Career Opportunity: State Campaign M&E Officer (Kogi & Abuja) at Malaria Consortium

​The role of a State Campaign Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Officer for a major public health initiative—specifically focused on Insecticide-Treated Net (ITN) campaigns and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC)—is far more than just “counting numbers.” It is the architectural backbone of a health intervention. In Nigeria’s public sector health landscape, where data can be the difference between a successful campaign and an underserved community, this role is high-stakes and high-impact.

​If you are applying for the positions in Kogi or Abuja, this guide will help you understand the strategic value of the role and how to approach your application and interview to stand out.

​1. Understanding the Strategic Value of M&E

​In public health, M&E is the “brain” of the operation. Without it, the project is moving blind. As an M&E Officer, your value lies in three specific areas:

• ​Course Correction: You aren’t just reporting on what happened; you are identifying problems in real-time. If a specific LGA in Kogi is showing low drug uptake during an SMC round, your data alerts the Project Manager to reallocate resources immediately.
• ​Resource Optimization: With competitive salaries and tight donor budgets (like those from Malaria Consortium), every Naira must be accounted for. Your data proves that interventions are reaching the intended beneficiaries.
• ​Knowledge Equity: By documenting lessons learned, you ensure that the success of the 2026 campaign informs the 2027 strategy. You are building a “memory” for the Nigerian health system.

​2. Deep Dive: The Core Responsibilities

​The job description allocates specific percentages to your tasks. Here is how to interpret those priorities:

​Technical Contributions (50%) – The Data Architect

​This is the “meat” of the role. You will be expected to manage the DHIS2 (District Health Information Software) and ensure that data coming from the field—often from rural communities with limited connectivity—is accurate.

• ​The Challenge: Data Quality Assurance (DQA). In large campaigns, “ghost” data or transcription errors are common.
• ​The Approach: You must be a stickler for detail. You aren’t just looking at a spreadsheet; you are looking for patterns that don’t make sense.

​Knowledge Management & Learning (20%) – The Storyteller

​Data is useless if it stays in a database.

• ​The Challenge: Translating complex statistics into “Learning Briefs” that a State Coordinator or a Ministry official can understand.
• ​The Approach: Use the Learning-to-Action framework. Don’t just report that 80% of households received nets; explain why the other 20% didn’t and provide a roadmap to fix it.

​Accountability (10%) – The Community Advocate

​This is a growing field in MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning). It involves “Beneficiary Accountability.”

• ​The Challenge: Ensuring that the people in Kogi and Abuja have a way to report issues (e.g., if a distributor is charging for free nets).
• ​The Approach: Develop feedback loops—SMS hotlines, community town halls, or suggestion boxes—and ensure that this feedback actually changes how the program is run.

​3. Essential Competencies: Moving Beyond the CV

​To be successful, you need to demonstrate more than just a degree in Statistics. You need “Field Intelligence.”

​Technical Software Stack

​You must be proficient in:

• ​DHIS2: The standard for Nigerian health data.
• ​Statistical Software: If you can perform a regression analysis in Stata or SPSS to determine the correlation between net usage and malaria incidence, you become an elite candidate.
• ​Mobile Data Collection: Familiarity with ODK (Open Data Kit), KoboCollect, or Survey123 is essential for field-based campaigns.

​Health System Strengthening (HSS)

​You aren’t working in a vacuum. You are working with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH). You need to understand how a Primary Health Care (PHC) center operates and how to motivate government staff who may be overstretched.

​4. Application Strategy: How to Win the Role

​Since the organization is reviewing applications on an ongoing basis, speed and clarity are your best friends.

​Tailoring Your CV

• ​Highlight “Campaign” Experience: If you have worked on Polio, COVID-19, or previous Malaria campaigns, put this at the very top.
• ​Quantify Your Achievements: Instead of saying “I did data entry,” say “I managed a database for 200+ health facilities, reducing data reporting errors by 30% over 12 months.”
• ​Software Keywords: Ensure DHIS2, Stata, SPSS, and MEAL are clearly visible.

​The Cover Letter Approach

​Don’t just repeat your CV. Address the specific location. If you are applying for Kogi, mention your understanding of its geography or local languages (Igala, Ebira, Okun), as “contextual knowledge” is an essential requirement.

​5. Interview Preparation: The “STAR” Method

​If you get the interview, expect “Behavioral Questions.” Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• ​Question: “Tell us about a time you found a major error in campaign data.”
• ​Your Answer: Describe a specific instance (Situation), what your role was (Task), how you conducted a Data Quality Audit to find the root cause (Action), and how that corrected the final report sent to the donor (Result).

​6. Critical Logistics & Deadlines

• Closing Date: May 4th, 2026 (Note: Candidates are selected on a rolling basis—apply today).
• ​Employment Status: Temporary, Full-time. (Note: These roles are often high-intensity during the “campaign” periods).

How to Apply

​We are reviewing applications on an ongoing basis. Choose your preferred location below to submit your application:

• ​Apply for KOGI State: Click Here to Apply
• ​Apply for ABUJA: Click Here to Apply

​Final Pro-Tip: The Safeguarding Angle

​The job description explicitly mentions Safeguarding. In your application and interview, emphasize your commitment to ethics. An M&E Officer often handles sensitive data and visits vulnerable communities. Demonstrating that you understand the “Do No Harm” principle and beneficiary confidentiality will give you a significant edge over other technically qualified candidates.

​Good luck—your data skills could be the key to protecting thousands of families from malaria in Kogi and Abuja