Head of Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (DMEAL) at The Maa Trust in Nairobi, Kenya

    The Maa Trust logo

    Head of Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (DMEAL)

    The Maa TrustNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    6 days ago

    Apply by

    27 Aug

    Full Time
    On Site
    Senior
    Charity, NGO & Non-Profit
    Data, Analytics & AI

    Build your CV in minutes! Tailored for the Kenyan job market.

    Build My CV

    Job Description

    The Head of DMEAL leads The Maa Trust's Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning function, ensuring that programme delivery is driven by robust evidence, high-quality data, and effective monitoring systems. The role provides strategic and technical leadership to the DMEAL function, working closely with and providing direction to the existing DMEAL Officer and DMEAL Assistant, while collaborating with programme, finance, communications, and leadership teams to strengthen organisational DMEAL systems, support evidence-based programme design, ensure accountability to communities and donors, and promote the effective use of evidence for programme quality, organisational learning, and strategic planning. The position also supports programme teams to develop high quality Programme Design Documents (PDDs) and Project Initiation Documents (PIDs), ensuring that new initiatives are evidence-based, measurable, and aligned with organisational priorities. The position also provides strategic leadership for organisational performance, impact measurement, and continuous improvement, embedding a culture of accountability and learning across the organisation. The position will also liaise closely with the IT department to ensure the data architecture is adequate to continuously integrate new data.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Lead the DMEAL function, providing strategic and technical leadership to the DMEAL Officer and DMEAL Assistant.
    • Collaborate with programme, finance, communications, and leadership teams to strengthen organisational DMEAL systems.
    • Support evidence-based programme design and ensure accountability to communities and donors.
    • Promote the effective use of evidence for programme quality, organisational learning, and strategic planning.
    • Support programme teams to develop high quality Programme Design Documents (PDDs) and Project Initiation Documents (PIDs).
    • Provide strategic leadership for organisational performance, impact measurement, and continuous improvement.
    • Liaise closely with the IT department to ensure the data architecture is adequate to continuously integrate new data.

    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant discipline such as Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Data Science, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics or related field.
    • Minimum of five years' progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning in NGO, development, humanitarian, conservation or related sectors.
    • Strong experience in designing and management of M&E systems, frameworks and indicators.
    • Proven experience using data for decision-making and organisational learning.
    • Excellent report writing, documentation and communication skills.
    • Proficient in data analytics in M&E or data analytics is an added advantage.
    • Experience working in conservation or community development contexts.
    • Experience working with donor reporting systems and grant management.
    • Master's degree in a relevant discipline.
    • Experience with GIS and spatial data analysis.
    • Experience using AI-enabled tools to support data analysis, reporting, data visualisation and workflow efficiency.
    • Understanding of donor compliance requirements, grant management and institutional reporting frameworks.
    • Experience integrating IT and digital tools in M&E systems.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Data, Analytics & AI

    Minimum Experience

    5 years

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Social Sciences

    Field of Study

    Monitoring and Evaluation

    Languages

    English

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Send your application to recruitment@themaatrust.org by 27th August 2026 at 5:00 PM EAT.

    Show Evidence of Impact in Your Application

    For a DMEAL leadership role, hiring managers want to see that you can turn data into decisions and build systems that hold programmes accountable. Your CV and cover letter should demonstrate concrete examples of how you've designed M&E frameworks, used data to improve programmes, and reported to donors.

    1. Quantify your M&E achievements: Instead of just listing responsibilities, include numbers—like the number of indicators you managed, the size of the data sets you handled, or the percentage improvement in data quality you achieved. For example, 'Led M&E for a 5-year conservation project with 50+ indicators, improving data accuracy by 30%.'

    2. Show your technical toolkit: Mention specific tools you're proficient in, such as SPSS, STATA, Power BI, or GIS software. If you've used AI tools for data analysis, highlight that—it's a plus in this posting.

    3. Demonstrate donor reporting experience: Talk about your experience with donor reporting systems, like USAID or DFID, and how you ensured compliance. Give an example of a complex report you produced that met donor requirements.

    4. Highlight your leadership in DMEAL: As a Head role, you need to show you can lead a team. Describe how you've supervised or mentored M&E staff and fostered a culture of learning.

    5. Connect data to programme decisions: Provide a specific instance where your data analysis led to a change in programme strategy or improved outcomes. This shows you're not just collecting data but using it.

    6. Prepare for technical questions: Expect questions on how you design M&E frameworks, handle data quality issues, or use GIS for spatial analysis. Brush up on these topics and be ready to discuss real examples.

    7. Show your understanding of the sector: Since the role is in conservation and community development, demonstrate your knowledge of these contexts. Mention any relevant experience or how you've adapted M&E approaches to such settings.

    8. Tailor your CV to the job description: Mirror the language of the posting—use terms like 'programme design', 'accountability', and 'organisational learning'. This shows you've read the job carefully and are a good fit.

    CareerSasa Safety Alert: Never pay employers or agencies for interviews, training, or job placement. Does a job request payment? Report it immediately using the "Flag" button. While CareerSasa vets job postings thoroughly, always verify opportunities independently.
    Share this job:

    Boost Your Application Success

    1. 1

      Expert CV help that gets you noticed. Build Your CV

    2. 2

      A personalized cover letter for this role. Write Cover Letter

    3. 3

      Attract recruiters with a stronger profile. Boost LinkedIn

    Tags

    M&E
    data analytics
    GIS
    AI tools
    donor reporting