Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Director for an anticipated USAID-funded 5-year global PROPEL (Promoting Results and Outcomes through Policy and Economic Levers) Health Project.
The PROPEL project will cover several programmatic areas intended to build local capacity and further enable sustainable health systems to adequately address family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) through improvements in policy, advocacy, financing, and governance. The project will also have an important focus on the integration of FP/RH with HIV/AIDS and maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) programs, policies, and care. Cross-cutting priorities of the project include increasing resilience of FP/RH programming in the context of COVID-19, youth, gender equity, local capacity building, digital health, and private sector engagement. Within the global scope of the project, PROPEL will focus on the USAID Office of Population and Reproductive Health's 24 priority countries and the seven additional Ouagadougou Partnership countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Togo).
This position is subject to project award and funding.
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director, MERL will oversee the development and management of a strong monitoring, evaluation, research and learning system for assessing the process of policy change, impacts of advocacy, and shifts in financing and governance arrangements; reporting progress and ensuring availability and use of quality data for adaptive management; and maintaining reporting procedures and guidelines in compliance with USAID systems. The Director, MERL will be expected to coordinate the collection of data including conducting field visits for data validation and data quality assurance, manage data in DHIS2, and documenting and applying learning to improve project performance.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITY
Design, implement, and oversee the MEL system, including the development of indicators, setting targets, monitoring project progress, ensuring timely data collection, and writing quarterly and annual reports in compliance with USAID systems. Develop a MEL plan consistent with USAID policies and frameworks; coordinate data collection; monitor quality and completeness of data sets; provide evidence-based strategic technical guidance to the project, and document project performance against established output and outcome indicators. Oversee the development of country-specific MEL plans, working with country teams and mission representatives to develop indicators and tools aligned with the country program scope, as well as with global project requirements. Build the capacity of various stakeholders in the collection, utilization, and dissemination of data. Collaborate with the project team in identifying project activities, processes, and/or outcomes for documentation, and design a system for capturing lessons learned and best practices. Develop project research strategy and learning agenda and oversee research initiatives in areas where there are gaps in knowledge or data.
QUALIFICATIONS
MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.