Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor (GS 13 Equivalent)

Overview

Global Health Technical Professionals (GHTP) is a US Agency for International Development (USAID) program that offers early- to mid-career global health professionals the opportunity to advance their careers supporting the USAID Bureau for Global Health and its implementing partners. GHTP is helping USAID improve global health outcomes in communities around the world by building a new generation of global health technical professionals who reflect the diversity of the American people.

Credence and its partner, the Public Health Institute (PHI), are both employers for the Global Health Technical Professionals (GHTP) project which provides expertise in support of USAID global health programs. The hiring of this position will be through the PHI and as such the selected person will become a PHI employee.

Summary Statement

The Bureau for Global Health (BGH) is the USAID/Washington operating unit charged with providing technical support to improve the health of people in the developing world by expanding health services, including: family planning/reproductive health and maternal/child health; strengthening health systems; and addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, avian influenza and other public health threats. BGH’s primary role in the health program area is to strengthen field operations, promote research and technical innovation, and provide leadership and training.

Within BGH, the Office of Program, Planning and Policy’s (P3) Strategy, Analysis, Evaluation, and Outreach, (SAEO) Division leads the Bureau’s review of strategic plans and coordinates their approval. The Division facilitates periodic data collection, conducts analyses and provides written inputs for annual reports and other Agency performance reporting requirements. This Division serves as the primary BGH resource for USAID monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) capacity building, policies and practices; oversees implementation of the Bureau MEL Plan, and; analyzes and disseminates evaluation findings, conclusions, recommendations and best practices as appropriate. SAEO provides analyses and data visualization for country and BGH planning performance monitoring and portfolio reviews and supports planning efforts for the Bureau and its technical offices.

Job Requirements

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor (Advisor) will provide expert-level technical advice and technical leadership on matters related to the use of MEL to improve both Bureau and field programming. S/he will work closely with the SAEO Team and receive technical guidance from the SAEO Division Chief who will serve as his/her Point of Contact (POC).

Responsibilities

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor will be responsible for:

• Develop and implement Bureau Learning Action Plan, including identification of key bureau-level learning gaps (for inclusion in the BGH Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan).
• Strengthen BGH capacity in Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) through communication activities, curriculum development, training activities and ad-hoc presentations.
• Coordinate BGH engagement in the Agency-wide Journey to Self-Reliance Learning Agenda
• Serve as technical subject matter expert non-voting member of Agency-wide MEL working groups and on Technical Evaluation Committees (TECs) for new evaluation and learning procurements.
• Provide specific MEL technical assistance for cross-cutting GH activities.
• Support the implementation of the Agency MEL Policies through:
• Provision of technical support to BGH offices and USAID missions on MEL, including in the development of sector-wide performance management plans, activity-level MEL plans, MEL support mechanisms, evaluation plans, and learning agendas;
• Synthesis and analysis analyze Agency MEL data for policy and process-level decision-making; and
• Provision of technical support in evaluation design (including: development of evaluation questions, method selection and implementation logistics);
• Provide technical oversight of BGH evaluation activities through USAID evaluation registry, and presenting registry summary data for BGH Annual Portfolio Review
• Provide high level technical support for BGH evaluation and learning mechanism(s)
• Support USAID headquarters and field staff to pilot test novel MEL tools and methodologies and to adopt innovative and effective M&E approaches.
• Participate in professional continuing education, skills training and professional meetings to identify and engage in state of the art MEL and CLA approaches.
• Complete and execute an Individual Learning and Training Plan and Annual Work Plan.
• Provide in-country MEL technical support to missions (approximately 25%).

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 7+ years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 9+ years of experience in public health or a related social science field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience with two or more public health technical disciplines; such as (family planning/reproductive health and maternal/child health, HIV/AIDS, Malaria , Health System Strengthening etc ) ; job duties/responsibilities specifically related to JD requirements.
• Experience in health sector/systems monitoring, evaluation and learning, with at least two (2) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.
• Demonstrated leadership in the development and implementation of a MEL strategy and/or implementation plan for an effort of similar magnitude.
• Expert knowledge of USAID MEL and CLA Policies and Guidance
• Expert knowledge of USAID program design and procurement processes (specific to MEL).
• High degree of judgment, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop and present work results, and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and conduct robust assessments and evaluations.
• Experience providing advice, guidance, and consultation to high level officials on the interpretation and application of monitoring and evaluation data and findings.
• Demonstrated expertise with technical and developing country content in Agency health areas of focus.
• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment.
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse teams, across multiple technical areas, and cross-culturally.
• Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures, and reporting requirements highly desired.
• Proficiency in a second language highly desirable.
• Ability to travel internationally approximately 25%.
• US citizenship or US permanent residency with the ability to obtain and maintain Facility Access clearance required.