Evaluation Specialist – Performance Evaluation of TB&FP Activities Tanzania Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptation (T-MELA) Activity

Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. To advance development effectiveness, we provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity-building services. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

Project Description:

On January 19, 2023, USAID/Tanzania awarded International Business Initiatives (IBI) and SI a four-year contract for the Tanzania Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (T-MELA) Activity. This activity is to assist the USAID/Tanzania Mission with strategy- and activity-level performance monitoring, evaluation, and learning. This activity will also provide data gathering and verification, data visualization (including Geographic Information Systems), data quality assessments, impact and performance evaluations, assessments, organizational learning, and collaboration among USAID’s implementing partners and DO teams.

Background:

The goal of the Uhuru TB&FP Local Organizations Network (LON) Activity is to improve access and use of quality tuberculosis (TB) and family planning (FP) services for better health outcomes of Tanzanian citizens. Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS) is the lead partner and works with Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Tanzania, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and ‘Mwitikio wa Kifua Kikuu na UKIMWI Tanzania’ (MKUTA) as sub awardee partners. Over the past three years, direct support to health facilities (HFs) increased from 118 (FY01), 150 (FY02) to 253 (FY03). Among the 253 HFs, 25 are hospitals, 74 are health centers (HCs) and 154 are dispensaries out of 1,024 total HFs in the four supported regions. Cumulatively, the Activity has supported the establishment of TB-directly observed treatment (DOT) services in 360 HFs which makes a total of 613 HFs reached with TB services. Uhuru will expand support to reach an additional 110 dispensaries and increase overall support to cover 726 HFs during FY04.

The specific focus areas are increased TB case detection, facility and community linkage, retention into care for TB patients, and increased modern contraceptive use among young girls, adolescents, and adult men and women of reproductive age groups. The Activity’s targets are that at least 75% of the supported health facilities in the four regions provide TB screening and referrals at the points of care including reproductive and child health (RCH) clinics and at least 50% FP outreach services include TB screening and referrals. The Activity aims to achieve the following three key intermediate results (IR):

IR 1: Access to and use of high quality, person-centered TB, DR-TB and TB/HIV services at facility level improved. This aims to accelerate achievement of the MOH-NTLP goal of 90% of clients/patients in Katavi, Kigoma, Rukwa, and Songwe regions accessing and regularly using high quality, person-centered TB/DR-TB and TB/HIV diagnosis and treatment services by 2025.

IR 2: TB disease transmission and progression reduced through facility-based service delivery. The aim is to strengthen TB infection prevention and control (TB-IPC) strategies that reduce TB transmission and progression to development of symptoms and illness at supported HFs in both public and private hospitals and HCs in the four target regions.

IR 3: Access to and use of quality FP services at facility level strengthened. The goal is that at least 90% of HFs in Katavi, Kigoma, Rukwa, and Songwe regions provide voluntary FP counseling, services, and/or referrals to all eligible women, men and youth by Activity year two.

USAID Afya Shirikishi is a five-year grant community-based activity on TB and FP implemented in eight regions of Tanzania Mainland (Dar es Salaam, Geita, Katavi, Kigoma, Mwanza, Pwani, Songwe, Rukwa regions) and two Zanzibar regions (urban west and north Pemba). The activity is implemented by Amref Health Africa in Tanzania as the prime partner with three sub-awardees: the Tanzania Communication and Development Center (TCDC), Service Health and Development for People Living Positively with HIV/AIDS (SHDEPHA+), and Mwitikio wa Kudhibiti Kifua Kikuu na Ukimwi Tanzania (MKUTA).

The goal of the activity is to address priority gaps in TB case findings and unmet FP needs at community level in 9 regions of Tanzania by 2025 with the following objectives:

Improved access to and use of high-quality, person-centered TB, DR-TB and TB/HIV services at community level
Reduced TB disease transmission and progression through community-based service delivery
Strengthened access to and use of quality FP services at community level
Improved the transparency, feedback, and access to data related to TB programming; strengthened national policy and guidelines; and increased leadership and political support for TB as a public priority

Statement of Purpose:

The intent of this evaluation is to conduct individual activity evaluations of USAID Tanzania’s TB and FP LON activities, while also providing an overall picture of what the Mission’s TB and FP programming has achieved over the last 3 years. This will provide the health Office with the information and learnings that it needs in order to inform the next round of TB and FP activity designs.

Evaluation Questions:

To what extent are the interventions implemented by the Uhuru and Afya Shirikishi activities relevant to the TB and FP needs of Tanzania and to USAID’s TB and FP strategies?
Have these activities effectively integrated TB and FP work? What were the most important factors in enhancing or preventing this integration?
In what ways have these activities improved TB and FP outcomes in Tanzania’s healthcare system? What effect did having separate facility-based and community-based partners have on the achievement of these outcomes?
To what extent did the activities facilitate local ownership, coordination, partnerships, and sustainability? How will the outcomes of these activities be sustained once they end, or if they will not, what can be done to improve their sustainability?
What are the most important learnings from these activities that can be used to inform future TB and FP programming?
What role have Community Health Workers (CHWs) played in achieving TB and FP outcomes and how can that role be sustained after these activities end?

Position Description:

SI is seeking an Evaluation Specialist to support T-MELA with the Performance Evaluation of TB&FP Activities. Focused on the design and implementation of the evaluation methodology, this specialist will support other team members to handle the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. They will coordinate desk reviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and analyze activity monitoring and performance data. Their expertise will ensure that the evaluation questions are answered accurately and that the findings are based on robust evidence. This is a consulting position with an estimated period of performance of March – September 2024. The estimated level of effort (LOE) will be 58 LOEs.

Responsibilities:

The Evaluation Specialist will:

· Design and implement the evaluation methodology in collaboration with the team.

· Conduct data collection, analysis, and interpretation to answer the evaluation questions.

· Ensure the reliability and validity of data used in the evaluation.

· Develop data visualization and presentation materials for the evaluation report.

· Provide technical support to the team in all aspects related to data management and analysis.

· Conduct Desk Review, support development of evaluation design and tools, conduct data analysis and develop findings conclusion and recommendations.

· Support development draft report and presentation of findings to USAID.

Support any task as requested by Team Lead, USAID T-MELA and Social Impact.

Deliverables:

With support from USAID/T-MELA and team members, the Team Lead will be expected to take overall responsibility for the production and management of the following:

1. Final Assessment Design: A detailed, full assessment design and work plan following an initial consultation with USAID that will include chosen methodologies and data collection tools.

2. Kick-off meeting/In brief: A PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation summarizing the methodological approach to be used to excute the assessment for USAID/T-MELA and key partners prior to the launch of data collection.

3. Findings Conclusions and Recommendations (FCR) Matrix: An analysis tool through which data is triangulated and findings, conclusions, and recommendations specific to each assessment question are produced. Two FCR matrixes are expected, a preliminary document after the first full week of data collection, and a final matrix at the end of the data analysis period.

4. Preliminary Findings PPT: The team will present the key findings to the wider USAID/Tanzania Mission through a PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation. The TL is expected to update this PowerPoint after the final report.

5. Draft Evaluation Reports: A draft regional reports with fully developed findings, conclusions, and recommendations, no longer than 30 pages excluding annexes, will be submitted to the T-MELA COP who will submit to the USAID COR for T-MELA activity. The format will include an executive summary, table of contents, methodology, findings, and recommendations. USAID/T-MELA and key local stakeholders will provide comments on the draft report.

6. Final Reports: The team will submit a final report that incorporates responses to USAID’s/partner’s comments and suggestions. The report will be submitted electronically in English. The report will be disseminated within USAID and key stakeholders.

7. Weekly progress report: Provide weekly progress report to USAID-TMELA and SI in the agreed format.

Qualifications and Skills:

The Evaluation Specialist must be Tanzanian who have/hold:

· At least 8 years of senior-level experience working on evaluation/assessment is desirable,

· Master’s degree in Statistics, Epidemiology, Public Health (with a focus on biostatistics or health informatics), or a related field.

· Strong statistical analysis skills, with proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R).

· Experience in designing and implementing evaluations, including both quantitative and qualitative methods.

· Ability to manage large datasets and perform complex data analyses.

· Experience with health information systems and data from sources like DHIS2 and eTL.

· Strong analytical skills to assess program outcomes and impacts on target populations.

· Experience in the designing of instruments for data collection including quantitative questionnaires, qualitative tools such as KIIs and Focus Groups using diverse technology.

· Excellent oral communication and written skills in English is a must.

· Demonstrated experience in communicating with local stakeholders at managerial and technical levels.

· Experience working with international donors, especially USAID.

Level of Effort (LOE):

Expected up to 58 days. Only actual time spent is billable.

To apply, please merge both your CV and a cover letter into two different PDF files and submit it through the online portal.

Come join our energetic and innovative team! We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.