Job overview
The Monitoring, Evaluation & Research (MER) Officer will provide technical support in monitoring, evaluation, and research activities for the Integrated Maternal and Child Health program in Kitui and Kwale counties. The program focuses on safe motherhood, newborn and child health, NCDs, WASH, and Livelihoods.
The MER Officer will be based in Kitui and will play a central role in generating evidence, ensuring quality data management, tracking program progress, and documenting lessons learned to inform decision-making, program improvement, and resource mobilization.
Responsibilities
- Research:
- Serve as the technical lead for operational research related to the program.
- Develop research protocols, tools, and work plans to address program objectives.
- Ensure compliance with research ethics and secure necessary approvals from institutional and national research bodies.
- Conduct and/or supervise data analysis, prepare manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations to disseminate findings at conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.
- Provide technical insights into improving service delivery strategies, including safe motherhood interventions, child health services, NCD management at primary care, livelihoods and WASH integration.
- Monitoring & Evaluation:
- Design, implement, and maintain M&E systems, frameworks, and tools aligned with program objectives and donor requirements.
- Lead development and harmonization of indicators with the Ministry of Health and global CMMB systems.
- Oversee data collection, management, verification, and reporting across program sites in Kitui and Kwale.
- Build the capacity of program teams, CHPs, and facility staff in data management, analysis, and use for decision-making.
- Ensure timely preparation and submission of high-quality progress reports (monthly, quarterly, annual) to management and donors.
- Coordinate baseline, mid-term, and end-line evaluations, as well as special studies.
- Learning & Documentation:
- Coordinate learning activities, including after-action reviews, learning workshops, and documentation of best practices.
- Develop policy briefs, case studies, and success stories to showcase program impact.
- Support proposal development with M&E frameworks, log frames, and evidence generation.
- General:
- Collaborate with Program Officers, CHPs, and county health teams to strengthen data use for planning and performance management.
- Represent CMMB in relevant county, national, and international M&E and research forums.
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the Program Manager or Country Office.
Qualifications and Experience
- University degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Public Health, Research Methods, Biostatistics, Social Sciences, or related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in M&E and operational research.
- Demonstrated expertise in research design, protocol development, ethical compliance, and dissemination.
- Strong data management and analysis skills using statistical software.
- Proven ICT skills, including working with DHIS2, ODK/KOBO, and other digital health/M&E platforms.
- Experience with donor-funded project reporting.