How to Apply: Send your application to the email address provided on the job posting page or visit the application link to submit your CV and cover letter.
Prove You Can Turn a Theory of Change Into Field-Ready Indicators
MEL Manager roles in disability-inclusive development attract candidates who can talk about results frameworks but struggle to show they have actually built one. inABLE needs someone who can move from Theory of Change to indicator reference sheets, data-flow maps, and dashboards that programme teams actually use. Your application needs to prove you have done that work, not just studied it.
1. Lead your CV with MEL systems you built: Don't list "MEL experience" as a skill. Instead, describe the specific results framework you designed, the number of indicators you tracked, and how those indicators fed into donor reports or adaptive management decisions. For example, "Designed a 45-indicator results framework for a 3-country youth employment programme, including disability-disaggregated data protocols." Hiring managers for this role will scan for evidence that you have owned the full MEL cycle, not just contributed to it.
2. Show you understand disability-inclusive data collection: The posting explicitly mentions Washington Group questions and accessible data collection. If you have used these tools, say so with specifics. Describe how you trained enumerators on Washington Group short set, or how you adapted data collection tools for participants with different disabilities. If you haven't, study the Washington Group methodology before your interview and be ready to explain how you would apply it to training and employment tracking.
3. Name the platforms you have administered: ActivityInfo is mentioned by name, so if you have used it, put it prominently in your CV and describe what you configured, who used it, and how you ensured data quality. If you have used other MIS platforms like DHIS2, CommCare, or custom dashboards, describe the transferable skills. Be ready to talk about version control, user access levels, and how you trained programme staff to enter data correctly.
4. Prepare for questions on research ethics and NACOSTI: The role requires ensuring studies obtain NACOSTI licensing and ethics approvals. Interviewers will probe whether you have actually navigated this process. Prepare a concrete example of a study you managed from protocol development through ethics approval to data collection. Know the difference between NACOSTI and accredited ethics committee reviews, and be ready to explain how you would handle multi-country approvals.
5. Demonstrate data quality assurance in practice: Don't just say you have done data quality checks. Describe a specific instance where you found a data quality issue, how you identified it, and what corrective action you took. Mention the dimensions you assess: validity, reliability, completeness, timeliness, integrity, and precision. If you have conducted routine data quality assessments, explain how you structured them and what tools you used.
6. Show you can translate evidence for different audiences: This role produces dashboards, performance briefs, donor annexes, and management presentations. Bring a sample or describe one. Explain how you decided what to include for a donor versus what programme staff needed. Interviewers want to see that you can distinguish outputs from outcomes and contribution from attribution, and that you can write a narrative that is honest about underperformance while still being useful.
7. Prepare for questions on data protection and the ODPC: The role includes serving as Data Protection Officer. Even if you haven't held that title, you should understand the Kenya Data Protection Act 2019 and what it means for participant data. Be ready to discuss informed consent, data minimisation, retention, anonymisation, and secure transfer. If you have maintained records of processing activities or interacted with the ODPC, highlight that experience.
8. Show you can manage consultants and build partner capacity: The posting mentions managing consultants, evaluations, and partner capacity strengthening. Prepare examples of how you have written terms of reference, supervised external evaluators, and ensured quality. Also think about how you have trained partner staff on MEL tools and data collection. Interviewers will want to know you can work through others, not just do the analysis yourself.