Senior Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist at Ifakara Health Institute , Pwani April 2026

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive MEL framework for the program, including an MEL plan.
• Establish and monitor defined MEL indicators; ensure data is regularly reviewed and used throughout program implementation, and provide findings to the senior management team to inform Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) approaches.
• Define MEL functional responsibilities within the program team and data management responsibilities at district health offices to improve reporting and data use.
• Serve as the focal person for MEL and work closely with technical, knowledge management, and translation teams to ensure consistent data use and high-quality reporting.
• Lead baseline, routine monitoring, and endline assessments as required.
• Define, refine, and track core program indicators, including survival, quality of care, service readiness, workforce performance, and systems outcomes.
• Ensure indicators are aligned with the national HMIS (GOT-HOMIS/Afya e-HMIS/DHIS2) and program reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with MoH and PMO-RALG ICT teams, the MoH MEL team, and other implementing partners to ensure integration of newborn inpatient data (NID) and maternal inpatient data (MID) into government systems rather than parallel reporting structures.
• Maintain systems to routinely collect and analyse information on inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts to assess the effectiveness of interventions.
• Support MoH, PMO-RALG, and implementing partners in identifying, monitoring, and reporting high- quality data to ensure timely submissions.
• Strengthen data quality assurance (DQA) processes, including audits, supportive supervision, and feedback loops.
• Facilitate monthly data-to-action sessions with clinical staff, CHMTs, and MoH officials to adapt interventions based on evidence.
• Work with the PMO-RALG ICT team to enhance the functionality and usability of data systems and develop dashboards for situation room meetings.
• Build RHMT/CHMT members capacity through training on dashboard design and development using national HMIS (GOT-HOMIS/Afya e-HMIS/DHIS2) platforms, thereby enhancing data use.
• Collaborate with other implementing partners to identify and develop data use cases from the implementation of quality improvement change ideas.
• Lead the design and production of high-quality data analyses and dynamic visualisations that drive informed programmatic decision-making, foster learning, and enable adaptation.
• Serve as part of the senior program management team, supporting the program’s strategic vision, ensuring collaboration across functional areas, and supporting effective implementation of activities.
• Review and synthesise data with the technical team to inform strategic information in reports and all technical deliverables.

Preferred Skills

• In-depth knowledge of Tanzania’s Health Management Information Systems (GOT-HOMIS, Afya e-HMIS, DHIS2)
• Demonstrated applied skills in MEL methods and the use of data for health systems or service delivery strengthening/technical assistance projects/programs, ideally in maternal and newborn health.
• Demonstrated leadership experience working with other technical experts in MEL and research, including with multiple partners or in a consortium.
• Proven ability to convey MEL results to non-technical stakeholders and generate interest in using MEL data/results for program improvements.
• Strong managerial and supervisory experience.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Deep understanding of data quality, data use, and learning systems.
• Ability to conceptualise visual elements based on program needs.

Essenital Qualification

• Master’s degree in public health, international development, statistics, epidemiology, population sciences, or a related field.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 5–10 years in a senior M&E role in global health programs. Experience working in Maternal and newborn health programs is preferable.
• Biostatistics/Medical statistics with a strong quantitative background.
• Experience in R/Python/Stata.
• Experience in Dashboard development (e.g., using a Shiny app).

Preferred Language

• Excellent communication (Swahili & English), facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.