Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, and Learning (MERL) Director

at  Jhpiego

Overview:

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting (MERL) Director will provide technical leadership, oversight and strategic direction for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities for the USAID-funded RISE project which is supporting South Africa’s preparedness for future pandemics and infectious disease consequences. South Africa is central to a regional coordinated response and support in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), focused on WHO Priority Infections of pandemic potential. This position may support other projects both in-country, and as support for other Jhpiego countries. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Leading the development of an M&E system to capture high-quality, relevant and timely data for programmatic decision-making;
• Improving the quality of interventions and outcomes and
• Measures project impact,
• leading provincial data quality audits;
• building capacity of DOH counterparts and colleagues,
• designing and conducting program evaluations and contributing to documenting and disseminating project successes and challenges to the donor.
• Strengthening digital health platforms that prevent, detect and respond to pandemics.

The M&E Director will also align project indicators and M&E systems to the District Health Management Information System (DHMIS) and national and provincial departments of health (N/PDOH) priorities. S/he will supervise and manage other M&E personnel including M&E Officers, M&E Assistants, Senior Data Clerks and Data Clerks and closely collaborate with management and technical colleagues to foster a culture of data use for decision-making, including leading monthly data review meetings.

Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and direction on M&ERL to support the RISE project in achieving its goals and corresponding objectives and targets
• Lead development of the project logic model, results framework, M&E plan, data flow loops, work plan and budget, including selecting indicators and setting targets
• Design, implement and supervise M&E activities and trainings, baseline and end line assessments, data quality assessments, and any program evaluations
• Oversee support for digital health activities
• Work closely with subrecipients to ensure complete and accurate reporting and task completion
• Lead monthly data review meetings to use data to contribute to strategic decision-making and project planning in close collaboration with project management and technical staff
• In collaboration with the Country Director, program staff and the ME&RL Unit, support development of proposals or other business development opportunities.
• Create various learning platforms for the organisation and institutional memory through the documentation of key lessons learnt.
• Contribute to annual work planning.
• Document, write progress reports (monthly, quarterly and annual reports), and disseminate program-related data. Liaise with other business units to ensure a timely submission of progress reports.
• Collaborate on the writing of relevant data-driven abstracts and manuscripts for publication.
• Support research and other program data collection activities
• Responsible for entering relevant data into donor databases as part of official mandatory project reporting
• Enhance systems for routine data collection and M&E feedback to Technical Advisors, South African government, USAID, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure high-quality implementation of M&E activities, consistent with PEPFAR and South Africa national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information and reporting systems
• Work with financial staff to manage M&E budget
• Represent Jhpiego in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations and cultivate relationships and liaise with other USAID implementing partners and MOH colleagues

• Support the implementation of other program activities as needed.Ensure protection of participant data and confidentiality during any IRB process and implementation of study

Required Qualifications:

• At least a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, public health, information sciences or statistics
• 10+ years’ experience leading M&E activities in the health sector.
• Advanced degree in public health, demography, statistics, social sciences or related field or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated experience conducting data quality assessments, data analysis and presentation, and reporting, including proficiency with one or more statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, Stata, Epi Info, MS Access)and Microsoft Office
• Ability to coach, mentor and develop technical capacity of colleagues and partners, with a preference for additional experience hiring and supervising M&E staff
• Strong management, coordination, teamwork and planning skills with a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with donors, government partners and other key stakeholders
• Expertise in research/program evaluation preferred
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills in English
• Familiarity with South Africa DHMIS and USAID reporting preferred
• Ability and willingness to travel nationally 30% of time

Preferred Qualifications:
Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.
Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

• Provide leadership and direction on M&ERL to support the RISE project in achieving its goals and corresponding objectives and targets
• Lead development of the project logic model, results framework, M&E plan, data flow loops, work plan and budget, including selecting indicators and setting targets
• Design, implement and supervise M&E activities and trainings, baseline and end line assessments, data quality assessments, and any program evaluations
• Oversee support for digital health activities
• Work closely with subrecipients to ensure complete and accurate reporting and task completion
• Lead monthly data review meetings to use data to contribute to strategic decision-making and project planning in close collaboration with project management and technical staff
• In collaboration with the Country Director, program staff and the ME&RL Unit, support development of proposals or other business development opportunities.
• Create various learning platforms for the organisation and institutional memory through the documentation of key lessons learnt.
• Contribute to annual work planning.
• Document, write progress reports (monthly, quarterly and annual reports), and disseminate program-related data. Liaise with other business units to ensure a timely submission of progress reports.
• Collaborate on the writing of relevant data-driven abstracts and manuscripts for publication.
• Support research and other program data collection activities
• Responsible for entering relevant data into donor databases as part of official mandatory project reporting
• Enhance systems for routine data collection and M&E feedback to Technical Advisors, South African government, USAID, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure high-quality implementation of M&E activities, consistent with PEPFAR and South Africa national monitoring and evaluation guidelines, protocols, information and reporting systems
• Work with financial staff to manage M&E budget
• Represent Jhpiego in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations and cultivate relationships and liaise with other USAID implementing partners and MOH colleagues
• Support the implementation of other program activities as needed.Ensure protection of participant data and confidentiality during any IRB process and implementation of stud