Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) Advisor

Jhpiego; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Jhpiego is seeking a MERL Advisor to lead Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning across international programs with a strong focus on cancers such as breast, cervical, and lung cancer. The role emphasizes implementation research, data use, and capacity building in diverse settings.

The successful candidate will represent Jhpiego externally, develop research products, and support partnerships to advance program learning and strategic growth while traveling as needed.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Public Health or related field.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible technical MERL experience across multiple countries.
• Experience with implementation research in NCDs and cancers using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Responsibilities

• Provides quality technical assistance in design, implementation, and dissemination of implementation research and learning initiatives.
• Designs or adapts technical approaches based on team capacity, data analysis, stakeholder needs and context.
• Leads discussions with internal and external stakeholders to ensure MERL activities meet priorities.
• Leads development of MERL products and supports integration of research into country programs.
• Designs and delivers technical trainings to build capacity in project settings.

Skills

MERL expertise

Implementation research

Data analysis

Leadership

Education

Advanced degree in Public Health

Job description

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) Advisor

Job Details

• Job ID: 2026-8129
• Location: Africa
• Category: International Positions
• Employment Status: Full-Time

Overview

The MERL Advisor will provide technical expertise in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) including a focus on implementation research to ensure delivery of high-quality technical approaches that reflect current best practices, with a focus on cancers including breast, cervical, and lung cancers. They will ensure technical approaches are aligned with and responsive to organizational, client and donor MERL and research needs and requirements.

The MERL Advisor will work with teams to define and determine the requirements for work, establishing actionable plans that support the conduct of implementation research and learning within programs.

The MERL Advisor will represent Jhpiego externally and establish strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance organizational objectives. They will foster new relationships internally and support the development of new external partnerships to achieve objectives. The MERL Advisor will build capacity, support knowledge sharing, and business development and will support the development and implementation of implementation research, selected work‑plan activities and contribute to program learning.

This position is open to candidates based in any Jhpiego country office, with East or Southeast Africa as the preferred locations.

Responsibilities

Technical Assistance & Quality Programming (75%)

• Provides quality technical assistance in design, implementation, and dissemination of implementation research and learning initiatives.
• Drawing on experience and technical knowledge, designs or adapts technical approaches based on team capacities, analysis of program data, stakeholder needs and changes in context or environment. For implementation research this includes protocol design, implementation planning, data analysis, reporting and dissemination, and data compliance. For programmatic learning this includes MEL plan development, systems design, staffing/coaching support, data review and use, data quality assurance, reporting support, and data compliance.
• Ensures quality assurance for research and learning by contributing to internal capacity development, protocol/publication review, and compliance processes.
• Leads discussions with internal and external stakeholders to ensure MERL and implementation research programming and technical approaches are responsive to needs and priorities.
• Leads the development of research‑related products and materials and supports the integration and implementation of research and learning activities into country programs.
• Leads the design and implementation of technical trainings within project settings and conducts activities to build capacity.

Knowledge Management & Learning (10%)

• Identifies important learning and opportunities to share technical knowledge across the organization.
• Contributes to development of technical updates to ensure the most up to date knowledge, best practices and learning are widely shared and taken up and implemented into programs.

Global Technical Strategy Development and Implementation (5%)

• Contributes to the development of Jhpiego’s global technical strategies for MERL and identifies opportunities to apply, integrate or test new approaches in project settings.
• Supports implementation of priorities identified in global technical strategy and workplan.

Strategic Growth and Partnership (SGP) (5%)

• Serves as a member of design team activities including supporting new opportunities by writing and reviewing MERL/implementation research sections of proposals prioritizing cancers proposals including drafting M&E sections, performance monitoring plans, data management plans and evaluations for bids with the SGP team.
• Provides technical input into new business development opportunities.
• Develop strong working relationships with partners and with proposal team to design technically sound and responsive programming.

Organizational Representation (5%)

• Supports Jhpiego’s reputation in technical area by participating in external advisory or working groups, representing Jhpiego in key global and regional technical meetings and committees, and participating in international conferences and meetings.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in public health (international health, epidemiology, biostatistics, population), statistics, research, economics, behavioural science, or related field.
• 7 years of progressively responsible technical experience including managing implementation research and MERL for programs in multiple countries where they are based and/or remotely.
• Experience with implementation research ideally including within non‑communicable diseases (NCDs) programs, and/or cancers, and with using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working or living in a low‑or middle‑income country.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong technical and programmatic background in MERL, especially technical support and in NCDs, ideally cancers.
• Implementation research study design and analysis, including development and use of theoretical frameworks.
• Quantitative data analysis, ideally including multilevel modelling, time‑series analysis, or econometrics and/or comparable qualitative data analysis expertise.
• Strong knowledge of performance monitoring and data use for performance improvement.
• Experience in developing MERL systems for projects and country programs, ideally including those supporting NCDs.
• Knowledge of health information systems.
• Designing and conducting program evaluations.
• Proven leadership skills and expertise in strategic program planning, implementation, and management.
• Proven technical experience in the design, implementation, or measurement of technical interventions in NCDs, preferably including cancers.
• Proven experience in leading highly skilled and qualified technical personnel.
• Proven collaborator with ability to see and create connections across vertical health areas, as well as across functional areas.
• Understanding of donor systems, expectations, and processes, e.g. Unitaid, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Proven ability and excellent experience developing productive working relationships with counterparts in other agencies and organizations worldwide.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross‑cultural skills including the ability to communicate technical content verbally, in writing and through dynamic presentations.
• Team player who is comfortable working in a dynamic and evolving environment.
• Proficient oral and written English language skills; Multi language fluency required.

Physical Demands

• Ability to travel up to 25% time.

Total compensation will be based on the country of hire and Jhpiego’s local compensation plan.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre‑employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Aff…

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Aff…

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