Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Lead - LHSS Vietnam

Job Description

Project Description

The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project is a USAID-funded 5-year, $209 million global task order that works to strengthen health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being. Interventions will focus on reducing financial barriers, holding health services accountable for meeting all clients’ needs and making sure that the care patients receive meets minimum standards. USAID’s LHSS Vietnam activity will focus on improving health financing for HIV and TB prevention and control, strengthening supply chain systems, and supporting the expansion of the Social Health Insurance (SHI) scheme to improve the provision of quality care and treatment at a national scale. The project will work collaboratively at the national level with the Government of Vietnam (GVN), particularly the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) to support GVN efforts to increase sustainable domestic financing for health, including TB and HIV, ensure quality of HIV care, and to seek efficiencies in health spending and procurement and supply chain management.

Job Summary

Abt Associates seeks a MEL Lead for the USAID-funded LHSS Vietnam Activity. Within the LHSS project, the Vietnam Activity MEL Lead will be supported by LHSS home office-based operations, finance and technical expertise and will report to the Chief of Party.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of the Activity MEL plan, key indicators, and learning agenda, including developing relevant indicators for the project
• Work with MEL stakeholder groups and its partners, and the LHSS Home Office MEL team to develop an LHSS’ results framework that establishes a causal pathway from activities and outputs, to intermediate results, and ultimately to the Activity’s desired outcomes and impact
• Manage a rigorous approach to M&E to measure performance toward specific goals and objectives, including quantitative, qualitative, and participatory methodologies
• Design data collection tools, schedules, and analysis methods in line with LHSS’ project work plan, monitoring system and interactive platform
• Ensure data accuracy on reporting indicators across the LHSS Vietnam Activity, and timely reporting on indicators against expected activity results
• Lead efforts to strengthen a culture of learning at local levels with local stakeholders, including during trainings and other stakeholder engagements
• Lead and coordinate quarterly strategy reviews and pause & reflect sessions and draft core components of program progress reports for USAID
• Oversee local research activities conducted by Abt and LHSS partners, including providing quality assurance of research design, methods, and analysis, and ensuring adherence to ethical research practices and compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements
• Drive the Activity’s overall learning agenda to derive lessons learned and best practices from routine activities, and contribute to quarterly Activity evaluations
• Support the interpretation and presentation of MEL findings for Activity planning, decision-making, course-correction, and communication of successes
• Collaborate with the LHSS Home Office MEL team to ensure alignment with project-wide MEL processes and reporting requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in statistics, social science, development economics or a related field
• 8-10 years of experience with Masters degree or 6-8 with PhD in data management and analysis for M&E, learning, and adaptive management
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing MEL systems in complex donor-funded development projects. Experience implementing MEL activities on health system strengthening projects and/or projects that integrate health care for vulnerable populations desirable
• Demonstrated expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and experience conducting statistical analysis
• Experience leading and managing research projects that adhere to rigorous methodological and ethical standards
• Skills in qualitative and quantitative analytical methods, data collection and analysis, and establishing MEL systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead baseline data collection and analyses
• Knowledge of and experience with HIV/AIDS and PEPFAR M&E frameworks, and reporting systems (including DATIM) highly desirable
• Expertise in adaptive management, organizational learning/development, systems mapping, development of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA)-related tools, CLA thought-leadership, and providing inputs on how CLA may lead to improved development outcomes
• Previous capacity building experience, particularly around data use, management and decision making long-term sustainability preferred
• Experience managing MEL for USAID programs desirable
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, and other MS Office software; data analysis software, e.g. SPSS or Stata
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to work collaboratively and independently
• Proficient English and fluent Vietnamese writing/speaking skills required along with strong communications, interpersonal, and presentation skills
• Vietnamese nationals are strongly encouraged to apply

Minimum Qualifications

• (8+) years of experience and a master degree OR the equivalent combination of education and experience

About the Organization

Abt Associates is a global leader in research, evaluation and program implementation; driving innovation and measurable impact for more than 50 years. What sets us apart is our evidence-based and multi-disciplinary approach to solving tough challenges in health, social and environmental policy and international development.

Specific areas we work in include:

• Health
• Education and workforce development
• Climate change and the environment
• Food security and agriculture
• Housing and communities
• Survey and data collection

Abt is a mission-driven company with a staff of 2,600. Our focus is on using evidence and cutting-edge methods to improve the lives and economic well-being of people worldwide.