MERL Specialist

This role was posted on September 5, 2025. Please note that we will review applications on a rolling basis.

The Role

At Last Mile Health, we dig data. Have you implemented innovative monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) plans to assess health system strengthening, community health workforce upskilling, and community-based primary care service delivery? If so, you may be our next MERL Specialist located in Ghana.

As part of LMH’s Global Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (GMERL) team, the MERL Specialist will be responsible for helping the team focus on the Learning aspect of MERL, while supporting the design and implementation of a robust program of global monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities across all country programs.  The MERL Specialist will support the GMERL team and country MERL teams to implement our newly developed Learning Agenda, build a culture of learning and improvement through such activities as strengthening the development of knowledge products for internal and external use, managing the MERL content of an internal knowledge management repository, and identify areas for broader dissemination of learnings.  The MERL Specialist will also help support the use of other MERL tools and practices across the organization, but will focus on learning-related activities and team support.

The MERL Specialist will work closely with the Managing Director of GMERL and the Research and Learning Consultant, as well as other key stakeholders, to focus on learning priorities and initiatives, help build a data-driven organizational culture, and help coordinate the Learning Agenda and its related resources and activities.  They will also work with the Health Systems Strengthening team to foster best practices and facilitate shared learning across teams, programs, and countries at Last Mile Health.  The MERL Specialist will support, document, and track evidence and findings from various contributors and help coordinate their use, upkeep, and progress, informing country team programs, executive leadership, and external stakeholders including but not limited to LMH funders and Ministries of Health.

This position is only open to candidates who are currently located and authorized to work in Ghana. This role is hybrid and located in Accra, Ghana.

What You'll Do

Internal Learning 

• Work with the Research and Learning Consultant and other technical leadership to track progress for and provide updates on the organization-wide Learning Agenda 
• Support the ongoing documentation of existing (and/or known) evidence for Learning Agenda questions, and topics of relevance to LMH’s body of work and identify
• Maintain and keep updated the Slite wiki-platform/library to manage the evidence base, standard MERL resources, and other key LMH technical resources, tracking its use, and helping staff understand its value (in coordination with HSS)
• Manage the prioritization, updating, and communication efforts around the Learning Agenda
• Develop learning documents, data reviews, project briefs, and others to help consolidate learning from projects and programs
• Support teams in execution of measurement approaches with a view to maintaining rigor and timeliness of learning outputs.
• Using centralized trackers, coordinate proposed journal publications and conference presentation abstracts and IRB submissions across LMH and support prioritization of efforts in alignment with Learning Agenda
• Work with the Director of MERL Technical Support and country MERL teams to ensure MERL plans are fit-for-purpose and inclusive of measurement at all levels.

Organizational Learning Initiatives

• Collaborate with other global teams like HSS and Program Strategy and Performance (PSP) to identify key cross-program, cross-country learning opportunities for sharing, documentation and follow-up actions
• Share findings with program teams and collaborate to refine strategies, strengthen programs, and improve activities.
• Develop organizational strategies for improving programmatic data use and learning and building a learning culture for LMH and its partners, working with and across countries and global teams
• Build capacity for data use, learning strategies and research skills among MERL and non-MERL staff
• Support other MERL activities as requested by Managing Director

MERL Team Support

• Support the Managing Director in MERL team strategy and planning, including the development of standard tools, templates, and resources to ensure minimum quality of MERL at LMH 
• Support professional development in and building MERL capacity across the organization, and helping shape the MERL Community of Practice
• Help support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across GMERL and LMH.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master's degree in public health, monitoring and evaluation, epidemiology, health policy, or other related field preferred
• Progressive years of experience with MERL in public health and/or international development sectors at a similar job level
• Experience with program and organizational learning initiatives and strategies
• Relevant years of experience in measurement of health system strengthening, policy, health financing, and/or advocacy initiatives. 
• Experience with research and evaluation design and implementation, including quantitative and qualitative methods
• Demonstrated experience with stakeholder engagement and ability to collaborate with and provide technical support to internal teams and external partners, government counterparts.
• Ability to visualize and present data in user-friendly and varied ways (e.g., dashboards, analytics, infographics)
• Experience with a range of software tools and platforms, such as statistical analysis, databases, data visualization, GIS, mobile data collection tools, etc.

You'll Impress Us If

• You have experience facilitating inclusive and culturally appropriate conversations with a range of stakeholders across geographies and cultural contexts.
• You have progressive experience in a remote setting and willingness to travel to various program sites as needed
• You have demonstrated commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Compensation Information

At Last Mile Health, we strive to reward our employees equitably and transparently. This means that we pay our employees based on a clear and consistent methodology and without regard to their identity or personal relationships. We have made this model fully transparent so that everyone has access to all information related to compensation. We hope this helps you better understand Last Mile Health’s values and commitments to our employees. We look forward to answering any questions you may have during the hiring process.

Before applying to this role, please take a moment to learn more about our approach to compensation and how compensation works in each of the countries where we operate. Please find the link to our compensation model and benefits overview below:

OVERVIEW OF LAST MILE HEALTH’S COMPENSATION MODEL

Compensation for this position:

The Band for this position: GHA-3

For Ghana, the range is $27,206- $42,046 USD depending upon experience doing an equivalent role.

About Last Mile Health

Last Mile Health partners with governments to design, scale, strengthen, and sustain high-quality community health systems, which empower teams of community and frontline health workers to bring life-saving primary healthcare to the world’s most remote communities. LMH is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.lastmilehealth.org.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at LMH. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.