Director of Monitoring and Evaluation

BACKGROUND

Healthy Learners is an award-winning non-profit organization committed to improving the health of children in Zambia and beyond. We partner directly with the government and local communities in Zambia so that schoolchildren can stay healthy, learn effectively, and have a brighter future. School-aged children in low-resource settings suffer from a high burden of disease and lack access to even basic healthcare, which causes otherwise preventable and curable illnesses to frequently result in life-long health challenges or disability. In the short term, these illnesses contribute to school absenteeism, poor academic performance, and high drop-out rates. In the long term, they undermine physical, cognitive, and emotional development and hinder economic prosperity.

Healthy Learners is working with the Zambian Government to bridge this gap through our unique model of school-based community health. By training teachers in community health and leveraging innovative diagnostic and data analytic technology, we are able to make schools entry points into the public healthcare system. As a result, children now receive medical attention in substantially greater numbers, improving health outcomes and reducing absenteeism. We currently serve over 800,000 students across eight provinces, and we are working with the Zambian government to scale nationally by 2025.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to join our team as Director of Monitoring and Evaluation. As a key member of the management team, this role involves developing the systems, frameworks, and best practices around the collection, analysis and quality control of our data. The ideal candidate will possess strategic thinking, leadership skills, and effective communication abilities, capable of driving the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems used to measure organizational impact. You will also serve as a data champion within the organization to ensure routine and effective use of quality data and information to support program design and decision-making. The person in this role ensures that our programs evolve based on results, evidence and the resulting learning and adaptation, and supports the use of evidence across the organization to increase scale and impact.  This position requires a balanced approach, combining hands-on involvement with a focus on our overall strategic direction.

 

Responsibilities

Development and Improvement of Management Systems and Strategy (30%)

●      Develop and implement Healthy Learners’ monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) strategy and the related policies, guidelines, processes, frameworks, and standard procedures

●      Measure and report on organizational strategic priorities and targeted outcomes.

●      Lead the development and implementation of effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning reports and recommendations, and provide quality assurance. Ensure high-quality design and execution.

●      Oversee and improve the quality of monitoring and evaluation systems.

●      Partner with Government of Zambia officials to understand their data needs and develop systems to provide requested information.

 

Promotion of Use of Evidence Across the Organization (25%)

●      Model excellent customer service and ensure that the data and information needs of the team are met. Prioritize sharing learnings and interpreting findings for staff.

●      Work with the Data team to develop and maintain internal, and public-facing dashboards used by the Healthy Learners’ team and government partners.

●      Develop a deep understanding of school health and stay up to date on new and relevant evidence, best practices, literature, and policy documents.

●      Collaborate closely with Development, Communications and Advocacy leads to integrate research priorities and results into advocacy and policy change initiatives.

 

Strategic Leadership and Team Management  (25%)

●      Identify areas across functions for process improvement and drive efficiency.

●      Work with the Chief Operating Officer to develop and execute comprehensive strategies for data management, analytics, and quality assurance.

●      Collaborate with the management team to ensure these strategies contribute to the company’s overall success and attainment of goals.

●      Partner with the executive team to develop multi-year strategies and implementation plans to incorporate evidence into decision-making across the organization.

●      Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on monitoring and evaluation findings and best practices.

●      Lead, mentor, and manage direct reports, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture.

 

External Engagement and Thought Leadership (20%)

●      Seek opportunities with research institutions, universities, consultants, and international coalitions to collaborate with.

●      Seek opportunities to present research findings in relevant forums.

●      Manage the submission of abstracts and present data to donors or in conference settings.

●      This includes drafting key learnings, compiling best practices, tracking/growing audience engagement, and tracking these findings for the organization archives.

 

Requirements and competencies:

●      Knowledge of mixed methods research with advanced knowledge in quantitative

●      research methods and statistical analysis.

●       Experience conducting research in sub-Saharan Africa

●      Superior skills using MS Excel, Tableau and other applications and advanced proficiency in one or more statistical and data analytics software package.

●      Prior success publishing journal articles and other communications documents to disseminate research findings.

●      Excellent follow-through, attention to detail and deadlines, and a strong personal

●      sense of accountability. Must act with discretion and for handle sensitive information with care.

●      Preferred experience and skills: (1) Ph.D. in public health, a social science, statistics,

●      development studies, or other relevant field; (2) Experience with Institutional Review

●      Board processes; (3) Working in a high-growth or start-up environment; (4) Working in an international organization operating in low- and middle-income countries.

Qualifications:

–        Master’s degree in public health, social science, statistics, development studies, or

–        other relevant field from a recognized university.

–        At least 15 years of progressive experience in monitoring and evaluating public health programs, health systems, and/or social research.

–        Minimum of five years of team and project leadership experience.