Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director

URC is a global company dedicated to improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC manages projects in over 45 countries, including the United States.

Established in 1965, URC offers a range of technical assistance to strengthen health and social systems and service quality by empowering communities and health workers to identify and scale up locally appropriate solutions to critical problems. Internationally, we expand access to and improve the quality of services addressing maternal, newborn, and child health; infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; reproductive health and family planning; food and nutrition; and vulnerable children and families. In the US, we focus on improving communication related to issues like substance abuse, with a particular focus on reaching underserved populations.

URC’s mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions to health and social challenges worldwide. Please join us in carrying out our mission (http://www.urc-chs.com/).

Project Overview

This anticipated five-year USAID funded Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH&N) Continuum of Care (CoC) Activity will continue to assist the Government of Zambia and their Ministry of Health with improving the health of mothers and children by improving the capacity to deliver quality services, strengthening health systems at national and subnational levels, and improving the capacity to engage with communities for health. The Activity will focus on providing quality health services as close to the community as possible in four provinces of Zambia (Luapula, Muchinga, Southern, and Eastern) through implementation of high impact interventions that save lives.

Specific responsibilities:

URC is currently seeking a qualified Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director to provide oversight on project design, activities monitoring, adaptive management and learnings, and impact evaluation of the anticipated Activity.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide technical leadership in the development and implementation of overall monitoring and evaluation framework for project implementation across the intervention areas.
• Develop and oversee project monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, and reporting, including development of appropriate indicators, tracking against targets, assessing performance, conducting surveys and assessments, documenting lessons learned, and producing timely, accurate, and complete reports.
• Establish close coordination with senior management of activity to harmonize and streamline collection and use of data for program activities and learning.
• Regularly review and update the Activity’s M&E plan.
• Strengthen capacity of relevant government counterparts to turn data to evidence and improve utilization of that evidence at provincial, district, and community levels.
• Provide technical oversight to ensure monitoring across the target districts to achieve stated results and possible remedies where results are not as expected.
• Support integration of effective data-driven monitoring and tools within existing Ministry of Health systems and processes.
• Provide direction and oversight for the MEL team of the Activity.
• Liaise with USAID, government partners, policy makers, and other key stakeholders to coordinate dissemination and application of results.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of a master’s degree in public health, information sciences, social sciences, data science, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience with M&E for health programs, including data management, data quality assurance, and research and evaluation.
• At least 3 years of experience of working in the areas of reproductive health, maternal and child health, and/or nutrition preferred.
• Extensive experience of working with partners at different levels of the health systems on M&E activities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills of using software packages for data analysis.
• Experience working in Zambia and/or in contexts with similar needs in sub-Saharan Africa preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including evidence of quality report writing and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines with quality products.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and mentor/coach direct reports.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, with excellent MS Word and Excel skills.

Please note: this position is contingent upon securing award.

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