising practices. Facilitate evidence sharing and application of learning to improve programme effectiveness and adaptive management.

Evidence use and adaptive management: Convene and facilitate routine data-use sessions, quarterly partner reflection and performance review meetings; present concise interpretation of findings, identify bottlenecks, maintain an action-and-learning tracker and verify that decisions lead to corrective actions.

Routine monitoring and digital systems: Coordinate harmonized data collection, verification, analysis and dashboards for Amref and implementing partners; ensure timely updating of approved programme results databases and Amref systems, including AIMS where applicable, and appropriate use of DHIS2/HMIS and digital data collection platforms.

Data quality and assurance: Plan and conduct regular data quality assessments, spot checks, source-document verification, indicator reconciliation and joint monitoring with districts and partners; document errors and corrective actions, ensure consistency of numerators, denominators, reporting periods and disaggregation.

Performance analysis and forecasting: Analyze programme performance against targets, assess coverage and equity gaps across facilities and target groups, identify implementation risks, and support realistic forecasts and recovery plans; integrate findings on commodity continuity, referral pathways, quality of care and service readiness.

Reporting and evidence synthesis: Coordinate the preparation of timely, accurate and analytical programme and donor reports, ensuring data quality, consistency with agreed indicators and targets, and credible documentation of achievements, outcomes, contributions to impact, lessons learned and programme adaptations.

Support national reporting into the SRHR Next Programme MIS, AIMS and other global reporting platforms.

Lead development and maintenance of programme performance dashboards and visualization products for internal management and donor reporting.

Evaluations and research: Support evaluation designs, terms of reference, ethical protocols, sampling, tools, consultant coordination and quality assurance for baseline follow-up, periodic studies, midterm/endline evaluation and targeted outcome assessments; track management responses to recommendations.

Inclusion, participation and accountability: Integrate age, sex, disability and other appropriate disaggregation; work with youth advisory and community accountability structures to capture feedback safely, document whether concerns result in decisions and report to communities in accessible formats.

Develop and monitor mechanisms to assess meaningful and inclusive youth participation (MIYP) in programme governance, implementation and learning.

Partner and district capacity strengthening: Mentor partner staff, district biostatisticians, health-facility teams, schools, VHTs and community actors on indicator interpretation, data quality, meaningful analysis, ethical data handling, evidence use and results storytelling.

Safeguarding and responsible evidence: Uphold safeguarding, PSEAH, informed consent, confidentiality and secure handling of sensitive SRHR/SGBV information; use survivor-centred, do-no-harm and conflict-sensitive approaches, including in qualitative documentation and outcome harvesting.

Coordination and stewardship: Work closely with the Programme Manager and Country MEL Manager, programme partner MEL focal persons, district leadership and relevant programme governance structures; contribute to work planning, reporting calendars, learning budgets, risk reviews and donor evidence requests.

Monitor and document localization outcomes, equitable partnership practices and partner capacity development progress.

Risk monitoring and sustainability: Track programme risks, mitigation measures and sustainability outcomes, providing evidence to inform management decisions and programme adaptations.

Represent the MEL function in programme technical working groups, consortium coordination platforms and relevant district-level review meetings.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, ICT/IT, Computer Science, Demography, Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences or a related discipline. A postgraduate qualification in Monitoring & evaluation, public health, research methods or a related field is an added advantage.

At least five years of relevant MEL experience, preferably in SRHR/SGBV, adolescent health, health systems strengthening or rights-based multisectoral programmes.

Demonstrated experience designing outcome/impact measurement approaches, implementing mixed-methods evaluations or learning studies, and producing analytical donor reports.

Experience coordinating MEL across multiple implementing partners and working with district health information systems, including HMIS/DHIS2, data quality assessments and facility/community data.

Technical and behavioural competencies

Strong command of Theory of Change, results-based management, indicator design, baseline/target management, contribution analysis and robust interpretation of programme outcomes and impact.

Practical skills in qualitative and participatory methods, outcome harvesting, facilitation of reflection and learning, knowledge management and adaptive management.

Advanced quantitative analysis, data visualization and analytical writing skills; strong Excel and at least one statistical/visualization package (e.g., Power BI, Qlik, SPSS, Stata or R). Experience with KoboToolbox/ODK is advantageous.

Ability to translate complex data into accurate, concise and compelling reports, presentations, impact stories and actionable management recommendations without overstating causal attribution.

Understanding of gender-transformative, disability-inclusive, youth-centred, safeguarding and ethical research principles, including confidential handling of sensitive SGBV data.

Excellent facilitation, partnership coordination, mentoring, critical thinking, communication, organization and deadline management skills; willingness to travel frequently within the programme district.

Essential Competencies

Experience with donor-funded consortium programmes.

Experience managing MEL for SRHR, adolescent health or gender programmes.

Experience conducting Data Quality Assessments (DQAs).

Experience using Power BI or similar dashboard tools.

Demonstrated expertise in outcome and impact measurement, programme learning, evidence synthesis and preparation of high-quality analytical donor reports.

Desirable Competencies

Experience with Outcome Harvesting.

Experience measuring advocacy and policy outcomes.

Experience supporting external evaluations.

Familiarity with localization and partnership effectiveness frameworks.

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