The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team provides support in M&E and Learning to MSH projects worldwide. MEL needs additional workforce to be able to meet all its requests for support, especially for French speaking countries. The objective of this consultancy is to provide surge support for specific occasional tasks (specific technical products and concept note to be developed or data to be analyzed) and during reporting period to support in data analysis, report writing and reviews.
Overall Responsibilities
The MERL Consultant leads activities in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) conducted by the MEL team. S/he uses a client-centered approach, serving MSH projects in francophone countries so they design and implement state-of-the-art MERL systems and activities, use information for decision making, improve performance, and maximize and measure health impact. The MERL consultant participates in the strengthening of local (national) MEL systems, actively supports the Implementation/Operational Research portfolio of MSH, and supports areas of collaboration across the three Strategic Information (SI) teams: MEL, Knowledge Management (KM), and Data and Digital Health (DDH). The position reports to the MEL team lead, and coordinates with the KM and DDH team leads. Strategic oversight and review will be provided by the SI lead as needed.
Technical Support in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning
- Participate in developing the culture of data use for decision making within the organization.
- Develop, manage, and enhance MSH MERL systems and activities, including through the development of standards and guidance, and enhancing data use for decision making.
- Provide direct support to selected field projects in MERL throughout the project life cycle, including developing and implementing M&E plans, ensuring data quality, ensuring data use, actively monitoring work plan implementation activities, strengthening the capacity of teams, supporting reporting process and development of other technical products, etc.
- Strategically guide field projects in the areas of MERL.
- Build capacity of MSH staff (in-country and home office) in MERL.
Technical Lead in Implementation/Operational Research
- Develop capacity of MSH staff in designing, conceptualizing, and conducting implementation and/or operational research (IR/OR) in technical areas of priority and relevance to MSH projects.
- Work with technical teams in developing IR/OR priority agendas for technical areas of relevance to MSH technical groups and projects.
- Work with technical teams and researchers to ensure adherence to MSH’s policy for protection of human subjects participating in applied research conducted by MSH.
- Develop and implement effective dissemination approaches for applied research findings for strengthening their use in project implementation, performance improvement, and evidence-based policy development and implementation.
- Perform statistical analyses (quantitative and qualitative).
- Serve as PI or co-PI for studies.
Deliverables/Milestones
- Participate in all orientation sessions organized by MSH on MSH and the two projects to be supported.
- Demonstrated delivery of technical support to two projects in updating several key MEL documents (such as Learning and DQA strategy). Final version of the documents.
- Develop at least 3 learning products documenting projects’ lessons learned and associated dissemination materials.
- Demonstrated support in the reporting process for both projects, including but not limited to data analysis, report section drafting, report review with suggestions and track changes.
Required Minimum Education:
Required:
- Master’s Degree in Public Health, Sciences, or Statistics
Preferred:
- PhD in a similar field and/or major in Health Information Systems
Experience:
Required:
- At least 8 years of related experience.
Preferred:
- At least 2 years living and working in an LMIC.
Knowledge and Skills:
Required:
- Sound understanding of the status of MER systems and practices in low and middle income countries (LMICs).
- Demonstrated capacity to develop, manage, and enhance MER and learning systems and activities in LMICs throughout the project life cycle, with proven experience to assess and propose development plans and deliver direct technical assistance to strengthen MER teams and systems in LMICs.
- Experience with global level health projects in MER and in KM, and working as part of an integrated support team.
- Experience with developing MERL sections of technical products.
- Expertise in Implementation/Operational Research in LMIC (design, IRB approval, data collection, analysis, budgeting, reporting writing, abstracts, papers, etc.)
- Expertise in data management systems such as Excel and MS Access.
- Experience living or working in developing countries to understand program context, field realities, and technical needs.
- Excellent writing, analytical, organizational and communications skills, including organizing, scanning, summarizing and presenting information.
- Demonstrated time management skills.
- Enjoys learning; a team player and a self-starter who can use her/his own initiative to identify useful work.
- Fluency in English and French (written and oral) required.
Preferred:
- Understanding of how M&E links with HMIS
- Proven skills in statistical package software for quantitative data analysis (SPSS, STATA, R, etc.), and in qualitative data analysis (NVivo, ATLAS. ti, etc.)
- Demonstrated knowledge of DHIS2, functionality, configuration, and technical programming.
How to apply
Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Consultant (myworkdayjobs.com)