MEL & Research Manager at Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH)

ARFH is one of the leading indigenous non-profit organisations in Nigeria committed improving the quality of life of underserved and vulnerable communities by promoting access to quality health care and harnessing community capacities for sustainable development. Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) is a national, non-governmental organization established in 1989 and registered in 1991. The organization has her headquarters in Ibadan and 3 other offices in Abuja, Kaduna and Katsina. Our mission is to initiate promote and implement in partnership with other organizations, developmental, HIV & AIDS, SRH and family planning program and interventions for young people and adult through capacity building, technical assistance, operations research, and evaluation to improve the quality of life in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. These programmes focus on mobilizing people for behavioural and attitudinal changes that promote best sexual and reproductive health practices in order to reduce diseases burden particularly STI, HIV & AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis which are currently devastating families and communities globally and Nigeria in particular.

The CODSAiN Project is a four-year initiative funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented by ARFH. Implemented in seven states (Gombe, Kano, Lagos, Nasarrawa, Niger, Plateau and Yobe), its primary objective is to expedite access to subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) through community-based self-injection (SI) strategies across seven high-priority states. By empowering women and adolescents with safe, discreet, and effective contraceptive options, the project seeks to enhance reproductive autonomy, decrease unmet need, and bolster Nigeria’s family planning ecosystem.

The Role

We are seeking a visionary MEL & Research Manager to lead the CODSAiN Project’s strategic information architecture. This role is central to generating robust evidence that informs program design, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement at the state level. You will champion the project’s “Learning” agenda, translating complex data into actionable insights that guide adaptive management and strengthen program performance.

Specific Responsibilities

Strategic Data, Demography & GIS Analysis

Conduct comprehensive demographic and epidemiological assessments to identify target populations, analyse fertility trends, and monitor contraceptive method mix and the adoption of Self-Injection (SI).
Lead Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping efforts to visualise service coverage, identify “cold spots” of unmet needs, and enhance the deployment of Community Oriented Resource Persons (CORPs).
Oversee the analysis of high-frequency service statistics and DHIS2 data to detect systematic disparities. Lead Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) and implement immediate improvement plans.
Provide technical leadership on the development of program surveys, baseline/endline studies, and operational research (including sampling frameworks, power calculations, and adherence to ethical standards).

Evidence Generation, Research & Translation

Analyse primary and secondary data (NDHS, MICS) using advanced statistical methods to identify the barriers and facilitators influencing the uptake of DMPA-SC.
Monitor and consolidate global evidence on self-injection and task-shifting to inform ARFH’s advocacy strategy.
Generate high-quality technical reports, research briefs, and policy memos that effectively translate complex statistical findings into clear and accessible narratives for donors and government stakeholders.

Program Learning, Management & Policy Support

Facilitate “Pause and Reflect” sessions with the project team to ensure that data insights effectively guide programmatic course corrections.
Collaborate with the Communications team to ensure precise visualisation of data is in dashboards, infographics, and stakeholder presentations.
Support the advocacy team by providing cost-efficiency and demographic data necessary to secure Family Planning budget lines within the State Annual Operational Plans (AOPs).
Supervise and guide the MEL team, ensuring optimal performance and continuous professional development.

Required Experience

Required.

Master’s degree in Demography, Statistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, or related field.
Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in MEL, demographic analysis, or population health research, preferably in SRHR/family planning programs.
Proficiency in statistical software (STATA or R) and data visualization tools (Excel, Tableau, Power BI).
Experience with GIS software (QGIS or ArcGIS) and mapping population coverage.
Familiarity with Nigerian national surveys (NDHS, MICS) and NHMIS/DHIS2 architecture.
Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills.

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred:

Experience with donor-funded projects.
Prior work in large-scale community health programs or policy-oriented research.

Core Competencies

Technical Competencies

Advanced quantitative and demographic analysis.
GIS and spatial analytics.
Research design and data quality assessment.
Data visualisation for decision-making

Behavioural Competencies

Critical thinking and problem-solving.
Attention to detail and data integrity.
Clear communication to diverse stakeholders.
Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
Adaptability to dynamic, fast-paced environments

Leadership Competencies

Evidence-to-action mindset to shape program decisions.
Strategic thinking linking analysis to program design and advocacy.
Capacity strengthening and mentorship of MEL staff.