Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director

at  EngenderHealth

JOB SUMMARY:

Working under the supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), the MEL Director will provide technical leadership, oversight, and strategic direction for all MEL activities. The MEL Director will be responsible for the development and implementation of all MEL activities, including regular performance monitoring and reporting, the development of the Project Management Plan (PMP), and any special studies or operational research. The MEL Director will be responsible for monitoring sub-awardees’ progress toward agreed milestones and providing MEL capacity-strengthening support. The MEL Director will also serve a key role in guiding the host country government, regional bodies, and implementing partners through the process of using evidence to inform policy decisions and practice guidelines and strengthening MEL capacities. Further, the MEL Director will be responsible for documenting and disseminating activity successes and challenges to USAID and other key stakeholders and (where practical and feasible) facilitating learning events.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess the following requirements with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Master’s degree (or higher) in public health, demography, epidemiology, biostatistics, social science, or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years experience performing MEL and knowledge management functions for international health projects.
• Demonstrated experience working with complex, large-scale USAID programs, including knowledge of USAID’s reporting requirements.
• Proven expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, data analysis, and report writing.
• Strong technical and analytical skills, including the ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data using one or more statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, Stata, SAS).
• Familiarity with coordination and knowledge-sharing platforms in Nigeria and/or the greater West Africa region.
• Excellent analytical skills coupled with proven ability to display data as appropriate for different audiences.
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host country governments, program partners, and representatives from other key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with PMP development and implementation.

ESSENTIAL SOFT SKILLS:

• Committed to EngenderHealth’s core organizational values of reflection, inclusion, integrity, respect, and transformation.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop the capacity of MEL staff.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building, strategic thinking, and coordination.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, as well as negotiation and management skills.
• Proven ability to multi-task, work independently, and maintain professional flexibility and adaptability.
• Fluency in English.

PREFERRED SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND FUNCTIONS:

• Relevant experience in West and Central Africa, especially Nigeria
• Able to work and travel within the activity implementation regions (up to 30% time).

• Lead the design and implementation of the activity’s MEL activities, consistent with activity goals and objectives and USAID requirements.
• Serve in a key role in guiding host country government and regional bodies through the process of using evidence to inform policy decisions and best practices.
• (Provide monitoring oversight to sub-grantees/sub-awardees
• Provide capacity-strengthening assistance in MEL to local sub-grantees/sub-awardees, other health system actors, regional bodies, and/or host country government.
• Leverage existing platforms, support and advance country-wide knowledge sharing and policy coordination.
• Lead the project team to develop and implement the activity’s PMP in coordination with the COP, DCOP, other technical staff, partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Lead the project team in preparing quarterly and annual reports for submission to USAID.
• Lead the development of any special studies or operational research in accordance with international standards and EngenderHealth’s Standard Operating Procedures.
• Support routine annual work planning and oversee target-setting.
• Ensure that reporting on all program indicators is carried out accurately and in a timely manner.
• Use data to inform adaptive management and decision-making for the activity.
• Where practical and feasible, facilitate learning events with host country government, regional bodies, and external partners.
• Promote and disseminate program results, lessons learned, and success stories through various fora (e.g., national and international conferences, technical briefs, peer-reviewed publications).