Director, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

Job Description

Position Overview:

Palladium is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director for global health projects focused on health systems strengthening and fostering an enabling environment for increasing the demand for and availability of high-quality FP/RH, MNCH, HIV, and infectious disease information, services, and supplies. S/he will be responsible for ensuring overall technical excellence and efficacy of MEL approaches, oversee monitoring project performance and conducting project evaluations and contribute to effective knowledge management and sharing of learning. This is a full-time position based in Washington, DC, with international travel required.

The ideal candidate will be an astute leader with both technical and relational skills, able to foster team collaboration and communication to achieve project goals. The MEL Director will guide a diverse team of MEL practitioners, leverage their skills and experiences, and encourage continuous learning and improvement. S/he will have experience designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for health systems strengthening and policy, finance, and governance programming at a global scale. The MEL Director will have extensive experience overseeing the coordination of MEL across country offices and a record of successfully coordinating with communications and other technical experts. S/he will also bring expertise in designing, introducing, and advancing Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) practices to facilitate regular review of evidence to inform programs at the country level and project adaptation.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage the project’s MEL plan(s), indicator reference sheets, results reporting, data use systems and activities, and the project evaluation strategy.
• Develop procedures for collecting, storing and reporting indicators, establishing baselines, measuring changes in status, attributing results to project activities, and assessing overall impact of project results.
• Establish M&E plan and technical approach to a monitoring system that aligns with project’s theory of change. Design and develop innovative measurement approaches, such as outcome mapping and harvesting, to ensure alignment between project goals and objectives, process outcomes, and desired impact.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of capacity strengthening on a variety of MEL topics within the project team.
• Support and contribute to the development of flexible, adaptable, and user-friendly measurements, learning, and knowledge management mechanisms.
• Lead the development of and support implementation of learning agenda(s), including prioritizing learning questions and identifying evidence gaps.
• Support project teams to design and undertake appropriate and insightful outcome evaluations and assessments.
• Ensure that project M&E meets international standards by supporting the development and implementation of quality assurance mechanisms and data quality audits, and documents lessons learned and best practices in M&E, according to USAID guidelines.
• Support the institutionalization of a collaborating, learning & adapting (CLA) approach, fostering a learning culture, and facilitating evidence-based decision making and innovation.
• Develop project reports and other documentation of project MEL approaches and findings.
• Ensure that all data collection on the projects within the MEL Director’s remit submit required documents for Palladium’s internal research review process.
• Manage budget and all related reporting for project MEL activities. Supervise MEL staff and engage and oversee partners working in MEL and evaluation.
• Ensure that the project is represented at relevant MEL and evaluation forums, events, conferences and other platforms for learning and sharing lessons and knowledge;
• Additional responsibilities may include managing project staff; ensuring technical capacity of team members; providing technical assistance and backstopping; and other project-related responsibilities.

Required Qualifications:

• Extensive experience designing and implementing MEL activities and plans, with progressively increasing levels of responsibility in health projects related to health systems strengthening and/or strengthening the enabling environment for MNCH/FP/RH/HIV or other related health initiatives, with at significant leadership experience, preferably for a global/regional project.
  
• Extensive experience developing indicators and supporting teams to monitor and document performance.
  
• Proven experience designing and conducting outcome evaluations related to health systems strengthening, policy, advocacy, or related programs.
  
• Strong familiarity with USG environment, including USAID and PEPFAR, as well as MEL measurement approaches used by international agencies.
  
• Experience leading CLA initiatives within a team or organization.
  
• Experience managing and mentoring staff with diverse backgrounds and cultures.
  
• Strong writing, editing, and communications skills in English.
  
• Fluency/proficiency in a second language highly desirable.
  
• Ability and willingness to travel overseas.

About the Organization

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.