Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Manager

Role Overview

The Inclusive Africa Program (IAP) spans youth skills development, employment pathways, assistive technology innovation, advocacy and institutional change across multiple African countries — and this role is what makes that work visible, credible and continuously improvable. As MEL Manager you own the programme's measurement architecture end to end: shaping the Theory of Change and results framework into indicators, tools, baselines, targets, data flows and dashboards that teams genuinely use, and then converting what the data says into decisions rather than reports that sit on a shelf. The position is based in Nairobi with regional travel and virtual engagement across Africa, reports to the Programs Director, and may carry supervision of officers, interns, consultants or service providers as assigned.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the MEL architecture: refine and maintain the MEL plan, results framework, indicator reference sheets, learning agenda, data-flow maps and reporting calendar alongside programme teams and the Foundation, aligning indicators, disaggregation and evidence requirements with IAP outcomes, donor obligations and the decisions management actually needs to make.
• Build fit-for-purpose measurement tools: develop quantitative and qualitative instruments covering training, employment, policy influence, working groups, convenings, narrative change, assistive technology innovation and institutional adoption, supported by clear responsibilities, standard operating procedures, version control and evidence standards for collection, review, storage and reporting.
• Commission and quality-assure studies: coordinate baseline, midline, annual and endline assessments, outcome reviews and other programme studies — including terms of reference, sampling, tools, quality assurance and management response — and secure all required research permits and ethics approvals (NACOSTI licensing, accredited ethics committee review, and county or national authorisations elsewhere) before any data collection begins.
• Monitor performance and track participants: watch progress against targets and milestones, diagnose variance and help workstream leads define corrective action; follow participants from first outreach through certification, internship, employment, advocacy and leadership pathways; and apply mixed methods to examine skills, agency, voice, gender barriers, employment trajectories, institutional practice and policy contribution.
• Run the data systems, quality and protection agenda: configure and administer approved information systems, dashboards and secure evidence repositories such as ActivityInfo or an equivalent platform where authorised; run routine data-quality assessments across validity, reliability, completeness, timeliness, integrity and precision; ensure appropriate disaggregation by sex, age, disability and geography; and apply informed consent, access control, retention, anonymisation and secure-transfer practices. This includes serving as inABLE's designated Data Protection Officer / focal point for programme, MEL and research data under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and its Regulations, and under applicable laws in other countries of operation — maintaining ODPC registration as a data controller/processor and keeping records of processing activities current.
• Turn data into products people can act on: analyse programme data and produce accurate dashboards, performance briefs, quarterly and annual results narratives, donor annexes and management presentations; triangulate monitoring data with participant feedback, stories, research and partner evidence while distinguishing outputs, outcomes, contribution and attribution; and surface underperformance, anomalies and emerging risks early with practical recommended actions. All visualisations and data products must be accessible, clearly labelled and decision-ready.
• Drive learning and adaptation: facilitate reflection sessions, pause-and-learn exercises and outcome harvesting with staff, partners and youth representatives; run an accessible feedback and complaints mechanism offering multiple channels suited to different disabilities and literacy levels (for example SMS, WhatsApp, voice, Kenya Sign Language, easy-read formats and in-person options); maintain a decision and adaptation log showing what changed, why, on what evidence and with what follow-up; pursue the learning agenda on youth advocacy, digital service use, institutional adoption and AT peer learning; and work with Policy and Communications colleagues to package validated evidence for policy products and external sharing.
• Strengthen partners and lead wherever assigned: assess and build partner capability in indicator interpretation, accessible data collection, data quality, safeguarding, consent and evidence documentation; provide coaching, templates, helpdesk support and feedback to programme staff, OPDs, training partners, consultants and evaluators; coordinate external evaluators and enumerators and verify deliverables before acceptance; and contribute to programme planning, budgeting, risk management and governance meetings while championing a learning culture over compliance-only reporting.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: a Master's degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Data Science or a closely related field. Professional training in results-based management, evaluation, research methods, data visualisation, project management or learning is desirable, and training in research ethics, safeguarding, data protection, disability-inclusive data collection or the Washington Group question sets is a distinct advantage.
• Experience: eight to ten years of progressively responsible MEL, research, evaluation or programme-quality work within complex development programmes, including demonstrated design and management of results frameworks, Theories of Change, baselines, targets, indicator protocols and mixed-method evaluations.
• Sector grounding: experience in youth skills, policy and advocacy, systems change, disability inclusion, employment, education or multi-country programming.
• Track record: a strong record of data-quality assurance, partner capacity strengthening, donor reporting, dashboard development and evidence use for adaptive management. Experience commissioning and managing consultants and evaluations, handling research ethics processes and safeguarding secure participant data is strongly preferred.
• Systems and analysis tools: hands-on experience administering ActivityInfo or a comparable management information system, plus solid capability analysing data with advanced spreadsheets, statistical software, business intelligence platforms or qualitative analysis tools.
• Technical knowledge: results-based management and Theory of Change; indicator design, sampling and mixed-method research; quantitative and qualitative analysis; data-quality assessment and audit-ready evidence management; data visualisation and dashboard design; information-system administration and data governance; contribution analysis, outcome harvesting and measurement of policy influence; accessible and disability-inclusive data collection; donor reporting, learning facilitation and evidence translation.
• How you work: analytical rigour and close attention to detail; curiosity and a willingness to challenge constructively; integrity and independence in how evidence is presented; pragmatism and a service orientation toward colleagues and partners; the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-specialists; a collaborative, coaching style; genuine commitment to participant dignity and data rights; and strong organisation, deadline discipline and calm problem solving under pressure.