Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 2023 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Background
Breakthrough ACTION Zambia is part of a global cooperative agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) to lead social and behavior change (SBC) programming around the world. The project works in partnership with governments, civil society, communities, and other stakeholders to implement creative, evidence-based SBC programming.
The period of performance for the program in Zambia is projected to begin immediately and end in April 2025 as funds are available. Breakthrough ACTION will initially focus efforts on implementing risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities through the Global Health Security (GHS) and One Health approach.

Job Summary
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Manager will oversee all GHS monitoring, evaluation, and research components of Breakthrough ACTION Zambia and will support collaboration, learning, and program adaptation. They will assist in the implementation of Breakthrough ACTION’s MERL plan and performance monitoring plan in close collaboration with staff in the US office, supporting MERL systems and use of monitoring data to guide programmatic decision-making. The MERL manager will work to track appropriate indicators, oversee formative data collection, and ensure results are accessible to all Breakthrough ACTION staff. The MERL manager will be responsible for bi-directional communication and learning internally within Breakthrough ACTION and with key GHS stakeholders. This will include coordination, collaboration, and integration through the development of knowledge management systems and work processes and fostering a culture of collaboration. They will produce timely, accurate, and complete reporting and contribute to the documentation of success stories, technical briefs, and other relevant documents. Travel within Zambia will be required.

Responsibilities
Oversight and development of MERL systems and tools
• Coordinate the design and implementation of monitoring and research activities.
• Develop and implement monitoring systems, including configuration and maintenance of digital platforms as needed to track and visualize outputs and intermediate and behavioral outcomes.
• Make adaptations to the MERL plan each year based on new or shifting program objectives and ensure adherence to the plan.
• Lead and supervise the development and updating of MERL tools as needed and the collection and analysis of process data to monitor project activities.
• Develop standard operating procedures (manuals, trainings) for data collection, data entry, data analysis, and management of devices (where relevant) related to data collection or use.
• Ensure ethical procedures and adherence to the MERL plan and Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols and liaise with and coordinate materials for submission to the local ethics review board.
• Develop a coordinated approach to data collection in conjunction with project partners, followed by the collation and sharing of results both internally with the team and externally with stakeholders.
Data collection and quality assurance
• Supervise implementation of data collection activities (including all mobile data collection and GIS data, where relevant)
• Develop and implement quality assurance procedures for data collection to ensure data accuracy and the validity and reliability of monitoring data and study results.
• Conduct site visits to ensure quality, reliability, and consistency of data and seamless flow from the field to central office and on to the Baltimore HQ.
• Supervise the collection of data related to performance indicators required by Breakthrough ACTION and USAID, and report data on a regular basis into CCP’s global dashboard.
Data storage
• Create, maintain, and safeguard electronic databases and any other data collection files in compliance with JHU data security requirements.
• Manage access permissions for data entry and dashboards to view monitoring output.
• Help prepare data for archiving as required by USAID’s Digital Data Archive policies.
Data analysis and reporting
• Track, analyze, and produce comprehensive and succinct reports and documentation on indicators and measures.
• Conduct data cleaning and analysis monthly and produce graphs and reports for quarterly reporting.
Capacity strengthening and training
• Co-facilitate training workshops, including developing the agenda, curriculum, manuals and materials necessary to appropriately train individuals involved in monitoring activities and data use.
• Provide support to and build the capacity of partner organizations and existing traditional structures to design, implement, and evaluate community engagement activities.
• Carry out field visits as needed and work with staff in a collaborative manner to increase their technical capacity for monitoring and evaluation.
Coordination and communication
• Coordinate with partners and stakeholders within the MOH.
• Ensure timeliness and quality of service delivery data from partners.
• Work with the program team to ensure proper documentation via knowledge management approaches.
• Participate in the development and writing of strategies, work plans and assessments.
• Maintain efficient communication with Baltimore-based program and MERL teams
• Supervise MERL staff, interns, or consultants, as needed

Minimum Qualifications
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience working in MERL for large health programs.
• Master’s degree in Public Health, epidemiology, biostatistics research methods, or behavioral science with relevance to SBC research, monitoring and evaluation or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of fifteen (15) years’ experience.
• Zambia national.
• Oral and written fluency in English.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation of health programs demonstrating
progressively increasing level of responsibility
• Experience developing and tracking performance indicators to measure success in health especially in Social Behavior Change and/or Risk Communication and Community Engagement;
• Skills in qualitative and quantitative analytic statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS) and qualitative software (e.g., Atlas.ti, NVivo), and proven ability in data visualization using graphs, charts, maps, and GIS;
• Experience in successfully guiding and monitoring the use of data, analysis, and evaluation findings to inform program actions
• Experience working with SBC programs;
• Ability to guide quality assurance/continuous quality improvement in development;
• Experience with One Health or GHS technical areas preferred;
• Experience in web-based data management system (preferably DHIS2 and/or Open Data Kit), and/or mHealth and mobile data collection preferred;
• Experience with social media management or social listening preferred;
• Experience with USAID-funded projects preferred;
• Excellent writing skills and ability to articulate oral and written technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences;
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills; and,
• Excellent past performance references.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 120

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
All candidates are encouraged to submit e-mail applications with cover letter, current CV, and three professional referees to:
< breakthroughaction.zm@gmail.com > 
Please indicate which position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
Deadline
5pm CAT on February 28, 2023



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