Measurement and Learning Specialist (Asia) (Flexible location where Helen Keller has a presence in Asia: Cambodia; Bangladesh; Nepal; or Philippines. At Helen Keller International

Helen Keller

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Measurement and Learning Specialist (Asia)

(Flexible location where Helen Keller has a presence in Asia:

Cambodia; Bangladesh; Nepal; or Philippines.

Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

Helen Keller is seeking a Measurement and Learning Specialist to provide expert technical guidance and mentorship to project staff in our Asia country offices. The Specialist will be responsible for the overarching quality of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) activities across the Asia country offices and participate in senior level consultation regarding the management of the assigned portfolio of projects.

This will be a local hire position based in one of Helen Keller’s Asia country offices—Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, or the Philippines. Compensation and benefits will be tied to the local salary scale and local terms and conditions, while also recognizing the scope of responsibility of this position.

Functional Relationships

The Specialist is a member of the global technical support team, with a portfolio that focuses on our projects in Asia. Reporting to the Technical Advisor and Technical Coordinator (Asia), the position will work closely with all members of the global program team supporting projects, as well as with management, finance and compliance professionals, as needed. The position may be called upon to lead or participate in a variety of working groups and management coordination teams.

The Specialist will also work closely with the Country Directors and the M&E team in each country and/or project. The position may co-supervise senior country office project staff within his/her assigned portfolio. Helen Keller has a matrixed reporting structure. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork among colleagues, both hierarchically and laterally are essential to make this structure thrive.

Helen Keller’s programs require close relations with governments, partner universities and NGOs, private industry, donors, and UN agencies. The Specialist will represent Helen Keller at relevant external meetings.

Scope of Work

The Specialist provides technical support, and mentorship to country teams in all aspects of designing and implementing performance monitoring systems, including system architecture and data flows, and manages national staff in partnership with local managers. The Specialist also leads special studies, assessments, and evaluations, in partnership with field teams.

As a member of the global support team, the Specialist supports nuanced analysis of project data to better inform the support offered to the in-country teams. Using both routine program data and data from special initiatives, the Specialist advises field and global support teams on data analysis and visualization, coaching staff to tell stories with their data. Once learnings have been generated, the Specialist guides teams in how to adapt their programming to improve performance. The Specialist also has a significant role in new business development and proposal writing.

Specific Responsibilities

The Measurement and Learning Specialist position has three primary areas of responsibility:

1. Oversee technical quality for program measurement for continuous learning and adaptation

a. Work closely with country office management staff and M&E team in each country/project to provide technical guidance to ensure effective design and planning of performance monitoring frameworks and activity monitoring and evaluation workplans.

b. Mentor country M&E teams in the full life-cycle of implementing project monitoring and evaluation workplans (i.e. from development of performance indicator reference sheets to baseline data collection, to routine data collection, to intermittent pause and reflect sessions, to final evaluation).

c. Guide implementation teams to conduct routine data quality reviews and put in place data quality improvement plans. Facilitate pause and reflect sessions with country teams to learn from data and adjust programming as needed.

d. Encourage an M&E culture of ‘*data for decision-making*’ with regional and country colleagues to foster the use of information generated for program management, quality and performance improvement, and advocacy.

e. Coordinate with MER and technical area leads across Helen Keller to develop and implement new tools, standards, and guidance for use by country offices, and support the roll out across country offices.

f. Connect country M&E teams to additional support, resources, and experts, as needed.

g. Incorporate findings and learnings into program approaches.

h. Guide and mentor staff in the preparation of technical presentations and reports, scientific abstracts, and peer-reviewed publications.

2. Provide technical and other support for business development and external relations

a. Assist in the identification and pursuit of new program initiatives, including operations research, surveys, and cost-effectiveness studies. When needed, support or lead technical writing of proposals.

b. As needed, support the technical writing of proposal monitoring and evaluation sections, including appropriate indicator selection.

c. Support multi-country and country program teams to adopt program/project management formats consistent with Minimum Program Standards. Specifically, this includes:

i. development of program impact pathways and theories of change;

ii. design of overall MER system that meets the information needs of program managers, donors and other stakeholders.

iii. design of quality assurance procedures and tools; formative supervision tools; design of surveys including sampling and questionnaires; and

iv. ensuring that monitoring data is used by project managers to further strengthen implementation.

d. Assist country offices to collect data and evaluate and analyze programs in order to develop innovative, evidence-based strategies that address the real problem.

e. Assist program teams in the accurate and timely reporting of program results.

f. Share information across countries and expand lessons learned to other countries where Helen Keller has programs.

g. Coordinate closely with colleagues to ensure that Helen Keller is represented at key international and regional fora with donors, governments and other agencies.

3. Provide global technical support in specific areas of strategic importance for the organization

a. Surveys and Research

i. Provide technical assistance to support country and multi-country programs in design of programs/projects, their related M&E aspects, and operations research and ensure that the quality, impact, scale and cost-effectiveness of these programs meet HKI standards.

ii. Develop and/or backstop country office-led research and evaluation activities, as well as the preparation of abstracts and journal articles.

b. Digital health and health information systems

i. As a member of the global program team, expand Helen Keller’s institutional capacities in digital health approaches. Develop a strategy for growth in health information systems, expanding use of mobile or wireless technologies or mobile software applications to support health system effectiveness and accountability.

ii. Work closely with clients, partners, and relevant internal colleagues to identify opportunities to improve health systems through the effective use of national health information systems and digital health solutions.

c. Other work

i. As a member of the global program team, participate in strategic planning and direction setting for our programs, lending your unique perspective and expertise to the process.

ii. Participate in international work groups as assigned to develop global policies and/or optimize systems and procedures.

iii. Model collaboration for your matrixed team: effectively consult and inform colleagues to maximize efficiency and knowledge sharing and integrate guidance and direction from subject matter experts in your department and elsewhere in the global organization to maximize performance.

iv. Work with program colleagues on strategic quality improvement initiatives within the portfolio and monitor progress.

v. Mentor indirect reports and engage in regular peer to peer performance conversations.

vi. Contribute to recruitment and ongoing supervision and evaluation of program staff in assigned portfolio and contribute to an atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development.

Approximately 25% international travel is anticipated to provide technical assistance to country programs; for meetings with donors and implementing partners; and to attend global scientific and technical meetings.

Qualifications

· Graduate degree in public health, international health, or related field, plus minimum of eight years of progressively responsible international measurement, evaluation, and research experience for large and complex projects, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

· Experience in measurement, evaluation, and learning in a broad range of technical areas across the public health spectrum (e.g. nutrition, food security, agriculture, maternal, neonatal, and child health; health systems strengthening).

· Ability to clearly communicate data insights through data visualizations, interactive charts, and dashboards.

· Experience managing collaboration and technical assistance for complex projects.

· Experience with Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches.

· Experience with digital and real-time measurement systems preferred.

· Experienced in research design, implementation, and oversight.

· Experience leading development of technical reports and peer-reviewed publications.

· Highly computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft software products, including strong Excel skills, required; use of data analysis software such as STATA is preferred.

· Oral and written proficiency in English is required.

· Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening skills, the ability to communicate effectively across cultures, to negotiate effectively with internal and external colleagues.

· Ability to prioritize workload, assume responsibility for work, and follow through to completion.

· Ability and willingness to work under pressure with a positive attitude, as a part of a global team. Collaborative, flexible and solution-oriented.

· Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

· Ability to perform duties that require very close attention to detail and synthesize large amounts of information effectively.

· Demonstrable respect for all persons regardless of religion, ethnicity, class or gender, with a high comfort level working in a diverse environment with a demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards.

· Commitment to Helen Keller Intl’s work and mission.

· Ability and willingness to flex work hours to accommodate multiple time zones.

· Ability to undertake international travel (approximately 25%) once conditions allow.