Job Detail

Job Description

Jhpiego invites applications for the following position for the Zambia Country Office.

Position: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Director

Location: Lusaka

Reports to: Country Director

Position Overview

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Director will guide and coordinate monitoring, evaluation, research and learning activities across all of Jhpiego Zambia’s programs and will serve as the M&E Advisor for Jhpiego’s PEPFAR-funded care and treatment project. The Director will provide leadership and guidance to ensure best in class measurement approaches and coordinating across project teams to implement systems that support having the right data available and of sufficient quality so that data are actionable and project teams are analyzing and using data for iterative learning, program improvement and evaluation. The Director will also support new business development and compliance with JHU and donor policies. The position will also support the organizational goal of enhancing capacity to demonstrate and communicate higher level quality programming successes, both to foster new markets for Jhpiego programs and to enhance the role of Jhpiego as a technical leader worldwide.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the Jhpiego-Zambia MERL team, ensuring quality and consistent MERL across projects
• Provide general oversight so that all Jhpiego-Zambia projects implement MERL systems consistent with international best practice, Jhpiego standards, and donor needs.
• Provide leadership to Jhpiego/Zambia’s MERL Unit, coordinating activities and guiding staff members in the Unit to produce high quality program monitoring, evaluation and research.
• Coordinate with Project Directors and Chiefs of Party to supervise a team of M&E professionals
• Support project leadership to champion holistic approaches to project learning and adaptive management including through design and implementation of action-oriented project research and learning agendas, routine analysis of available health sector data sources, and application of best practices in knowledge management.
• Support efforts to strengthen capacity to use data in planning, supervising and monitoring project performance.
• Lead, coordinate and support project staff to design and implement viable assessments, research and evaluations ensuring compliance with Ministry of Public Health and Johns Hopkins University institutional review board policies
• Work with the Global MERL team and project directors to ensure knowledge and implementation of Jhpiego’s Data Compliance requirements (Human Subjects, Open Data, Data Quality, etc)
• Cultivate strategic relationships and alliances with monitoring, evaluation and learning counterparts in other USG projects, national institutions, and key stakeholders
• Actively engage with and advise Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Community Development, Mother & Child Health (MCDMCH), and other Implementing Partners on health information systems as a systems strengthening approach.
• Identify programmatic successes, challenges and lessons learned, and ensure appropriate flow of information across the organization.
• Identify and communicate potential opportunities for new business and new or leveraged funding sources.
• Write and review sections of proposals to ensure technical quality and fit with national and Jhpiego wide programs and program approaches.

As Senior Advisor to the PEPFAR funded care and treatment program:

MER Systems Development & Implementation

• Develop M&E plans/strategies detailing project specific routine monitoring activities, planned evaluations and personnel coordination and management.
• Design/adapt Data Collection Tools and Data Management Systems to collect performance data at all levels (Province, District and Facility) in consultation with key program and technical personnel.
• Coordinate MER team planning for monthly data collection of performance indicators.
• Review routine data, indicator performance trackers, data review presentations, bulletins and monthly reports.
• Support data management and reporting for program quality assessments/initiatives.
• Provide evidence to inform project strategies and work plans aligned with project objectives
• Support project team in the development of donor reports and other organization wide reporting requirements using DATIM and other internal systems
• Lead research/evaluation framework design workshops and development of protocols
• Prepare Institutional Review Board (IRB) submission packages and manage IRB processes from submission through approval working with all mandatory agencies.
• Recruit and train field personnel/survey team and oversee field work coordination
• Identify abstracts and potential manuscripts, support drafting of abstracts and papers, ensuring data inputs and accurate results with appropriate statistical tests.
• Organize and facilitate evaluation dissemination events with appropriate dissemination tools
• Ensures that evaluation reports and datasets are archived as required ensuring confidentiality and integrity.

Technical Assistance for M&E and HMIS Strengthening.

• Develop technical assistance standard operating procedures training curriculum, flow charts and job aids in conjunction with key program and technical personnel
• Lead the assessment of MER & HMIS gaps and implement appropriate technical assistance services working closely with provincial and district level officials in supported provinces.
• Introduce novel Data Quality Improvement (DQI) approaches and collaborate with MOH at national, provincial and district level to conduct appropriate DQI activities as required.
• Introduce and support deployment of context appropriate data analysis, data review and data use tools to supported locations
• Organize provincial learning events and visits for cross learning across districts and provinces.
• Support capacity building for research and evaluations including abstracts and manuscript development

Knowledge Management & Stakeholder Management

• Identify case studies and success stories from project reports and activities
• Support team members to review and rewrite case studies and success stories
• Support knowledge asset identification, archiving and retrieval, following up with project team members to ensure organization Knowledge Management tools are consistently used
• Develop and update project bulletins (internal and external)
• Represent Jhpiego at technical working groups and other relevant meetings with MOH and DOD

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public health or a social science with specialization in international health or equivalent experience, PhD preferred
• Ten (10) years of experience in public health programs.
• Strong technical skills across a range of research and monitoring approaches, including ability to process and analyze data using one or more statistical software packages, including at least one of the following: SPSS, SAS, Stata, MS Access
• In-depth understanding of evolving international health priorities and donor expectations for program results, outcomes, impact and reporting.
• Technical and experiential knowledge of the range of applied research and monitoring and evaluation techniques, including the relationship of information systems to program, field, and global initiatives.
• Knowledge of and experience in implementing data systems used in global health (e.g., DHIS2, CommCare, ODK)
• Understanding of performance improvement and training techniques.
• Technical skills in monitoring, evaluation and research, including at least 4-5 of the following: applied evaluation or research; training design and implementation; data analysis, synthesis, and communication of results; design and implementation of evaluation protocols; design and implementation of program monitoring systems; development and field-testing of data collection instruments; data collection planning and implementation (routine or survey); qualitative data analysis and use; translation of complex data systems and results to understandable lessons learned and action priorities for programmatic and other technical staff.
• Knowledge of and experience in the international health program development field, especially with international and U.S. donor agencies and private sector foundations.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• Ability to travel up to 30% and interact professionally in challenging environments.

To apply, please send your application letter and curriculum vitae only in a single document, stating the position and location in the subject line to the Human Resources Manager: Zambiajobs@jhpiego.org.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

Closing date is Friday November 19, 2021

Skills Required

• Communication skills
• Technical acumen
• Research