Country MEL Manager at Morgan Consultancy Services

Job ID.: NIG CMELM 202106
Job Type: Fixed Term
Level: Technical
Department: Technical 
Length of contract: 2 years
Role type: National
Grade: 10
Travel involved: 40% in-country
Child safeguarding level: 2, moderate risk
Reporting to: Senior Country Technical Coordinator
Indirect reports: Project M&E Leads

Organizational background

• Malaria Consortium is one of the world's leading non-profit organisations dedicated to the
• comprehensive control of malaria and other communicable diseases in Africa and Southeast Asia.
• Malaria Consortium works with communities, government and non-government agencies,
• academic institutions, and local and international organisations, to ensure good evidence supports
• delivery of effective services, providing technical support for monitoring and evaluation of
• programmes and activities for evidence-based decision-making and strategic planning. The
• organisation works to improve not only the health of the individual but also the capacity of
• national health systems, which helps relieve poverty and support improved economic prosperity.

Job purpose

• The post holder shall take leadership in development and oversight for a country MEL system
• which includes design, coordination, database management, data analysis, and interpretation,
• quality assurance and quality improvement. The post holder will be responsible for managing PReS
• and reporting on the organizational strategic objectives as well as providing MEL technical
• oversight for all programs and projects in the Nigeria Office portfolio.
• Scope of work
• The position holder will lead the development and institutionalization of a country MEL framework
• and support project MEAL Specialists to ensure all core MEL requirements (e.g. log frame, M&E
• Plan) is in place at the start of each project. He/she will be responsible for generating quarterly
• bulletins from PReS, summarizing project-specific progress (against targets) as well as reporting
• overall country progress against global strategic objectives. S/he will also provide technical support
• to and build the capacity of project MEAL Specialists to ensure data quality as well as guide the
• harmonization of MEL approaches across the country portfolio. The position holder shall also
• contribute to Malaria Consortium’s knowledge management activities through participation in
• MEL working groups and communities of practice; provide expert technical inputs in data
• management, analysis, interpretation of findings and writing of progress and scientific reports.
• Key relationships
• The Country MEL Manager will report to the SCTC and work closely with other members of
• the CO technical and management teams.
• Project MEAL Specialists/Managers will have dotted lines to this role to determine
• MEL needs, develop support plans and build its capacity
• Others include Malaria Consortium Global M&E, Research, and business development
• teams.

Key accountabilities

• Strategic contributions (30%)
• Identify and implement approaches and methodologies to strengthen internal MEAL capacity
• Champion the tracking and reporting of country office progress against strategic objectives
• and targets on Malaria Consortium’s Projects Results in System (PReS) and be the country
• the focal point for PReS
• Serve as the country focal point for data integrity and other national data compliance
• regulations
• Lead the development and improvements in the value-for-money approach, as well as the
• regular use of the information for project management
• Lead quality improvement and quality assurance processes for country projects and
• programmes MEL frameworks.
• Work closely with the National Malaria Elimination Programme and other relevant
• counterparts in the FMoH to ensure that the country MEL system is compliant with
• government data ownership and management issues
• Lead the writing or the review of the MEL sections in technical proposals
• M&E Technical leadership and oversight (50%)
• Work with the senior CTC to provide technical support to Malaria Consortium portfolio of
• projects in the area of design, implementation and interpretation of MEL frameworks.
• Support the projects in the development of M&E plans and standard operating procedures
• for project M&E
• Contribute to the design of data collection tools and database systems for the entry,
• storage and retrieval of epidemiological data
• Provide technical guidance for monitoring of data quality and supervision activities for
• projects
• Work with SCTC and project MEAL leads to provide capacity building for relevant technical
• staff across the portfolio of projects in the area of monitoring and evaluation, and learning
• to strengthen the adaptive management capabilities of the country team
• The post holder should provide technical assistance to projects in terms of MEL, working
• closely with the organizational M&E team
• Develop relevant databases and ensure they are maintained and comply with
• organizational policies and standards as well as host the project portfolio and support
• donor reporting and reporting into PReS
• Provide technical assistance in the analysis and interpretation of results from surveys
• conducted and surveillance systems
• Act as one of the M&E CoP core members and ensure participation and engagement with
• the monthly M&E CoP calls
• Foster data-to-action culture and upskilling data analytical, visualization, interpretational
• skills among the project team.
• Learning and Knowledge Management (20%)
• Lead cross-project learning initiatives and facilitate the knowledge transfer/cross-pollination
• Document cross-project/programme achievements and proactively share through various
• channels such as written country program updates, learning papers and peer-reviewed
• journals.
• Contribute to Malaria Consortium cross-project knowledge management content and
• strategy at national, regional and global levels
• Contribute to on-going cross project operational research and preparation of dissemination
• products across the portfolio of projects 
• Represent MC in relevant malaria technical sub-committees, relevant workshops,
• conferences and other meetings, as agreed with senior CTC.

Person Specification
Qualifications and experience:
Essential:

• A post-graduate degree in statistics, epidemiology, or similar.
• Extensive post-qualification experience at a professional level
• Extensive experience in project/ programme monitoring and evaluation and learning
• Research experience in malaria epidemiology and control.
• Field experience in communicable disease control in a Sub-Saharan African country.
• Experience in design, implementation and analysis of household surveys.
• Advanced knowledge of statistical and data management software, especially Stata, SPSS,
• CSpro and EpiData.
• Experience in qualitative study design, data collection methods and data analysis using
• relevant data analysis software like AtlasTi, Nvivo etc.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of mathematical modelling of infectious diseases.
• Familiar with the Nigeria Health system
• Work-based skills

Essential:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to prepare reports using results data
• Ability to develop lessons learning outputs from programmatic results
• Working knowledge of DHIS2
• Advanced skills in the use of Microsoft Office software.
• Advanced statistical analytical skills

Desirable:

• Skills in database programming for field surveys, especially using PDAs.
• Demonstrable skills in manuscript writing for peer-reviewed journals
• Skills in GIS mapping

Core competencies:
Delivering results:
LEVEL C – Supports others to achieve results:

• Displays a positive and enthusiastic approach and is not deterred by setbacks, finding alternative ways to reach goals or targets
• Supports others to plan and deliver results
• Supports others to manage and cope with setbacks

Analysis and use of information:
LEVEL C - Works confidently with complex data to support work:

• Interprets complex written information
• Works confidently with data before making decisions, for example; interpreting trends, issues and risks
• Acquainted with the validity, relevance, and limitations of different sources of evidence

Interpersonal and communications:
LEVEL C - Adapts communications effectively:

• Tailors communication (content, style, and medium) to diverse audiences
• Communicates equally effectively at all organizational levels
• Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns, and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations
• Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

Collaboration and partnering:
LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks:

• Builds strong networks internally
• Participates actively in external networks and/or think tanks
• Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
• Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and motivating people:
LEVEL C - Effectively leads and motivates others or direct reports:

• Gives regular, timely and appropriate feedback
• Acknowledges good performance and deals with issues concerning poor performance
• Carries out staff assessment and development activities conscientiously and effectively
• Develop the skills and competence of others through the development and application of skills
• Coaches and supports team members when they have difficulties

Flexibility/ adaptability:
LEVEL C - Supports others to cope with pressure Clarifies priorities and ensures learning from
experience:

• Responds positively to change, embracing and using new practices or values to accomplish
• goals and solve problems and supports others to do the same
• Adapts team approach, goals, and methods to achieve solutions and results in dynamic situations
• Sets realistic deadlines and goals for self or team

Living the values:
LEVEL C - Supports others to live Malaria Consortium’s values:

• Demonstrates personal integrity by using role position responsibly and fairly
• Cultivates an open culture within the wider team, promoting accountability, responsibility, and respect for individual differences

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:
LEVEL C - Keeps up to date with the internal and external environment:

• Takes into account economic, political and other business factors when drawing up medium
• and long-term plans, covering both public and private sectors
• Looks beyond the immediate operations to prospects for new business
• Engages with appropriate internal and external sources to establish major influences on future plans.

Benefits / Salary

• Competitive
• National benefits