Senior Associate, Field Operations, Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation (MLE) Evidence Action

Description

About Evidence Action

Evidence Action aims to be a world leader in scaling evidence-based and cost-effective programs to reduce the burden of poverty in some of the poorest places. Our large-scale, evidence-based programs are rigorously evaluated to ensure they reach the greatest amount of people in the most cost-effective ways. No matter what the position, each member of our team is motivated by the fact that the hard work we do makes its intended impact. Collectively, our at-scale initiatives measurably reach over 280 million people annually, and we continuously seek dedicated and mission-driven people to help advance this rare, and large-scale, global impact. We bridge the gap between research about what works and solutions for people in need, to effectively serve hundreds of millions of people in the world’s poorest places. We currently implement programs across 9 geographies, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Cameroun, Malawi, Liberia, Pakistan, Zambia and India.

Program and Position Background

One of Evidence Action’s newest initiatives is the Maternal Syphilis Screening and Treatment Program in which we partner with Ministries of Health to increase syphilis screening and treatment among pregnant women in an effort to prevent mother-to-child transmission of syphilis. Without effective and timely treatment, syphilis infections in pregnancy carry a significant risk of stillbirth, neonatal death, and cognitive and physical disability. Across the globe, syphilis infection in pregnancy leads to over 200,000 stillbirths and neonatal deaths – more than is attributed to mother-to-child transmission of HIV – and over 100,000 instances of disability in newborns. Our aim is to close syphilis screening gaps via introduction of HIV/syphilis dual testing and to close treatment gaps by implementing strategies to address context-specific treatment barriers for women who test positive for syphilis. We launched our maternal syphilis program in Liberia in 2020 and have now expanded the program to Zambia.

In Zambia, maternal syphilis has long plagued pregnant women and their unborn children. Our ambitious program aims to support the government to scale the HIV/syphilis dual test nationwide across all ANC facilities and simultaneously close gaps in syphilis treatment, thereby enabling pregnant women to finally get the care they need.

The Senior Associate, Field Operations, MLE is responsible for supporting all of Evidence Action’s Monitoring and Evaluation activities in Zambia. This is an exciting position that involves supporting: program research, monitoring, and learning activities; implementation of health facility surveying; data entry and management; and development and maintenance of program data tools. This individual will coordinate between the Regional MLE Lead, the MLE Strategy team, the program teams (global and in Zambia), government and other implementing partners as needed.

Role reports to: Manager, Field Operations, MLE-D with dotted line to the Zambia Country Director

Duties and Responsibilities

Research and Learning

• Lead the development and maintenance of relevant databases for tracking and managing information for the Zambia Maternal Syphilis Screening and Treatment program.
• Routine monitoring and reporting of program progress against a series of Key Performance Indicators.
• Capture and disseminate lessons learnt from implementation rounds as well as tracking improvements in those significant areas over time to ensure that learnings are translated to program improvements.
• Support MLE and Program teams with implementing operations research activities, as needed, for the Zambia program.
• Support data analysis and interpretation efforts for program decision making.

Implementation of Facility Surveying

• Collaborate with the MLE Strategy and Program teams to develop, iterate, and improve upon the Comprehensive Facility Survey ahead of its first implementation and then between implementation rounds.
• Vendor Management:
• Support drafting and/or reviewing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) and Scope of Work for data collection vendors.
• Support the Manager in tracking timelines and deliverables by vendors contracted to perform data collection on behalf of Evidence Action.
• Review enumerator training materials and protocols and participate in the training of monitors from the enumeration firm.
• Verify and validate data collected by data collection vendors and/or other partners through data reviews, quality checks and field visits
• Take the lead on developing and implementing field data quality checks e.g. infield supervision and back checks
• Support the analysis of data collected during the facility surveying.

Data entry

• Enter Maternal Syphilis program data into databases, where needed
• Collate government data available via the Health Management Information System (otherwise called the DHIS2) and the electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS).
• Work together with government partners to identify and investigate any data discrepancies identified in these data systems as pertaining to the maternal syphilis program indicators.
• Develop strategies for capturing and utilising qualitative feedback provided by trainers and those implementing the program in the course of their interaction with health facilities.

Coordination between MLE and Program, Government and Partners

• Represent MLE in program meetings with partners and government where MLE presence is needed, and record meeting notes for team dissemination.
• Communicate program requests and/or needs for data and translating that back to the necessary MLE Strategy and delivery team/members for action when required.
• Active participation in stakeholder engagement in terms of representing the Zambia program at meetings that require Evidence Action’s M&E inputs and actions, making presentation, review meetings, support in terms of training and other capacity building activities.

Development of Program Data Tools

• Work together with the Program teams to develop and iterate upon tools utilised by trainers and government partners in the course of their implementation of program training and supportive supervision activities.
• Identify and create data-informed decision making tools whose ownership can be transferred to our government partners. Examples may include a commodity quantification tool, facility monitoring tools, etc.

Data Management

• Collaborate with Evidence Action’s MLE data team department to ensure that the data entry templates are updated.
• Ensure any program data collected by Evidence Action is stored according to organisation policies and any identifying data is kept confidential.
• Ensure that program data, particularly data collected during the Comprehensive Facility Survey, is shared with government partners per the terms of Evidence Action’s MOU.
• Support other ad hoc data related tasks made by programs.

Other

• Train government officials on monitoring and evaluation, including how to better utilise data in decision making, with a focus on maternal syphilis data.
• Support budget development and management for MLE activities in-country as needed.
• Provide data inputs to the global Maternal Syphilis program team and the global Cost-Effectiveness Analysis team as requested for donor reporting.
• Perform any other monitoring, evaluation and learning duties as may be required and assigned by the supervisor.

Position Location

The position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia. This position is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Zambia.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Evidence Action does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organisation, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with strong economics, statistics, or mathematics and related background; a higher degree will be an added advantage.
• 3+ years of experience of M&E programs in Zambia, with preference given to those who have experience with health data and in particular, the DHIS2;
• Strong technical skills and capacity, with at least (2) years of practical experience managing and working directly with large teams and data;
• Project management skills;
• Experience programming and using electronic data collection platforms, specifically SurveyCTO;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Willing to travel on short notice, to multitask, to work in ambiguity and to respond to instruction from multiple sources;
• Naturally inquisitive, sceptical, intellectually curious, detail-oriented and organised;
• Inspired by Evidence Action’s mission to bring proven interventions to scale, improving the lives of millions.