Overview:
The Director, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning provides guidance and strategic direction in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (hereby ‘MERL’) and provides expertise in the strengthening of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning systems, and contributes to performance improvement of the USAID Medicines, Technologies and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program. In day-to-day work, the incumbent will focus on the development and implementation of a comprehensive set of activities to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of MTaPS; oversee knowledge management; reporting; research and learning; as well as effective data use in managing the program.
The successful candidate will oversee program teams in their monitoring, evaluation, learning, research, and reporting activities and contributes to and participates actively in the development and implementation of project-wide strategies in fulfillment of the MTaPS’ mandates. The incumbent will also participate in project management and performance improvement by providing timely monitoring and evaluation data, tailored reports, and strategic inputs for the strengthening of pharmaceutical management systems.
This position is part of the MTaPS Senior Management Team and will report to the MTaPS Program Director.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic and technical leadership for MERL across the MTaPS program, including supervision of the MERL team, to ensure quality M&E, KM, reporting and the learning and research agenda, including performance improvement.
- Lead the development and execution of the MTaPS’ comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and Plan.
- Provide strategic and technical oversight for the maintenance of the project management database (DevResults) to ensure timely, transparent, and accurate capture, analysis, visualization and dissemination of project implementation data.
- Provide strategic and technical leadership for the analysis and use of data from routine information systems and special surveys to influence the design and scope of the program, including ensuring that data are appropriately displayed in dashboards using various graphics and geo-spatial displays.
- Provide strategic and technical leadership knowledge management and learning activities to support effective and compliant reporting of results and lessons learned and dissemination of programmatic impacts and knowledge products.
- Oversee the development of quarterly, annual and adhoc reports and ensures reporting quality and compliance
- Provide strategic and technical leadership on data quality assurance strategies and ensure systems are in place, in collaboration with the DevResults Team, to ensure high quality data is generated
- Provide strategic and technical leadership for the development and implementation of the project’s research agenda
- Meet and communicate regularly with project staff to discuss the status of ongoing MERL work and provide briefings on new developments, coaching and technical support.
- Provide direct technical assistance in MERL as required, including the design and implementation of assessments and evaluations.
- Contribute to the preparation of technical reports and communications products to reflect MERL results.
- Contribute to the development of strategies and project multi-year and annual work plans to identify and meet the technical needs of MTaPS activities in M&E, knowledge management and research.
- Provide direction and supervision of staff as needed
Education
Master’s Degree or equivalent is required, in the fields of Pharmacy, Public Health, Supply Chain Management and Logistics, Statistics, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, International Development, Human Development or related field.
Doctoral degree preferred.
Education in Pharmaceutical sciences or medicine preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of Eight years’ experience in MERL, including experience in large scale projects in multiple countries with a health system strengthening component.
- Demonstrated experience in areas related to pharmaceutical systems strengthening highly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse teams in developing country locations and to produce results within specific timeframes while meeting deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills. Demonstrated experience managing a team of professionals and excellent management, leadership interpersonal, team and problem-solving skills
- Extensive experience in the use of mixed measurement methods required for monitoring and evaluation of public health programs with a health system strengthening component.
- Fluency in French preferred.
- Proven track record of successful working relationships with USAID required
- Highly developed English-language writing and presentation skills.
- Experience using statistical software packages such as EpiInfo, SAS, SPSS, or Stata for data analysis and modeling. Familiarity and experience in use of DevResults desirable
- Strong scientific and technical writing skills.