Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Director 37 views

Overview:

Jhpiego seeks a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director to provide technical leadership, oversight and strategic direction for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities for an upcoming USAID quality of healthcare project in Ethiopia. The Improving Quality of Healthcare (IQH) Activity aims to build capacity of urban and peri-urban Primary Health Care Units (PHCUs) and referral health facilities in planning and delivering of client-centered quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services. The three objectives of the Activity are to: (1) improve the readiness of the health facilities to deliver client-centered, quality RMNCAH services; (2) strengthen the management and accountability for quality RMNCAH services; and (3) to restore health services in conflict-affected areas. The project is anticipated to operate over a 5-year period.

The MEL Director will develop and manage the award’s monitoring and evaluation system and processes including performance monitoring and reporting, operational research, and ensure evaluations are consistent with the award’s expected results, and track progress of activities in achieving the award’s goal and outcomes. The MEL Director shall ensure that the methodologies proposed by the Recipient to measure the impact of the activity on the results are consistently and systematically monitored and reported. Under the leadership of the COP and DCOP, the MEL Director will also lead the adaptation management design and coordinate implementation required under this award to ensure adaptation measurements and course correction are put into place as required to change dynamics within the country and within the health sector. 

This position is contingent upon award from USAID. Ethiopia nationals are strongly encouraged to apply. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and direction on MEL to ensure the project achieves its goals and corresponding objectives and targets
• Oversee the development and implementation of the Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) to efficiently track, use and disseminate performance indicators and results over the life of the project, including routine service delivery data reporting, baseline and end line assessments, and all monitoring for process and outcome evaluations
• Supervise a team of M&E professionals, ensuring high-quality implementation of all monitoring, evaluation and learning activities
• Develop and oversee implementation of robust context-appropriate systems for data collection, quality assurance, analysis and reporting on activity outputs/outcomes and program quality
• Lead results reporting to USAID by providing written documentation on M&E activities and indicator results for progress and annual reports, as appropriate
• Ensure alignment of project systems and approaches with Ethiopian national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information and reporting systems
• Cultivate strategic M&E relationships and alliances with monitoring, evaluation and learning counterparts in other USAID projects national institutions, and key stakeholders, leading initiatives to learn from project data and adapt intervention strategies as appropriate
• Lead efforts to utilize training monitoring systems to track and monitor trainers and participants at training events to facilitate follow-up and recordkeeping
• Use data to contribute towards strategic decision-making and project planning with project leadership
• Support project leadership to champion holistic approaches to collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA), including design and implementation of an action-oriented project research and learning agenda, routine analysis of available health sector data sources, and application of best practices in knowledge management
• Oversee and/or conduct targeted assessment, evaluations and operations research, ensuring compliance with Johns Hopkins University institutional and local review board policies
• Ensure quality of data through data verification procedures including routine data quality audits and that these are routinely carried out during the project lifecycle
• Represent M&E activities in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations
• Ensure relevant data is entered into Jhpiego’s organization-wide performance management system designed to capture, analyze, and disseminate project data
• Ensure project compliance with USAID monitoring, evaluation, research and open data policies
• Promote and support the dissemination of project information among the project team
• Work with project and financial staff to prepare and track progress of project and activity budgets
• Train and mentor project staff and implementing partners in monitoring and evaluation methods, tools, and systems
• Ensure protection of participant data and confidentiality during all monitoring, evaluation and research implementation and dissemination processes
• Support the designated Internal Review Board (IRB) focal point in-country including maintaining current certification from 1) CITI human subjects ethics course and 2) CITI Good Clinical Practices (GCP) course

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public health, demography, sociology, epidemiology, biostatistics, or a related field
• Minimum of eight years of experience in monitoring, evaluation and research related to large-scale, multi-year international health development projects, including international experience in quantitative and qualitative research
• Robust experience in practical experience setting up and managing monitoring, evaluation and research systems for health programs with a major focus on FP/RH/RMNCAH and health systems strengthening
• Proven expertise in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methodologies, implementation research approaches, health management information systems, data visualization and reporting
• Proven track record in leading efforts in local M&E capacity building, training, and ongoing support for all partners to strengthen the collection, analysis, visualization, management, and use of quality data for strategic planning, program design and direction as well as for establishing activity targets for implementation
• Experience supporting effective integration of geospatial data for improved planning, design, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of activities
• Demonstrated experience leading and building the capacity of M&E officers, including remote, field-based staff, to meet project needs and deliverables is strongly desired. Experience hiring and supervising personnel and ensuring they acquire the necessary training and skills to meet evolving project needs
• Demonstrated strong management, coordination, teamwork and planning skills with proven ability to function effectively with multiple host-country counterparts in both the public, NGO and private sectors
• Extensive experience in knowledge management and dissemination of research findings
• Strong computer literacy and technical skills, including the ability to process and analyze multiple sources of data to identify data trends and provide recommendations on project implementation using DHIS2 and one or more statistical software packages, including at least one of the following: SPSS, Epi-Info, Stata, MS Excel
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including oral, reading, and written proficiency in English
• Ability to travel nationally, security permitting