Performance, Learning and Impact Advisor -- SHIFTS Project

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service provider and one of the leading advocates for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. IPPF is a worldwide movement of 120 national organizations, referred to as Member Associations, working with and for communities and individuals. These member associations are the leading civil society providers of contraception in 89 of 120 countries. And in 64 of those 89 countries, IPPF is the only largescale international provider. Collectively, member associations delivered more than 1 billion cumulative services between 2018 and 2024.   

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men, and women in sub-Saharan Africa. To reach this goal, IPPFAR works with local civil-society organizations, governments, the African Union (AU), regional economic commissions (RECs), the United Nations, among others, to expand political and financial commitments to SRHR in Africa. IPPFAR tackles the continent’s growing SRH challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs), strategic partners and volunteers in 42 countries. For more information, please read our 2024 profile (in English and French) here.  

The Performance, Learning and Impact (PL&I) Advisor will lead all monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) functions for the Strengthening Health Systems for Integrated & Transformative SRHR (SHIFTS) project, a multi-country initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), implemented in Benin, Mozambique, and Nigeria until March 2032. SHIFTS aims to address critical supply gaps in SRHR services—particularly abortion—strengthen demand for SRH services, and promote enabling environments that uphold SRHR through government and stakeholder engagement. 

The PL&I Advisor will ensure robust MEL systems, tools, and strategies are co-created and implemented across the consortium, subgrantees, and partners—ensuring alignment with feminist, decolonial, participatory, and accessible approaches. This role demands a strategic thinker with deep experience in feminist MEL and a commitment to collaborative learning. The Advisor will play a key role in generating evidence, fostering mutual learning, and driving project improvement, working closely with technical teams, Member Associations, and the SHIFTS Programme Manager (with a dotted line to the ARO PL&I Senior Advisor). 

The main deliverables for this role are, but not limited to: 

• MEL Framework & Tools : Design, review, and oversee the implementation of a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative MEL framework aligned with project objectives and deliverables. Co-create data collection tools and reporting templates (e.g., Most Significant Change stories, advocacy indicators, human interest stories) and lead training on their use. 
• Monitoring & Evaluation Coordination : Lead the development and rollout of monitoring tools, databases, and systems. Support Member Associations and subgrantees in designing tailored MEL frameworks and tools, and ensure consistency across implementation sites. 
• Capacity Building : Provide ongoing capacity strengthening for consortium partners and Member Associations on data collection, analysis, and learning approaches, ensuring tools and methodologies are inclusive and accessible. 
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting : Regularly generate and analyze monitoring data to guide programme decisions. Coordinate the timely production and submission of all required reports in compliance with donor requirements. 
• Learning Agenda & Evaluations : Coordinate the development and implementation of the SHIFTS learning agenda. Lead mid-term and final evaluations from design through dissemination, ensuring participatory and inclusive processes. 
• Donor and Partner Engagement : Serve as the main point of contact on MEL for the donor and consortium partners. Facilitate validation and dissemination of evaluation findings, and contribute to strategic decision-making. 
• Knowledge Sharing & Communications : Collaborate with the communications team to translate MEL findings into accessible content for external audiences (e.g., social media posts, creative documentation, learning briefs). 
• Field Monitoring & Support : Conduct field visits, as needed and agreed upon, to support monitoring efforts and strengthen partners’ MEL capacities on-site. 

• Post-secondary graduate in the fields of social science, human rights, international development, or other relevant fields.  
• Have a deep understanding and prior experience in MEL for complex international programs, work plans and budgets.  
• Have demonstrated experience (8+ years) of planning and managing feminist research, and MEL. 
• Detail oriented and thorough, with an ability to self-motivate and produce high-quality work.  
• Experience in and/or willingness to learn and adapt work to online/virtual platforms keeping accessibility needs in mind.  
• Have experience in designing accessible research tools and accessible data collection cross disability will be an asset.  
• A good understanding of restricted donor funded programmes.   
• Experience working in matrix organisations. 
• Candidates must have the right to work in Kenya or Benin.

• Excellent analytical skills, fair judgment, and a proactive, energetic approach to problem solving.  
• First rate quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  
• Strong leadership skills including the ability to effectively engage a range of stakeholders.   
• Excellent project management skills including experience of reporting to donor agencies.  
• Excellent time management skills able to meet tight deadlines.  
• Fluent English essential.  French, Portuguese an advantage.  
• Excellent IT skills.