Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Officer

• Team : Market Solution Practices (MSP)
• Reports to : Monitoring and Reporting Manager
• Position Type : Full‑time

About Kifiya Financial Technology PLC

Kifiya Financial Technology PLC is an Ethiopian-born, pan-African financial technology and services company. Our vision is to enable equitable access to financial services and markets for Africa. Our mission is delivering data-driven, intelligent financial and market solutions, making them within reach for all.

Market Solutions Practice (MSP)

MSP corrects market failures by deploying Kifiya’s four core infrastructures—intelligent data & decisioning, intelligent financial services, digital agriculture, and smart mobility—to enable MSMEs, smallholder farmers, and low-to-middle-income individuals to access finance and markets. Our work drives job creation, social inclusion, and economic empowerment, making us a partner of choice for impact funders.

Program Overview: SAFEE Shared Facility

Under the Sustainable Access to Finance to Enable Entrepreneurship (SAFEE) program (a Kifiya–Mastercard Foundation partnership), the Shared Facility provides digital infrastructure and data-management tools to our Foundation partners. By unlocking $1.2 billion in liquidity through a 1:3 leverage model and declining guarantees, SAFEE empowers 477,861 youth‑ and women-led MSMEs across Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Digital Entrepreneurship.

Position Summary

You will be based in one of the 8 regional offices of Kifiya in the field in Ethiopia with the responsibility to support the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) unit of MSP at the HQ in designing, implementing, maintaining its MERL system. You will support all the programs under Market Solutions Practices team of Kifiya Financial Technology with special emphasis on SAFEE program and contribute in designing, coordination, and execution of MERL initiatives of our Foundation partners and beyond. You will work closely with the regional teams based in the field and coordinate with impact communications team (under MERL) at the HQ to collect and validate impact/success stories from the field.

Key Responsibilities:

The MERL Officers will contribute to and support all MSP MERL efforts in respect to:

Monitoring activities around SAFEE and non-SAFEE key performance indicators (KPIs) and quality assurance of its digital platforms.

Impact and program evaluations triggered through and that feed back into monitoring and or research findings.

Research and studies that help develop contributory evidence to relevant sectoral transformation.

Learning that originate from all monitoring, evaluation and research activities. Participation in and support of knowledge and learning dissemination events, publications, and such.

The above efforts can be initiated or lead specifically to:

• Data Collection and Verification (field work):
  • Monitoring – Borrowers’ performance – (regular borrowers+ IDPs + Migrants/Returnees + PWDs).
  • Thematic impact stories around Jobs, Training, Borrowing
  • Case study – a) Service providers – bank or others, b) systemic change – 3 per month
  • Internal Research – Where applicable (both qualitative and quantitative)
• Data transcription, Report writing – 2 to 3 days (at the office)
  • Writing Impact Story based on the collected data
  • Writing Case study based on the collected data
  • Internal Research – KII, FGD data transcription
• Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination: Collaborate with Kifiya IFS team in the field, project partners, banks, cooperatives, and local networks to support smooth program implementation, reporting, data quality, and inclusive financial access for all types of MERL activities (exclusively)
• Perform other assignments or tasks as may originate from Kifiya Financial Technology headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Join Us

Be part of a mission‑driven, tech‑enabled team transforming access to finance for underserved communities. You will harness AI and data to drive real impact—empowering youth, women, and MSMEs across Ethiopia/Region. If you’re ready to take part at the intersection of finance, technology, and development, we want to hear from you.

• MERL Knowledge: Understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and reporting practices.
• Data Handling: Ability to collect, validate, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
• Financial Literacy: Basic knowledge of credit systems, loan processes, and borrower profiling.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong interpersonal skills to communicate with borrowers, banks, and partners.
• Communication: Clear written and verbal communication, with reporting and documentation skills.
• Organizational Ability: Capacity to manage multiple tasks and field activities efficiently.
• Digital Proficiency: Familiarity with data collection and reporting tools (e.g., Excel, KoboToolbox).
• Inclusion Awareness: Commitment to gender equality and social inclusion in community engagement.
• Strong ability to integrate AI‑driven insights to accomplish MERL activities as mentioned above.
• Willingness to travel to the field locations at least 40 to 60 % in a month

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as statistics, social sciences, or development studies.
• 3+ years of extensive experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Knowledge of M&E frameworks and methodologies.
• Experience working in a field setting, particularly in development or humanitarian contexts.

Behavioral Competencies

• Team player, Strategic thinker with strong execution focus.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Collaborative managership style, with a passion for innovation and financial inclusion.