About ARCH and the role
ActionAid Denmark manages ARCH – the Fund for African-Danish Relations through Exchange of Culture and Arts. Funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this new program supports equitable cultural partnerships between Denmark and up to fourteen African countries through grants, exchange, and shared learning.
As ARCH’s MEL Officer, you will be based in Nairobi and be part of a new Secretariat team working across Nairobi, Uganda/Ethiopia, and Denmark. You will report to Head of Secretariat Olga Louise Ege in Denmark.
You will build and manage practical systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning, ensuring that results and lessons are captured, understood, and used to improve the program. Working with Secretariat colleagues, Local Liaison Officers, partners, and grantees across the ARCH portfolio, you will make MEL useful and accessible for organizations with different levels of experience.
Your main responsibilities
Monitoring, evaluation and results management
- Develop, implement and continuously improve ARCH’s MEL framework, monitoring tools, reporting templates and data collection systems.
- Track progress against programme outcomes, outputs, indicators and targets, including baseline and ongoing performance data.
- Maintain, verify, consolidate and analyse quantitative and qualitative data across the grant portfolio.
- Ensure that youth engagement, gender equality, inclusion, cultural diversity and human rights-based approaches are captured systematically.
- Quality-assure partner and grantee reporting, strengthen data quality and evidence collection, and maintain organised, audit-ready MEL records.
- Prepare results summaries, indicator updates and analytical input for internal reporting, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ARCH governance bodies.
- Support monitoring visits, spot checks and verification activities with Secretariat colleagues, Local Liaison Officers and partners.
Learning, knowledge management and adaptive programming
- Facilitate systematic learning and reflection across the programme.
- Capture lessons from grant cycles, partnerships, cultural exchanges and programme implementation.
- Support annual learning reports and prepare learning summaries, case studies and other knowledge products with relevant Secretariat colleagues.
- Identify emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in programme data and translate them into recommendations for adaptive management.
- Document and share good practices across the ARCH portfolio.
- Coordinate learning processes linked to the ARCH Strategic Dialogue Forum and other learning events.
- Promote the use of evidence and learning in programme planning, strategic dialogue, governance and decision-making.
About you
We are looking for a structured and collaborative MEL professional who combines analytical rigour with a practical, supportive approach. You are comfortable building systems, working across cultures and translating complex information into clear, useful insights.
- A relevant degree in monitoring and evaluation, development studies, social sciences, statistics, economics or a related field.
- Three to five years of relevant experience in MEL, programme monitoring, results management and learning.
- Demonstrated experience designing or implementing MEL systems for donor-funded programmes.
- Strong knowledge of results-based management and theory of change approaches.
- Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis skills, including experience developing indicators, monitoring tools and reporting frameworks.
- Experience preparing high-quality analytical and donor reports.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Strong organisational, problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information clearly.
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams and cultures and to build constructive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- A high level of integrity, professionalism and attention to detail.
Employment terms and how to apply
This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, where you will work from the same office as Senior Admin and Financial Management Specialist, Anne Wangari Main. The role offers flexible working hours and the option to work from home on some days. International travel may be required.
ARCH uses dedicated salary scales informed by Kenyan NGO and INGO market benchmarks and positioned toward the higher end of the local market. The gross cash salary also includes amounts equivalent to a 10% pension contribution and an allowance intended to support the purchase of suitable health and life insurance. These elements are paid as part of the salary, and the employee is responsible for arranging and paying for their own pension and insurance coverage, including any coverage for eligible family members.
The preferred start date is November 1, 2026, or earlier if possible.
How to apply
Please apply through our online recruitment system by September 27, 2026. You can access the online recruitment site here: Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Officer @ Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. We reserve the right to invite suitable candidates for an interview before the deadline.
If you have questions about the role, please contact Head of Secretariat, Olga Louise Ege olg@ms.dk
If you have problems submitting your application, please reach out to Global HR Partner, Angela Valldorf ava@ms.dk