Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, & Learning (MERL)

Job Description

The Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI’s Global Health Division (GHD), works in Heath Systems Strengthening - including Health Governance, Health Finance, Human Resources for Health, Capacity Building, and Health Policy and Advocacy; and Integrated Care - including Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health and Family Planning; Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases; Global Health Security and Public Health Preparedness; and Noncommunicable Diseases. We address a range of public health problems to reduce disparities, lower disease burdens, and build locally owned sustainable health programs.

Project Description
The purpose of the Integrated Health System Strengthening (IHSS) program is to accelerate countries’ Health System Strengthening (HSS) efforts and achieve sustainable, equitable, and resilient health systems through locally led, evidence-driven, and context-specific approaches to HSS. The primary goals are to advance primary health care (PHC), accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC), and improve health outcomes. Investments in HSS help USAID reach its priority global health goals of preventing child and maternal deaths, controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and combating infectious disease, which directly contributes to strengthening global health security. A strengthened and accessible health system is necessary to yield high-quality health services, which are essential for achieving sustainable improvements in health, promoting economic growth, and overall democratic development.

Position Description
The Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) will lead the project’s learning agenda, monitoring, and evaluation requirements within and across countries, and support the design and implementation of adaptive management, M&E and learning strategies

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive MERL strategy for the IHSS program, ensuring alignment with project goals and USAID requirements.
• Design and oversee robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress and impact of health system strengthening activities.
• Develop and implement adaptive management practices, utilizing data and evidence to inform and improve program strategies and interventions.
• Build the capacity of local partners and government stakeholders in MERL methodologies and practices, ensuring sustainable skills transfer.
• Facilitate the synthesis, dissemination, and use of knowledge generated from MERL activities to support program learning and adaptation.
• Ensure compliance with all USAID reporting requirements, producing high-quality MERL reports and deliverables on schedule.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the project team, encouraging the use of data for decision-making and innovation.

• An advanced degree in public health, or related field, with at least ten (10) years’ experience in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning of global health programs.
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative research skills, including but not limited to study design, survey instrument design and use, sampling, data analysis plans, data cleaning, statistical analysis, qualitative data analysis, and presentation and reporting and communication of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods results.
• Experience in incorporating systems practice and systems approaches into complex MERL.
• Knowledge and experience establishing and measuring health indicators, as well as associated capacity building with partner governments and local organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in utilizing data and evidence to facilitate program adaptation and innovation, and in facilitating timely knowledge synthesis and/or generation, dissemination, and use.

About the Organization