Evidence and Insights Manager (Kenya)

About Girl Effect

Girl Effect is a global non-profit organisation that creates media and digital experiences designed for girls, earning their trust and meeting their needs. Through chatbots, chat shows, TV dramas, and technology-enabled content, the organisation reaches millions of girls across Africa and Asia, helping them make informed choices and build confidence to act in ways that shape their futures.

The organisation develops safe, supportive spaces where girls can access facts and ask questions about health, nutrition, education, relationships, and more. By combining engaging content with technology, Girl Effect helps girls build the skills to question limits, expand what is possible, and take greater control of their bodies, health, learning, and livelihoods. The belief is that when one girl changes her life, the impact can spread through families, communities, and countries.

Role context

The Evidence & Insights team supports Girl Effect’s programmes through formative research, monitoring and evaluation, learning, and evidence generation. The team works closely with programme and social and behaviour change teams to measure progress against objectives, show results to donors and other stakeholders, and strengthen Girl Effect as a learning organisation. In Kenya, where the organisation works across sexual and reproductive health, economic empowerment, and digital health, this role will lead and coordinate a broad portfolio of research, monitoring, and evaluation activities.

What you will do

• Partner with local and global colleagues to deliver the market research and knowledge-building strategy for the Kenya programme portfolio so it informs design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• With guidance from the Senior Evidence & Insights Manager and the wider team, oversee research work from tool development and data collection through data management, analysis, and final reporting.
• Work alongside programme, SBCC, creative, and communications teams during the research cycle so that MERL outputs reflect their needs and are shared in formats that are engaging and practical.
• Take ownership of the research budget and allocate resources in a way that strengthens the value of evidence generation activities.
• Help commission research by preparing proposals and terms of reference, managing research agencies, reviewing tools, advising on sampling and methods, and checking analysis and reporting quality.
• Support fieldwork quality assurance, including on-site oversight, as needed.
• Bring technical expertise to research, monitoring, and evaluation work, collaborating with the global MERL team when required.
• Recommend appropriate research designs, including qualitative, quantitative, digital, and secondary data approaches where relevant.
• Ensure all research follows Girl Effect’s ethical and safeguarding standards and that field implementation meets the highest quality expectations through training and oversight of research partners.
• Make sure research findings are clear, accessible, and useful so they are actively used across the organisation.
• Build partnerships with local and international research organisations to increase opportunities for cost-sharing and shared learning.
• Carry out other duties that are relevant to the role when needed.

Experience and qualifications

You should bring substantial experience in applied research and/or monitoring and evaluation in Kenya. A postgraduate qualification in a relevant field may be considered alongside at least 4 years of professional experience, while the standard experience route is a minimum of 5 years.

Required strengths

• Strong commitment to supporting adolescent girls and young women, especially in challenging environments.
• Proven ability to design and deliver high-quality qualitative and quantitative research, including fieldwork, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience managing research agencies and keeping projects on schedule and aligned with organisational needs.
• Advanced qualitative and quantitative analysis capability, including comfort with digital adaptations.
• Track record of turning research findings into fresh insights and compelling outputs.
• Experience in strategic planning and knowledge management.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across teams, functions, and countries.
• Excellent organisation and project management skills, with the ability to set and drive timelines.
• High cultural awareness and sensitivity to the contexts in which Girl Effect operates.
• Curious, creative, and well-organised working style.
• Commitment to Girl Effect’s mission, vision, and values.

Desirable experience

• Experience working with girls on sensitive issues in Kenya.
• Familiarity with participatory engagement methods.
• Subject-matter knowledge in one or more of Girl Effect’s thematic areas, such as gender, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, or economic empowerment.
• Background in evaluating programmes focused on women and girls.
• Practical research experience in emerging markets or development settings.
• Experience training or mentoring others in research methods, data analysis, and reporting.
• Strong written and spoken English.

Additional information

Girl Effect is expanding quickly and seeks people who want to drive meaningful change for girls. The organisation brings together colleagues from both non-profit and commercial backgrounds, with specialisms spanning creative, gender, and insight. The environment is designed to stretch and develop people while offering opportunities to learn from talented and committed colleagues.

Equal opportunity

Girl Effect is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, or gender identity or expression. The organisation also works to build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and gives appropriate consideration to candidates from diverse professional, academic, and cultural backgrounds.

Safeguarding and background checks

Girl Effect maintains a zero-tolerance approach to safeguarding violations, including sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH). Employees must follow safeguarding policies and complete the required background checks, including reference and criminal record checks where applicable. This position is subject to a standard background disclosure.

Contract details

This opportunity is offered on a 12-month contract basis and is based onsite in Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya.

Application note

Only applications submitted through the specified application portal will be reviewed. The closing date for applications is 29 June 2026.