The Role

At Last Mile Health (LMH), we dig evidence and data. Do you have experience leading innovative monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) for community health programs? If so, you may be our next Senior Coordinator, MERL for Malawi.

Last Mile Health began partnering with Malawi’s Ministry of Health in 2020. Together, we are working to build an integrated community health system and equipping community health workers (CHWs) with skills and tools to deliver effective, integrated, and quality MCH services to remote and rural communities, ensuring quality patient-centered and dignified care. Our strategy ensures that women and children in Malawi have the agency and opportunity to make informed choices about their health and access high-quality, sustainable maternal and neonatal care.

The Senior Coordinator, MERL is a critical member of the Malawi MERL team, reporting directly to the MERL Specialist. The Specialist will work to strengthen Last Mile Health’s internal capacity for evidence generation, research, and learning beyond the scope of any single project. The Senior Coordinator, MERL will support monitoring and evaluation of Malawi team projects, contributing to the development and implementation of research protocols, data collection systems, and evidence dissemination processes in close collaboration with the Malawi Programs team. The position will also contribute to broader evidence generation efforts that inform LMH’s strategic priorities in Malawi and globally.

The Malawi MERL team and the Senior Coordinator, MERL also collaborate with LMH’s Global MERL team to apply organizational standards, address research and learning agendas, and participate in a shared Community of Practice of MERL practitioners across the organization.

This position is a 24-month Fixed-term role with the potential of renewal. This position is only open to candidates who are currently located and authorized to work in Malawi. This role is onsite and located in Lilongwe, Malawi.

What You’ll Do

Support the MERL Specialist and team

• Conduct data analysis of routine MERL and survey-based data collection initiatives.
• Help develop and implement research protocols and MERL plans for Malawi programs and projects, inclusive of learning or evaluation questions, methods, indicators, targets (as applicable), and analytics.
• Contribute to the design of evaluation studies, including household surveys, and oversee their implementation
• Adapt or develop data collection tools (e.g., surveys, key informant interview guides, focus group guides) and facilitate the implementation of those tools, including troubleshooting of data collection challenges and analysis of data.
• Share findings with program teams through regularly scheduled data reviews and collaborate to use findings to refine strategies, strengthen programs, and improve activities.
• Collaborate on or contribute inputs for costing studies (e.g., cost effectiveness, cost benefit) and workforce resource mapping.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of MERL data management systems and databases.
• Document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data collection, entry, cleaning, analysis and management.
• Create data visualizations and dashboards that communicate findings clearly to program teams, executive leadership, donors, and Ministries of Health
• Support other MERL activities as requested by MERL Specialist

Collaborate with Malawi and Global team as appropriate

• Participate in Malawi country team and MERL team meetings and events
• Meet quarterly with other Future Fit funding projects for shared learning
• Engage program teams regularly to ensure MERL plans remain fit-for-purpose and responsive to evolving programmatic needs.
• Engage with external research and MERL partners as relevant, including academic institutions, government counterparts, and peer NGOs.
• Engage with Global MERL team in MERL planning and practice and MERL Community of Practice activities

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Epidemiology, Health Policy, or a related field required. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in public health and/or international development, with progressively responsible experience leading MERL activities for community health programs.
• Strong experience applying both quantitative and qualitative MERL methodologies and analytical tools, with an understanding of how to integrate equity principles into MERL activities.
• Proven experience collaborating with Ministries of Health, preferably with direct experience working with the Ministry of Health in Malawi.
• Experience producing high-quality MERL outputs, including reports, publications, white papers, toolkits, factsheets, and data visualizations, while fostering a culture of learning and data use.
• Proficiency in designing ODK or KoboToolbox data collection tools and using data analysis software such as Excel, Stata, SPSS, R, or QGIS.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and work with DHIS2 platforms, including data extraction and analysis.
• Experience developing and implementing logic models, MEL/MERL plans, and data quality assurance protocols.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to lead inclusive and culturally appropriate discussions across diverse geographies and contexts.
• Experience contributing to grant and proposal development, as well as donor reporting requirements.

You’ll Impress Us If You Have:

• Experience working in a remote or distributed environment, with a willingness to travel to program sites as needed.
• A track record of partnering with and coaching program or implementation teams to strengthen data use and evidence-based decision making.
• Experience coordinating and collaborating effectively with colleagues working across multiple countries and time zones.
• A demonstrated commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the ability to foster inclusive ways of working.

• Conduct data analysis of routine MERL and survey-based data collection initiatives.
• Help develop and implement research protocols and MERL plans for Malawi programs and projects, inclusive of learning or evaluation questions, methods, indicators, targets (as applicable), and analytics.
• Contribute to the design of evaluation studies, including household surveys, and oversee their implementation
• Adapt or develop data collection tools (e.g., surveys, key informant interview guides, focus group guides) and facilitate the implementation of those tools, including troubleshooting of data collection challenges and analysis of data.
• Share findings with program teams through regularly scheduled data reviews and collaborate to use findings to refine strategies, strengthen programs, and improve activities.
• Collaborate on or contribute inputs for costing studies (e.g., cost effectiveness, cost benefit) and workforce resource mapping.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of MERL data management systems and databases.
• Document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data collection, entry, cleaning, analysis and management.
• Create data visualizations and dashboards that communicate findings clearly to program teams, executive leadership, donors, and Ministries of Health
• Support other MERL activities as requested by MERL Specialist
• Participate in Malawi country team and MERL team meetings and events
• Meet quarterly with other Future Fit funding projects for shared learning
• Engage program teams regularly to ensure MERL plans remain fit-for-purpose and responsive to evolving programmatic needs.
• Engage with external research and MERL partners as relevant, including academic institutions, government counterparts, and peer NGOs.
• Engage with Global MERL team in MERL planning and practice and MERL Community of Practice activities

• Proficiency in designing ODK or KoboToolbox data collection tools
• Proficiency in using data analysis software such as Excel, Stata, SPSS, R, or QGIS.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and work with DHIS2 platforms, including data extraction and analysis.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Monitoring and Evaluation, Epidemiology, Health Policy, or a related field required. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in public health and/or international development, with progressively responsible experience leading MERL activities for community health programs.
• Strong experience applying both quantitative and qualitative MERL methodologies and analytical tools, with an understanding of how to integrate equity principles into MERL activities.
• Proven experience collaborating with Ministries of Health, preferably with direct experience working with the Ministry of Health in Malawi.
• Experience producing high-quality MERL outputs, including reports, publications, white papers, toolkits, factsheets, and data visualizations, while fostering a culture of learning and data use.
• Experience developing and implementing logic models, MEL/MERL plans, and data quality assurance protocols.
• Experience contributing to grant and proposal development, as well as donor reporting requirements.
• Experience working in a remote or distributed environment, with a willingness to travel to program sites as needed.
• A track record of partnering with and coaching program or implementation teams to strengthen data use and evidence-based decision making.
• Experience coordinating and collaborating effectively with colleagues working across multiple countries and time zones.
• A demonstrated commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the ability to foster inclusive ways of working.