Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL), NPI EXPAND 307 views

Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL), NPI EXPAND

Company
Overview

Palladium is a global
leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the
intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with
foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil
society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting
social, environmental and financial benefits. 

For the past 50 years,
we have been making Positive Impact possible. With a team of more than 2,500
employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of more than
35,000 technical experts, Palladium has improved – and is committed to
continuing to improve – economies, societies and most importantly, people’s
lives. 

Palladium is a
child-safe organization, and screens applicants for suitability to work with
children. We also provide equal employment to all participants and employees
without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual
orientation, veteran or marital status. 

NPI EXPAND New
Partners for Better Health (NPI EXPAND) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented
by Palladium with funding from USAID. NPI EXPAND is currently working in nine
countries. The project has three key result areas:

1. Organizational sustainability of new and underutilized local entities of locally established partners strengthened.
   
2. Utilization of high-quality, high-impact FP/RH and MCH services, information, and supplies expanded.
   
3. Promising and innovative FP/RH and MCH approaches scaled up through new and underutilized partnerships for increased sustainability.
   

NPI EXPAND aims to
increase the availability and utilization of high-quality health services
through the achievement of the three key result areas mentioned above.

Project
Overview and Role

Palladium’s Health
Community of Practice is dedicated to strengthening equitable health systems.
By working in collaboration with health ministries, regulators, the private
sector, civil society, we deliver innovative, scalable, and sustainable health
programs that bring lasting solutions to the most pressing public health challenges
of our day. We equip decision-makers with evidence to inform policy
development, direct limited resources for greatest impact, secure new sources
of healthcare financing, and build a healthcare environment that fosters
collaboration across the public and private sectors.

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Manager provides
technical support to the NPI EXPAND project in the development and
implementation of robust and feasible MERL approaches for project activities.
The MERL Manager has the primary responsibility for developing and implementing
a comprehensive MERL system conducive to strong performance of NPI EXPAND,
including monitoring and reporting of results, and applied research for the
learning agenda of the project. 

The MERL Manager
should have some experience in MERL activities for capacity strengthening
programs and organizational assessments, including the standard Organizational
Capacity Assessment, NUPAS or Organizational Performance Index (OPI). The MERL
Manager is a full-time position and will report directly to the Project
Director. The MERL Manager will supervise a MERL/Thought Leadership Associate,
and will also coordinate closely with country field teams and home office
support staff.    

Primary
Duties and Responsibilities 

Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Provide technical support to program staff
  in the development of workplans for country activities  including the development of theories of
  change,, results frameworks, logical frameworks, MEL plans,  including selection of performance
  indicators, and learning agendas
  
• Update the Global MEL plan annually to ensure
  alignment with the project workplan  
  
• Provide technical oversight and guidance
  to  country projects in the implementation
  of MEL plans in alignment with approved workplans and scopes of work for
  country project activities
  
• Lead the development/refinement of global
  and country level MEL systems for data collection, compilation, analysis, and
  reporting including data management and quality assurance procedures
  
• Track program data on a monthly basis for
  all indicators included in the core MEL plan and display results using data
  visualization tools to facilitate decision making   
  
• Maintain up-to-date program data in PIMS
  (web-based platform) for all NPI EXPAND performance indicators, including
  global and country-level ones
  
• Develop MEL sections documenting results
  and MEL tracking table with core performance indicators for inclusion in
  quarterly and annual reports to USAID, including data visualization
  
• Provide guidance on the regular review of routine
  ME data and lessons learned to enhance data use at the global and country
  program levels
  
• Develop ad-hoc reports that require MERL
  data to USAID
  
• Support the dissemination of NPI EXPAND
  results through multiple channels, including internal/external
  presentations, blogs, project website, and others as needed
  
• Supports the Project Director in designing
  and conducting internal performance reviews for select projects as needed
  

Research & Learning:

• Lead the implementation of applied research
  activities to answer NPI EXPAND learning questions including the use of
  mixed methods approaches
  
• Analyze routine data from country projects
  and secondary health data from external sources to support the implementation
  of the research protocol for NPI EXPAND learning questions
  
• Conduct literature reviews  as needed to capture the latest evidence
  and approaches for strengthening capacity of local partners working in
  health in low-resource settings
  
• Document the use of qualitative and
  quantitative data collection and analysis methods and findings of applied research
  activities to support  answeri and
  document NPI EXPAND learning questions
  
• Use data visualization tools to facilitate
  the presentation, sharing and dissemination of the findings and overall
  results from applied research activities to answer NPI EXPAND learning
  questions
  
• Analyze health data from primary and
  secondary sources to identify trends, barriers, other factors associated
  with health outcomes, and overall program performance as needed
  
• Participate in Palladium’s MEL Community
  of Practice to learn and share MERL-related approaches, method, and/or
  tools that are relevant to NPI EXPAND MERL activities as needed
  
• Assist with other MERL-related tasks as
  assigned

Required
Qualifications

• Extensive Experience designing and
  implementing MERL systems for global health programs that meet high
  standards of rigor
  
• Proven MERL experience with health
  programs focusing on at least two of the following thematic areas: MNCH,
  FP/RH, HIV/AIDS, WASH, Nutrition
  
• Proven MERL experience on organizational
  capacity strengthening programs
  
• Experience conducting MERL work on
  USAID-funded health programs (global, regional, or bilateral)
  
• Experience conducting statistical analyses
  using STATA, SPSS or similar statistical programs
  
• Demonstrated competencies in mixed-methods
  applied research activity design and implementation
  
• Strong technical writing for both
  technical and non-technical audiences
  
• Strong editing skills and demonstrated competence using Microsoft Office
  365 applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and MS
  Teams
  
• A track record of working collaboratively
  with various stakeholders
  
• Well-organized, strong attention to
  detail, able to work independently, skilled in handling multiple MERL
  tasks preserving high quality work, and able to meet deadlines
  
• Strong leadership, communication and
  interpersonal skills, including ability to develop and communicate a
  common vision and foster collaboration across an interdisciplinary team

Diversity,
Equity & Inclusion – We welcome applications from all sections of society and
actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good
practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our
workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair
treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These
include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender
identity, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality,
veteran, marital or Indigenous status. 

Should
you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or
you are a neurodivergent individual or any other circumstance, please email our
team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com.

Safeguarding
– We
define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect
our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are
committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with
Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All
successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process
including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.