Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning Manager at Africa Youth Growth Foundation

Job Summary

• As a member of the AYGF Nigeria’s senior management team, the MERL manager will be responsible for providing technical leadership to capture project performance results and provide effective, accurate and timely monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the Malaria project activities in Nigeria.
• The MERL manager will work closely with the MEAL and other technical teams to design, implement and supervise project activities, ensuring that lessons learned are integrated into program implementation to continuously improve quality of interventions and outcomes.
• The MERL Manager will be responsible for documenting and disseminating program successes and challenges to the AYGF project leadership team.

Technical Contributions 40%:

• Plan and implement M&E activities in the approved work plan under the guidance of the Project Director and National MEAL
• Serve as the focal person for all monitoring and evaluation related work for the project within the state.
• Ensure high quality data are available on a regular and timely basis for programmatic decision making
• Manage the information-gathering process for results and performance reports, in addition to other briefings, summaries, papers, presentations etc.
• Coordinate the documentation of Malaria activities in form of reports and ensure proper archiving of such for easy access and reference
• Develop a robust monitoring plan for quantitative and qualitative reporting on project performance indicators.
• Contribute to work plans, sub agreements, budgets, pipelines, technical reports, and deliverables.
• Routinely monitor project performance against targets and prepare periodic reports on M&E activities for the Malaria Project.
• Provide technical support for routine data collection and management including IT applications for data transfer

Research (15%):

• Participate in project assessments, evaluations and design including development of survey protocols
• Lead the design, development, set up and maintenance of project databases, including real time research data collection tools and systems in close coordination with relevant AYGF staff and consultants
• Participate in project design including development of survey protocols and advise project staff in the design, implementation and analysis of surveys
• Support project staff in the implementation of M&E and research data collection activities
• Ensure beneficiary satisfaction survey is conducted and results analysed and data use for decision making

Program Management (10%):

• Support SMoH staff with coordinating program management activities, by ensuring that the recommended coordination meetings hold at the LGA and state levels.
• Work closely with the state and LGA Ministry of Health staff to ensure that reports are obtained from all health facilities and quality of data is produced on the project
• Participate in the State TWG meeting on Malaria
• Participate in regular monitoring and supervisory visits to the Malaria Project-supported health facilities, and ensure that action plans are developed for identified gaps.
• Conduct review meetings and continuous Quality Improvement meetings with National/ state team and local staff

Accountability (10%):

• Support program staff to engage in monitoring and evaluating program’s performance and to incorporate participatory methods into M&E systems.
• Support the development and implementation of feedback and response channels to reflect the preferences of community members and beneficiaries.
• Ensure that beneficiary feedback is adequately documented, addressed, analysed, and utilized by program teams.

Knowledge Management and Learning (10%):

• Ensure that state M&E and program teams regularly review and accordingly adjust M&E plans and tools in the light of changes and needs in the field context based on monitoring data and reflection sessions.
• Support learning-to-action events and reflection sessions to systematically analyse data for programmatic use for the state, and to document and incorporate lessons learned into program design and implementation.
• Conduct regular data review and analysis for feedback to states for program improvement, and for updates to National Level.
• Support program staff in key activities including development of a learning agenda, organizing regular learning events, supporting operations research, and reflecting, documentation, and communication of learning initiatives.
• Support knowledge management systems and practices to gather, document and share best practices with project team, AYGF country office and technical partners.
• Collaborate with M&E and program staff to develop learning briefs, project bulletins and other materials for dissemination.

Representation and Network (10%):

• Participate in events/ meetings related to Monitoring, Evaluation and research, including quarterly review meetings.
• Develop and maintain relationships with NMEP, the State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and relevant Ministry of Health officials, to stay abreast of and be involved in developments related to M&E and the health management information system

Capacity development (5%)

• Work with the Project Manager and other AYGF staff to develop training or capacity development plans related to M&E and implement them as necessary
• Support M&E training planning and rollout at the state level