Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer

The posting

ABOUT VILLAGEREACH

VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive. We develop solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care. This includes making sure products are available when and where they are needed and primary health care services are delivered to the most under-reached. Radical collaboration with governments, the private sector and other partners strengthen our ability to scale and sustain these solutions. Our work increases access to quality health care for more than 46 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. VillageReach in incorporated in Washington State and has offices in Seattle (USA), Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Cote d’ Ivoire, Kenya and Mozambique.

Summary

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer will support the day-to-day implementation of a new large immunization program's monitoring, evaluation and learning system in Lomami Province. The Officer will ensure that programme and vaccination data are collected on time, checked for quality, reconciled across sources, analyzed and transformed into information that programme and government teams can use to improve implementation. The position will have a strong field orientation, with particular responsibility for monitoring vaccination sessions, zero-dose and under-immunized children, data quality, supervision findings and implementation of corrective actions. The position will work closely with the Senior MEL Officer and global Research, Evidence and Learning Director .

This position reports to the Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation (in DRC).

Role Description:

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

Routine Data Collection and Management

· Collect, consolidate and maintain programme monitoring data from supported Health Zones and Health Areas.

· Maintain project databases, indicator trackers, activity trackers and reporting tools.

· Compile data from DHIS2/Gestion PEV, digital session reporting forms, GTS outputs, training logs, supervision checklists, supply-chain monitoring tools and community records.

· Ensure datasets are complete, properly documented and available according to the reporting calendar.

Vaccination Performance Monitoring

· Produce monthly analyses of agreed tracer antigens and vaccination performance.

· Track zero-dose and under-immunized children identified, referred, reached and followed up.

· Monitor DTP1–DTP3 and DTP3–MR1 dropout and other agreed indicators.

· Flag Health Zones or Health Areas showing declining coverage, high dropout or persistent numbers of missed children.

Planned-versus-Completed Session Tracking

· Maintain the tracker of planned and completed fixed, outreach and mobile vaccination sessions.

· Identify cancelled, postponed or missed sessions and document reasons.

· Support reconciliation between reported sessions, GTS information, microplans and facility records.

· Track whether corrective or catch-up sessions subsequently take place.

Field Verification and Data Quality

· Conduct routine data-verification visits to Health Zones, Health Areas and vaccination sites.

· Verify reported data against registers, tally sheets, vaccination cards, microplans and other source documents.

· Conduct completeness, timeliness and consistency checks and document identified discrepancies.

· Support implementation and follow-up of data-quality improvement plans.

GTS and Geospatial Monitoring

· Work with GRID3 outputs to support verification of whether vaccination teams reached planned locations.

· Flag route deviations, missed communities and inconsistencies between GPS/GTS information and reported implementation.

· Support field validation of settlement lists, Health Area boundaries and outreach locations when required.

Supply-Chain and Service-Readiness Monitoring

· Compile relevant monitoring information on vaccine availability, stockouts, wastage, cold-chain issues and supplies required for vaccination sessions.

· Document operational barriers preventing sessions from being completed as planned.

· Escalate recurring supply, logistics or cold-chain problems to programme and MEL leadership.

Community and Qualitative Monitoring

· Support caregiver feedback surveys, interviews and focus-group discussions.

· Support monitoring of RECO/community mobilization, household follow-up and referral of missed children.

· Document community perceptions, access barriers, reasons for non-vaccination and unintended programme effects.

· Assist with transcription, coding, synthesis and interpretation of qualitative findings.

Analysis, Dashboards and Reporting

· Prepare weekly and monthly monitoring summaries and dashboards.

· Produce Health Zone performance tables and visualizations for review meetings.

· Contribute verified data and narrative analysis to quarterly donor reports and programme reviews.

· Maintain an auditable evidence file supporting reported results.

Monitoring for Action

· Participate in monthly Health Zone and quarterly provincial review meetings.

· Prepare data required for root-cause analysis.

· Maintain corrective-action trackers showing issue, agreed action, responsible person, deadline and status.

· Follow up with responsible teams and report unresolved actions to the Senior MEL Specialist.

Capacity Strengthening

· Provide hands-on coaching to Health Zone and facility teams on data recording, reporting, verification, interpretation and use.

· Support government teams to move from simply reporting indicators to using data to identify problems and take corrective action.

VillageReach has ten (10) Organizational Competencies that describe how we work together and get things done that are grouped into three strategic areas of Achieving Great Results, Setting Direction and, Bringing Others With you. For a full description, please download our Organizational Competency document.

Achieving Great Results:

1. Risk Taking and Innovation

o Key Behaviors: Comfort with ambiguity, curiosity, adaptability, unconstrained and undeterred creativity, resourcefulness.

2. Business Judgement

o Key Behaviors: Getting to root causes, understanding environment, navigating complexity and ambiguity, entrepreneurial energy.

3. Building Strong Teams

o Key Behaviors: Trust in Subject Matter Experts (SME’s); radical candor to resolve conflict, hold each other accountable as colleagues, focused on results, commitment to mission.

Setting Direction:

4. Compelling Communication

o Key Behaviors: Clear and evidence-based communication, audience adaptability, curious listener.

5. Resilient Self Leadership

o Key Behaviors: Self-aware, plan how one shows up, emotionally intelligent, use one’s own agency and takes accountability.

6. Stewardship and Personal Alignment

o Key Behaviors: Take ownership, display ethical conduct, effective at resource management, alignment of personal objectives with organizational goals and mission, focus on continuous improvement and sustainability.

Bringing Others with You:

7. Influencing Leadership

o Key Behaviors: Cultivate trust, influences to make change, navigate the matrix structure.

8. Radical Partnership

o Key Behaviors: Share information and credit, address conflict, increase impact through collaboration, political and contextual awareness.

9. Cultivates a Growth Mindset

o Key Behaviors: Seek out diverse input, demonstrate flexibility in thinking and curiosity, embrace challenges, demonstrate persistence, seek learning opportunities.

10. Cultural Intelligence and Inclusion

o Key Behaviors: Continuous learning and ally-ship across cultural lines, challenge prejudice and bias, modeled in one’s own behavior.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, monitoring and evaluation, health information systems, social sciences or a related discipline.
• At least three to five years of relevant experience in monitoring and evaluation, preferably in immunization, primary healthcare, community health or health-system strengthening.
• Practical experience with routine health data, DHIS2 or comparable health information systems.
• Experience in field data verification, data-quality checks and preparation of routine monitoring reports.
• Experience with digital data-collection tools, Excel and data visualization; exposure to Power BI is an advantage.
• Familiarity with vaccination registers, routine immunization indicators, zero-dose monitoring or EPI systems is an advantage.
• Experience supporting qualitative data collection, community monitoring or supervision activities is desirable.
• Strong written and spoken French; working knowledge of English is an advantage.

Qualifications:

• Established cultural competency in collaborating with racial, cultural and linguistically diverse groups.
• Demonstrated understanding of challenges with working in rural, underserved and low-income context
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel), Atlas.Ti and comfortable in a fast-paced technical environment.
• Comfortable delegating tasks and directing the work of others.
• Demonstrated good judgment and comfort in making independent decisions, while also understanding limitations and knowing when to ask for additional support.
• Skill and experience in strategic thinking, planning, and executing projects from vision through implementation.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data quality.
• Ability to organize, clean, analyze and present routine programme data.
• Field-oriented problem-solving and follow-through.
• Ability to work constructively with government health teams, community actors and technical partners.
• Good communication, documentation and teamwork skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and maintain reliable monitoring records.

Environment and Physical Demands

VillageReach has no private offices, employees work in a shared, open environment with task and conference rooms accessible to employees for privacy and meetings. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Due to the time zone differences between our Seattle office and our Country Offices and location of other global staff, US based staff are expected to be available for early morning meetings starting at 6am. In addition, our global HQ and Country office staff are expected to be available for late afternoon/evening meetings up to 6pm.

The position is field-oriented and requires regular travel to supported Health Zones, Health Areas and vaccination sites in Lomami Province, including hard-to-reach settings. The postholder is expected to comply with VillageReach safety, safeguarding, data-protection and professional conduct requirements.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:

VillageReach is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity. We believe that diverse, equitably weighted perspectives foster an organizational capacity to create novel solutions that improve health in the most underserved and hard-to-reach areas. To align our values, innovations and impact, VillageReach is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse global workforce.

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

This is an immediate hire and therefore resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 30th October 2026. To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter [plus any other desired materials] to our online portal: http://www.villagereach.org/join-us/. In your cover letter, please address (1) Why you are interested in this position, (2) What is one reason you think you’d be a good fit for this position and, (3) what is one strength you would bring to this position?

Hiring Process:

The hiring process will include the following steps:

1. Review submitted applications

2. Conduct 20-30 minute screening interviews for shortlisted candidates

3. Conduct skills and value-based interviews for 3-5 candidates.

4. Request that top candidates submit a practical assessment (designed to take no more than two hours to complete). Sometimes the assignment will occur before the interview.

5. Conduct final interview if necessary

6. Request references

7. Make offer

8. Conduct background check

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, but candidates who proceed to step 2 will be notified if they are not chosen for step 3.

Safeguarding:

VillageReach is committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults, and beneficiaries with whom it engages. We expect everyone working with us to share this commitment through our code of conduct.All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which may include criminal records. VillageReach participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, in line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Benefits

Compensation:

VillageReach has an established compensation structure that is based on the relevant market and internally transparent. We hire people into the established range based on one’s experience and education and considering internal equity. We do not inquire about salary history.