Grassroot Soccer Zambia Seeks Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning Manager

Grassroot Soccer (GRS) is an adolescent health organisation that uses soccer to educate and inspire at-risk youth in developing countries. Since 2002, GRS has reached millions of young people with life-saving HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health information and services. The organisation is looking to scale its impact via partnerships over the next five years. To achieve this, GRS Zambia is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) Manager to lead its integrated MERL unit.

The MERL Manager will set the strategic direction for GRS Zambia's MERL activities, ensuring alignment with GRS's Global Theory of Change, Global MEL Strategy, and Global Research priorities. The ideal candidate is a confident, hands-on leader who is equally comfortable setting MERL strategy, managing a small team, troubleshooting technical issues, and contributing to study design or overseeing research fieldwork. The MERL Manager will supervise two MERL Coordinators and work closely with the Country Director, Global MEL team, and Zambia Programme Team.

The MERL Manager will be responsible for overseeing the rollout, routine use, and continuous improvement of GRS key performance indicators (KPIs) and M&E tools. This includes leading the design and revision of data flow processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure efficient, high-quality data collection across all provinces where GRS Zambia operates. The MERL Manager will also oversee data quality assurance across the country programme, including routine Data Quality Assessments and supportive supervision visits to programme sites.

In addition to MERL responsibilities, the MERL Manager will serve as GRS Zambia's senior technical owner of Salesforce and the SKILLZ mobile application, setting standards and SOPs for their use across the country programme. The MERL Manager will diagnose and resolve complex technical issues, maintain oversight of GRS Zambia's tablet/device inventory, and guide troubleshooting of common field issues. The MERL Manager will also ensure appropriate data security practices on mobile devices and within Salesforce, in line with GRS data protection policies.

The MERL Manager will play a key role in research and evaluation activities, setting the direction and quality standard for research studies and evaluations conducted in Zambia. The MERL Manager will substantively contribute to research/evaluation protocol development, tool design, and analysis plans, and lead or oversee ethics/Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions and approval processes for Zambia-based studies. The MERL Manager will also manage day-to-day research and evaluation activities, including training of data collectors, participant recruitment, and data collection.

As GRS Zambia's designated Data Protection Officer, the MERL Manager will oversee the organisation's compliance with national data protection requirements, including data processing registration, data subject rights, and breach notification obligations. The MERL Manager will advise the Country Director and relevant teams on data protection risks and requirements for new systems, partnerships, or research activities. The MERL Manager will also directly supervise and mentor two MERL Coordinators, ensuring an effective division of labour, quality of work, and professional development for both.

The MERL Manager position offers a unique opportunity to lead GRS Zambia's MERL unit and drive accountability, learning, and programme quality. The successful candidate will be a confident, hands-on leader with experience in MERL, research, and data analysis. GRS Zambia is seeking a candidate who can communicate complex data and findings clearly to a wide range of audiences, from field staff to government officials and donors. The MERL Manager will play a critical role in ensuring that GRS Zambia's data and evidence drive programme design, adaptation, and strategy.

Key points

• The MERL Manager will oversee the rollout of GRS key performance indicators (KPIs) and M&E tools.
• The MERL Manager will serve as GRS Zambia's senior technical owner of Salesforce and the SKILLZ mobile application.
• The MERL Manager will play a key role in research and evaluation activities, setting the direction and quality standard for research studies and evaluations conducted in Zambia.