Manager, Monitoring

Kifiya is an AI-powered financial and market infrastructure company advancing inclusive economic growth across Africa. We design and deploy risk decisioning systems, intelligent financial infrastructure, and market linkage platforms that unlock credit, insurance, payments, and capital access for MSMEs and smallholder farmers. We build the AI, data, and financial infrastructure that helps financial institutions serve hard-to-finance segments at scale.

Business Unit Description

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) unit is the evidence and performance function of Kifiya’s Market Solutions Practice. It designs and operates the systems that track delivery progress, measure outcomes and impact, and
generate actionable insights to strengthen program quality and results. MERL ensures that MSP interventions are grounded in clear theories of change and SAFEE-aligned delivery pathways, supported by reliable data, learning agendas, and adaptive management practices.

Position Summary

The Manager, Monitoring leads Kifiya’s monitoring function by integrating robust monitoring frameworks with a digital-first MERL system and structured field
verification, ensuring that program implementation, outputs, and early outcomes are accurately tracked, visible in real time, and reliable for decision-making and
accountability. The role is central to enabling adaptive program management, support donor reporting, and scalable evidence systems, particularly for large and complex programs. The position will perform/lead any other task as assigned by the supervisor.

Key Responsibilities

• Digital MERL Systems: Monitoring Frameworks and Performance Tracking
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of
• monitoring frameworks, indicators, targets, and reporting structures using a digital first approach
• Embed indicators and targets within the Digital MERL system, including calculation logic, disaggregation, and reporting frequency
• Align monitoring frameworks with program objectives, donor requirements, and inclusion priorities
• Lead target vs. actual tracking, variance analysis, and early warning identification
• Oversee the functional design and enhancement of Digital MERL dashboards and analytics
• Translate monitoring and field requirements into system workflows, dashboards, and alerts
• Coordinate with Data Science, AI, Engineering, and Platform teams to integrate data sources and automate reporting
• Ensure dashboards enable drill-down from portfolio to field level and are user-friendly for management and teams

Field Monitoring and Verification Oversight

• Develop and oversee Monthly field monitoring plan
• Define field visit protocols, verification tools, and sampling approaches
• Conduct periodic supervisory and validation field visit
• Ensure reported data is systematically verified against ground reality
• Review field findings and ensure timely follow-up on identified gaps and risks

Data Quality Assurance and Governance

• Establish and enforce data quality standards, monitoring SOPs, and validation rules
• Oversee routine data quality checks, reconciliations, and consistency reviews
• Ensure traceability from field data to digital systems to reported results
• Support audits, donor verification missions, and compliance reviews

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

• Provide technical leadership and supervision to monitoring staff (HQ and field-based)
• Build staff and partner capacity on monitoring tools, Digital MERL platforms, and field verification standards
• Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement

Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate monitoring inputs across MERL, program, operations, field teams, and partners
• Serve as monitoring focal point for management reviews and donor reporting
• Support alignment between monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning functions

Learning and Adaptive Management Support

• Generate monitoring insights and early warning signals to inform adaptive management
• Flag operational bottlenecks, delivery risks, and inclusion gap
• Provide monitoring evidence to support evaluations, studies, researches, learning processes, and impact communication

Key Outputs

• Digital MERL system and relevant guideline/PRD
• Digital monitoring dashboards and analytics
• Performance and variance tracking reports (weekly, monthly and quarterly)
• Field monitoring plans and validation reports
• Data quality and compliance documentation
• Monitoring inputs for donor and management reporting

Education Master’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Economics, Statistics, Development Studies, Public Policy, Data Analytics, or a related field Bachelor’s degree with extensive relevant experience may be considered Experience Minimum 8–10 years of progressive experience in monitoring, performance management, or MERL Proven experience managing large-scale, multi-partner, and multi-region programs Demonstrated experience with digital data systems, dashboards, and MIS/Digital MERL platforms Strong field monitoring and data verification experience Experience working with donors and reporting against contractual targets Technical Skills Strong knowledge of monitoring frameworks, indicators, and data quality assurance Experience translating program needs into system and data requirements Proficiency in data analysis and performance reporting Ability to work effectively with data science, engineering, and operational teams

Core Competencies

Strong strategic and systems-thinking capability Excellent coordination, communication, and stakeholder management skills High attention to detail and data integrity Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment Willingness and ability to travel extensively to field locations