Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Expert

D. Key Duties and Responsibilities

A. Strategic Leadership, MERL Framework and Planning

• Lead development and implementation of the integrated MERL frameworks for HIV, TB, malaria, and RSSH, annual workplans, budget, evaluation agenda, and supervision schedule.

• Align grant monitoring arrangements with government systems, national strategies, programme guidance, and Global Fund requirements.

• Advise PMU leadership on epidemiological trends, targets, performance risks, and corrective actions, while promoting harmonized indicators and evidence-based learning.

• Ensure development and regular updating of the M&E plans

• Regular updating of M&E tools and software as required.

B. Performance Framework and Results Management

• Maintain the Performance Framework, targets, indicator definitions, data sources, reporting responsibilities, and audit trails.

• Monitor programme results and milestones and lead periodic performance reviews, bottleneck analysis, and equity assessment.

• Provide supportive supervision and mentoring of the staff.

• Coordinate time-bound improvement plans and maintain a consolidated tracker for programme, data-quality, audit, and management actions.

C. Epidemiology, Surveillance and Advanced Analytics

• Support to design and conduct surveys and epidemiological analysis.

• Analyze disease trends, burden, coverage, service cascades, outcomes, geographic patterns, and population disparities.

• Strengthen surveillance, reporting completeness, denominator quality, and feedback mechanisms with national programmes.

• Triangulate programme and other credible data and support hotspots, forecasting, scenarios, evaluations, and priority-event analyses.

D. Data Quality, Governance, and Verification

• Implement a risk-based data-quality plan covering DQA, RDQA, OSDV, and other assurance activities.

• Strengthen source documentation, validation, reconciliation, deduplication, version control, and correction procedures.

• Maintain data-governance standards and coordinate verification for grant reporting, audits, and Global Fundreviews, ensuring transparent documentation of discrepancies.

E. Digital Health, Interoperability, and Visualization

• Promote integration and standards-based data exchange among DHIS2, LIMS, LMIS, and other approved national systems.

• Define requirements for reporting tools, validation rules, dashboards, scorecards, and automated workflows with system owners and users.

• Maintain decision-oriented analytical products and ensure sustainable ownership, documentation, data protection, and continuity of digital solutions.

F. Evaluation, Operational Research, and Knowledge Management

• Maintain a prioritized evaluation, operational research, and learning agenda linked to programme decisions and evidence gaps.

• Coordinate evaluations and studies and ensure appropriate methodological, ethical, data-management, and dissemination standards.

• Translate findings, lessons, and innovations into policy briefs, evidence summaries, presentations, and program-improvement actions.

G. Capacity, Risk, Coordination, and Grant Reporting

• Assess MERL, epidemiology, and data-use capacity and implement training, mentoring, and supportive-supervision activities.

• Manage MERL and report risks and coordinate with government programs, implementing entities, WHO, research institutions, and development partners.

• Lead quality-assured inputs to Global Fund reports, grant revisions, audits, and Global Fundreviews, and prepare periodic performance reports, analyses, and presentations.

H. Additional Responsibilities

• Coordinate with programmatic, procurement, and administrative teams to ensure sufficient and timely availability of reporting tools and formats at the peripheral levels

• Suggest adding explicit responsibility for personal data protection, confidentiality, access controls, ethical data sharing, and responsible use of identifiable or key-population data.

• Undertake any other reasonable and relevant responsibilities assigned by the Deputy Team Leader (Technical and Programmatic), commensurate with the technical seniority, skills, and experience required for the position.

E. Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master's degree in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, health information management, statistics, Social Science or another relevant discipline.

• Postgraduate qualification or advanced training in epidemiology, biostatistics, M&E, surveillance, health information systems, programme evaluation etc. will be added advantages..

Experience

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in M&E, epidemiology, surveillance, strategic information, or public health, including at least 5 years supporting national or donor-funded health programmes.

• Demonstrated experience in results frameworks, performance monitoring, data-quality assurance, epidemiological and statistical analysis, digital health systems, reporting, and government and partner coordination.

• Experience with Global Fund or WHO-supported programmes, DHIS2 and interoperable systems, epidemiological modelling, evaluations, operational research, or health-systems strengthening is highly desirable.

F. Competencies

Technical Competencies

• M&E frameworks and results-based management.

• Global Fund Performance Frameworks.

• Epidemiology and disease surveillance.

• Indicator design and reference metadata.

• DQA, RDQA, and OSDV.

• Statistical, spatial, cascade, and equity analysis.

• Data triangulation and visualization.

• DHIS2, LIMS, LMIS, and interoperability and data governance.

• Evaluation, operational research, learning, grant reporting, and high-quality technical communication in English and Bangla.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strategic leadership, analytical thinking, and results orientation.

• Intellectual rigour and sound judgment.

• Communication, stakeholder coordination, coaching, and teamwork.

• Innovation, integrity, and accountability.

• Confidentiality, cultural sensitivity, and respect for diversity.

• Commitment to accurate, ethical, and decision-oriented use of data.

G. Expected Deliverables

• Approved integrated annual M&E Plan, Performance Monitoring Framework, reporting calendar, and Indicator Reference Guide.

• Quarterly and annual grant-performance reports, dashboards, scorecards, and a consolidated improvement-action tracker.

• Epidemiological, surveillance, cascade, geographic, and equity analyses with clear programme recommendations.

• Annual data-quality plan; DQA, RDQA, and OSDV reports; and verified Data Quality Improvement Plans.

• Interoperability, data governance, and dashboard improvement products and documentation, as assigned.

• Evaluation, operational research, and learning products, evidence briefs, and dissemination outputs.

• Capacity-development reports and timely, quality-assured M&E inputs to Global Fund and government submissions.

H. Integrity, Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Compliance

• The incumbent shall uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, impartiality, professionalism, and ethical conduct, including the timely and transparent disclosure of any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.

• The incumbent shall contribute to and promote a safe, respectful, inclusive, and non-discriminatory working and service environment, with zero tolerance for harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, discrimination, retaliation, or any other safeguarding violation.

• The incumbent shall safeguard and maintain the confidentiality of all programme, financial, personnel, beneficiary, and other sensitive information, including medical and personal data, and shall respect the principles of informed consent, privacy, and data protection.

• The incumbent shall promptly report any suspected or identified misconduct, safeguarding concern, fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, financial irregularity, misuse of resources, or other violation through the prescribed reporting and escalation channels.

• The incumbent shall perform all duties in accordance with applicable Government of Bangladesh laws and policies, the Global Fund Grant Agreement, the Global Fund Code of Conduct for Recipients, and other relevant policies, procedures and guidelines.

I. Remuneration and Benefits

• Monthly remuneration will be determined in accordance with the PMU HR guideline

• Group health insurance will be provided as per the PMU HR guideline

• Monthly mobile and internet bill will be provided as per the PMU HR guideline

All these positions are open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies. Female candidates are highly encourged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates shall be invited for written test/interview. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Last Date of Application: 20 November 2026 (23:59 PM)