Monitoring, Evaluating, Reporting & Learning (MERL) Lead

Help improve eye health across the Pacific through evidence and learning

At The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ, we believe everyone deserves access to quality eye care.

Across the Pacific, many people still lack access to essential eye health services. Working alongside governments, universities and local partners, we help strengthen eye health systems so more people can access the care they need.

We are looking for a Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting & Learning (MERL) Lead to provide strategic and technical leadership for MERL, organisational learning and strategy measurement across FHFNZ.

Reporting to the Head of Programme Quality & Operations, you will work closely with programme teams and partners to develop practical MERL systems, strengthen capability and support evidence-informed decision-making. You will play a pivotal organisational role, helping ensure evidence and learning inform our strategy, programme quality, senior leadership decisions and future priorities.

What you will be doing

You will help ensure our programmes are effective, evidence-based and continuously improving. Your work will include:

• Leading the development and monitoring of MERL frameworks for FHFNZ’s organisational strategy, programmes and projects.
• Providing senior leadership and the Board with evidence-based insights into strategic and programme performance
• Supporting programme teams and partners to collect, analyse and use quality data to improve decision-making and programme delivery.
• Building MERL capability across FHFNZ and with Pacific partners through coaching, mentoring, training and technical support.
• Leading and coordinating internal and external evaluations, and helping teams translate findings into practical improvements.
• Developing systems, tools and processes that strengthen programme quality, accountability and learning.
• Working with colleagues to improve data management, analysis and visualisation.
• Embedding gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), climate resilience, sustainability and locally led development approaches across MERL activities.
• Helping teams capture, share and apply learning across programmes and countries.
• Contributing to clear and concise reporting where required.

About you

You will enjoy working with people as much as working with data, and you will be motivated by using evidence to improve programmes and create lasting impact. You will bring:

• A relevant undergraduate or postgraduate qualification.
• At least seven years’ relevant MERL experience, including at least three years in a leadership or technical lead role.
• Experience in international development, preferably in the Pacific region.
• Strong knowledge of programme quality, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and results-based management.
• Experience designing theories of change, logframes, results frameworks, indicators, baselines and targets.
• Experience planning and managing qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method evaluations, including working with external consultants.
• Strong analytical, synthesis and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent report-writing and communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to donors, boards, staff and partners.
• Strong facilitation, capacity-strengthening and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively across cultures.
• An understanding of ethical data collection and evaluation, including informed consent, safeguarding and do-no-harm principles.
• A commitment to locally led development, partnership, inclusion and continuous learning.

Why join us?

We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace that respects all cultures and different ways of thinking. We foster a healthy, positive and encouraging work environment so that our team reaches their full potential and have fun along the way. We also offer among others:

• Flexible working hours and hybrid office/home working options.
• Complimentary health insurance scheme with Southern Cross.
• Three additional gifted annual leave days (Fred days) between Christmas & New Year
• Support for continued Professional Development

If you are passionate about using evidence, learning and collaboration to improve programmes and strengthen health systems across the Pacific, we would love to hear from you!

For a copy of the Position Description, please click here, or to find out more about the role, contact our friendly recruitment team at [email protected].

Only candidates with the legal right to work in New Zealand will be considered.

Applications close 28 August 2026.