Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Principal Technical Advisor at Management Sciences For Health - MSH

Overall Responsibilities:

The MEL Principal Advisor works under the direction and supervision of the MEL Lead on the Strategic Information (SI) Team. They support the MEL Lead in the accomplishment of MEL functions related to supply chain and pharmaceutical strengthening activities, including but not limited to the following:  

• Leads the development and implementation of MEL plans and systems, with a focus on using data to strengthen projects and decision making.
• Develops or facilitates the development of project learning agendas.
• Develops and tracks indicators through dashboards and other compelling data visualizations.
• Participates in and oversees data quality assurance processes.
• Helps prepare for and participates in routine project technical performance reviews.
• Contributes to the compilation, analysis, and documentation of aggregated results at output and outcome levels and contribution to long-term health impact from the portfolio of MSH projects.
• Leads review or writing of MEL sections of proposals, including developing Theories of Change and thought leadership on MEL methods.
• Brings a data-driven approach to supporting projects with knowledge management and learning activities.
• Promotes and facilitates a culture of data use for decision making and adaptive management within projects and across the organization.
• Contributes to MEL team strategy, thought leadership, and annual planning.

Specific responsibilities include:

MEL Project Support (80%)

Serves as SI Liaison to PSS/SCMS projects, including:

• Foster an environment where data-driven decision making is prioritized.
• Provide direct project support to in MEL throughout the project lifecycle, including developing and implementing MEL plans, ensuring data quality, promoting data use, actively monitoring work plan implementation, and building the capacity of project teams.
• Strategically guide field projects (especially pharmaceutic sciences focused ones) in the areas of MEL and HMIS, providing expert advice and support to ensure the effective implementation of monitoring, evaluation, and data management activities.
• Collaborate with teams to contribute to work planning and budgeting for MEL activities within field projects and at the home office level.
• Undertake additional duties as assigned within the domains of expertise in Strategic Information.

Organizational Initiatives (20%)

• Contribute to SI guidance documents.
• Participate in Scientific Committee reviews
• Support business development and proposal teams in designing robust MEL approaches that align with programmatic rationale and technical approaches.
• Contribute to other SI Team activities as requested

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

Required:

• Master’s Degree in pharmacy, public health, or other related field (e.g., population health, epidemiology, biostatistics, demography)

Preferred:

• Doctoral degree in a related MEL or public health discipline preferred.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 12 years of related experience in MEL, with a strong focus in MEL for pharmaceutical system strengthening or supply chain.
• Significant experience providing MEL support to large, complex global health projects implemented in low-resource settings, including designing and supervising MEL plans at the project level and managing MEL staff.
• Hands-on experience in designing and delivering face-to-face and virtual workshops, including learning agendas, theory of change, research ethics, protocol and instrument development, and approaches to enhancing utilization of MEL findings.
• Experience leading and mentoring on data management and analysis (quantitative and qualitative).
• Strong experience in designing and developing MEL systems at the proposal development stage and implementing the MEL system during the project. This includes developing the overall project MEL approach and MEL plan, developing performance monitoring plans and any tools and/or approaches needed for data collection and analysis, and providing capacity building to MEL staff,
• Full proficiency in English

Preferred:

• Full proficiency in French.
• Experience developing MEL guidance documents to guide MEL at the organizational level.
• Experience providing MEL mentorship.
• Experience living and working in LMICs.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Advanced evaluation and study design skills, including complexity-aware monitoring.
• Advanced skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis for international/global health projects, especially supply chain and pharmaceutical system strengthening.
• Proven skills in at least one statistical package software for quantitative data analysis (SPSS, STATA, R, etc.).
• Experience with at least one statistical package software for qualitative data analysis (Nvivo, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, etc).
• Experience with designing and implementing electronic surveys is desirable.
• Understanding of and experience using HMIS databases (especially DHIS2) and understanding the value of interoperability.
• Experience writing and presenting research results.
• Familiarity with USAID indicators and metrics in specific content areas.
• Enjoys learning and teaching. A team player and a self-starter who can use her/his own initiative to identify useful work.

COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with professional colleagues from multiple units and within various socio-cultural contexts.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with and/or managing staff in a matrixed organization.
• Excellent writing, analytical, organizational and communications skills including organizing, scanning, summarizing and presenting information
• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment and working under tight deadlines.  
• Demonstrated competence to assess priorities and solve problems using innovative, evidence-based solutions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Travel requirements: 20-30%
• Keyboard use, Pulling drawers,
• Lifting papers <10lbs.