Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director– USAID/Ethiopia Empowered Communities Activity

About Palladium: 

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

This Opportunity:

Palladium seeks an experienced Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) for the anticipated USAID/Ethiopia activity focused on achieving better health and nutrition outcomes through improved community engagement and ownership of health and strengthened social accountability systems. The activity aims to improve individual and community knowledge and understanding of their own health rights, available services, and fee and delivery structures to make informed decisions in managing their own health. In addition, the activity will build the capacity of non-state actors (NSAs) including but not limited to private organizations, faith-based organizations (FBO), community-based organizations (CBOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and or other formal and informal community platforms, to collectively advocate for more transparent and responsive health services on behalf of individuals, families and communities accessing care.

The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director provides strategic guidance, vision, and management for successful monitoring and evaluation of the program. This individual also supervises MERL staff and ensures the strategic and functional integration of all MERL activities as well as active collaboration with sub-awardees and USAID. The Director oversees all MEL activities, provides technical direction and support, and ensures the accurate reporting of results for program activities. The MEL Director is a senior leadership and key personnel position. This position is contingent upon award.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee project knowledge management, including development and dissemination of tools, materials, reports, papers, and intervention linked research.
• Ensure project scope and activities are compliant with USAID policies.
• Lead the development and monitoring of MEL and work plans.
• Review the project implementation activities to assess results and the impact.
• Work closely with the COP and other directors and staff to ensure compatibility and coordination within the MEL framework, and consistency with national and donor requirements.
• Focus on strengthening the MEL system, building capacity of partners and staff, and improving alignment and support to host-country MEL systems.
• Responsible for providing technical assistance and coordinating with partners to improve and utilize existing systems for the timely collection, management, analysis, and reporting of valid and reliable data that meet donor reporting requirements.
• Contribute to project deliverables, including annual workplans, and quarterly and annual reporting.
• Institute routine data reviews as part of an adaptive management process including analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data to project management and technical leads.
• Develop and lead the implementation of a robust learning agenda for continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptation.
• Undertake periodic reviews of program and/or country MEL systems and participate in planning MEL system strengthening actions.
• Oversee the publication and dissemination of information on successful and promising approaches, lessons learned and other program results to program partners, donors, Ethiopian counterparts, and other key stakeholders.
• Gather and evaluates information and ensures that these findings are accurately presented in all USAID reporting and tracking tools.
• Responsible for developing and designing project systems to track program progress against indicators; collecting and verifying information and maintaining performance monitoring plans, reports, work plans and monthly reports.
• Other tasks as assigned

Duration: 5 years (anticipated start in April 2023)

Key Competencies Required:

• Master’s degree in any of the following or related fields: social science, international development, public health, evaluation, statistics, or economics
• At least 7-10 years of experience in designing, managing, and implementing MEL activities
• At least 5 years of supervisory experience
• Demonstrated expertise in designing rigorous quantitative and qualitative data collection systems and methods for data analysis and moving routine analytics evaluation, and research findings to program actions.
• In depth knowledge of management information systems and data use in a complex program environment with multiple implementing organizations.
• Extensive experience in CLA, knowledge management and dissemination of findings.
• Proven ability to communicate and translate in English complex technical and policy data and issues clearly and effectively to different stakeholders to build consensus.
• Experience with Ethiopian public and private health systems is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relations with host country government personnel, stakeholders, NGO partners, and international donor agencies.
• Strong analytical and computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web-based research)
• Ability to multi-task and keep track of concurrent activities and deadlines.
• Fluency in English required
• Must be willing to live and travel within Ethiopia.