Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director (MOMENTUM)

Job Description

EnCompass LLC is currently seeking a Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director for a forecasted USAID Bureau of Global Health activity, Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services to Scale (MOMENTUM), focused on monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, and translation of learning across the portfolio of MOMENTUM awards. The MOMENTUM portfolio’s purpose is to accelerate reductions in maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity in high-burden, USAID-supported countries by increasing the capacity of host country institutions and local organizations to introduce, deliver, scale up, and sustain the use of evidence-based, quality maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), voluntary family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) services.

In the position of Senior MEL Director, we are looking for a candidate who can facilitate learning and build relationships, with high political acumen and strong management skills. S/he must will be an inclusive and participatory leader, who can navigate change with flexibility and emotional resilience. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience focusing on results and impact in the maternal, newborn and child health, family planning and reproductive health space, with strong strategic vision and an understanding of systems approaches to programming and monitoring, evaluation and learning. S/he will understand how to foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptive management S/he will have previous experience designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for MNCH/FP/RH programming at a global scale, as well as measuring program results, including those related to the concepts of coverage, quality, self-reliance, and gender and youth. Additionally, the candidate will have previous experience designing and leading a learning agenda including designing and addressing research questions using participatory approaches as project activities evolve and change. Finally, the candidate will have experience building MEL capacity at the national level for enhance data use and decision-making.

The Senior MEL Director reports to the Vice President of Technical Assistance and Evaluation, will be expected to work from the client’s site in the Washington, DC metro area as required and will likely require some international travel.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions include:

• Lead the design of and support the implementation of a MOMENTUM-wide monitoring and evaluation plan, which will inform activity specific M&E plans and data-gathering frameworks, that facilitate the ability to aggregate data within and across MOMENTUM projects. This will include the design of performance monitoring metrics across the RMNCH spectrum.
• Lead the development of and support implementation of the MOMENTUM-wide learning agenda, including identifying evidence gaps and prioritizing learning questions.
• Provide technical oversight to systematic collection, analysis, synthesis, use, translation, and dissemination of data and learning from across the entire suite of MOMENTUM awards to inform both internal programmatic decision-making and the global evidence base for MNCH/FP/RH

• Ensure MEL activities are in line with USAID’s Evaluation Policy, the Journey to Self-Reliance, and other key Agency technical guidance and frameworks

• Contribute to the design and implementation of capacity strengthening on a variety of MEL topics, including data for decision making and learning, at country level
• Establish and maintain highly collaborative working relationships with USAID Washington, USAID Missions, and relevant in-country stakeholders
• May manage project staff; ensure technical capacity of team members and provide technical assistance and backstopping when required
• Promote sustainability of project activities with effective networking, linkages to other programs, capacity building of project staff, and institutional strengthening in support of the journey to self-reliance
• Ensure documentation and dissemination of findings, impact, innovations, and lessons learned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or foreign equivalent in international development, monitoring and evaluation, public health, research, statistics, or a related field
• At least 10 years of experience on global health projects leading performance monitoring, evaluation, learning and/or data use for decision-making, preferably for USAID/USG awards
• At least 15 years of experience working in the international public health sector, with substantial experience in programming for maternal, newborn and child health, family planning, and reproductive health required
• Experience developing learning and research agendas for MNCH/RH/FP programs preferred; as well as experience ensuring gender-transformative approaches are reflected in MEL frameworks preferred
• Experience building monitoring, evaluation and learning capacities of national-level staff, preferably governmental staff, implementing partners, and their counterparts highly preferred
• A thorough understanding of collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA), adaptive management and USAID evaluation policy and reporting guidelines required
• Familiarity with the Journey to Self-Reliance as related to USAID programming preferred
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills, as well as supervision and management skills required
• Fluency in written and spoken English required; fluency and/or familiarity with another regionally-influential language greatly valued

How to Apply

Please complete the application and submit CV and cover letter

The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The incumbent must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate.

About the Organization

EnCompass is a women-owned business offering innovative and customized solutions for leadership, capacity strengthening, technical assistance, and monitoring and evaluation. We have experience in more than 70 countries and a team of more than 100 staff and 1,200 experts around the globe.

We partner with government and multilateral agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations around the world, offering thought leadership, rich diversity, and technical expertise in global health, inclusive development, education, human rights, and food security.