Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor – JSI Vacancy Announcement

Organization Background:

JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. Founded in 1978, JSI collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and local nonprofit and civil society organizations to identify and implement solutions to the most pressing public health and education challenges.

In Ethiopia, JSI has been working to improve health outcomes for more than 25 years, implementing more than 60 projects and working in every region. JSI has historically managed a large portfolio of projects focusing on the quality, and equity in access to, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services, primary health care (PHC) including community health programs, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change.

Project Overview:

The Strengthening Service Delivery (SSD) Project focuses on building upon and leveraging previous and current Gates Foundation, and other, investments to improve the quality of downstream, supply-side integrated services accessed often by women, newborns, children, and youth. Through this award, JSI, with partners including Engender Health, Ethiopian Midwives Association, Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia, in Supply Health, Think Place, and local universities and development associations, aims to strengthen the service delivery structures through locally-led technical assistance. Together, we’ll work to further expand structures and processes improvements to enable better care offerings in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child, adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCHN) services. Our work will also focus on improving last-mile supply delivery and commodity management disconnects

Overview of the Position:

The primary purpose of project M&E would be 1) monitoring the implementation fidelity; 2) applying program adaptation and collaborative learnings; and 3) generating and sharing evidence on strategies for high-impact RMNCH-N service delivery that will influence approaches. Specifically, the project M&E will employ embedded implementation science research methodologies to monitor processes, evaluate outcomes of implementation, and adapt implementation as needed. In close collaboration with the M&E team, with a focus on evidence and learning, the senior M&E and Learning advisor will lead the overall M&E and implementation research tasks of the project.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Together with the monitoring, evaluation, and research team, develop and implement the comprehensive plan for M&E, research, evidence generation, learning, and adaptation in line with the project’s Detailed Implementation Plan.

·       Manage M&E and research activities, monitoring visits, and documentation of program learnings

·       Develop implementation research protocols for different assessments, surveys, and/or effectiveness or process evaluation research protocols; design mHealth-based research/survey data collection tools through ODK/Surveyor platform and provide training for data collectors; and coordinate fieldwork

·       Analyze the survey and program data, inform programming, and produce survey reports

·       Produce case studies, best practices; success stories, and lessons learned for internal and external use in line with the Strategic Information plan of the project

·       Oversight research areas and monitor the implementation of the project strategies

·       Facilitate routine capturing of cost data involved in program implementation

·       Take a lead role in the evidence and learning system of the project

·       Ensure MEL evidence is used for management decision-making and continuous performance improvement

·       Develop strategy for learning and knowledge management in harmony with JSI’s Strategic Information Strategy document.

·       Provide technical support on program development, research design, data management and analysis, and overall M&E system

·       Provide technical and targeted capacity-building support in M&E and research to staff, local implementing partners, and other key partners/stakeholders;

·       Assist project staff in complying with procedures and systems related to M&E, documentation of project learning, data use for decision-making, and dissemination of results to the wider community (working papers, conference presentations, peer-reviewed journal submissions, etc.).

Adheres to and promotes JSI’s culture and values and uphold JSI’s standards related to fraud and ethics accountability and management; protection against sexual exploitation and abuse; and child safeguarding.

Any additional responsibilities, as assigned.

Required skills and competencies:

• At least a Master’s degree in public health, statistics, or related social sciences
• Extensive experience in implementation science research, documentation or communications, evidence generation, learning, and adaptation in health systems with a special focus on RMNCH.
• Clear understanding of the Ethiopian health systems and national priorities.
• Experience in collaborating with the MOH, RHB, ZHD, and Woreda Health Office to implement strategies to improve data use.
• Computer literacy, including the demonstrated use of statistical software, word processing, database, and graphical software.
• Strong technical knowledge and experience in designing and managing studies and evaluations
• Experience of successfully designing and managing knowledge management systems, an awareness of learning methodologies and experience of leading learning events
• Demonstrated commitment to creating a learning culture
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including presentation skills and the capacity to effectively work with multiple stakeholders within and outside Ethiopia
• Ability to present complex information succinctly and compellingly, and to use innovative forms of communication
• Demonstrable ability to write reports or technical materials.
• A minimum of 10 years of demonstrated applied skills in evidence, learning, or knowledge management and communications/documentation and use of data for strengthening project performances.
• Experience with the application of qualitative methods of data collection and analysis is desirable.
• Experience working with NGO is also highly desirable.
• Demonstrable teamwork and understanding while able to act responsibly, proactively, and independently.
• Speaking and writing fluency in English and Amharic; plus, additional local language/s
• Preferably have experience with data visualization techniques using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

JSI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or military status (special disabled veterans or veteran status) in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D.