Specialist Public Health and M&E, MENA – GL D – French Speaking, Arabic and/or Portuguese Desirable – Defined Duration until December 2030

Public Health and M&E Specialist plays a key role on the Country Team, with a broad range of responsibilities related to the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and programmatic components of grants.

In close collaboration with other members of the Country Team and the Technical Advice and Partnership (TAP) and Community Rights and Gender (CRG) department, the Public Health/M&E ensures that Global Fund’s investments in country achieve the goals and objectives set forth by in-country stakeholders. This includes defining strategic investments in the grants, establishing a framework to measure performance, enabling M&E systems strengthening, liaising with technical partners to improve service quality, and identifying opportunities and strategies to overcome implementation bottlenecks to maximize efficiencies and impact.

The Public Health and M&E Specialist analyses information from various sources and provides advice to Country teams throughout the grant cycle on aspects related to quality of services, appropriateness of interventions, updated guidance from technical partners, and overcoming barriers to effective program implementation.

The incumbent will contribute to the design and management of grants using professional knowledge and experience. S/he will be the technical reference point on M&E and programmatic issues for Country Teams and will ensure effective implementation and compliance with the Global Fund M&E policies and guidelines.

The position requires expertise in monitoring and evaluation of health programs, stakeholder engagement and partnership building, ability to make key decisions to ensure effective implementation and timely solutions for the countries and the Global Fund Country Teams.

Key Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the Public Health/M&E Specialist include:

Advise on strategic investments and develop M&E frameworks

• Participate in the Country Dialogue process for concept note development and support prioritization of appropriate package of interventions to achieve impact.
• Ensure that Global Fund’s investments are appropriate to the country’s epidemiological context, are in alignment with National Strategic Plans, strategic investment frameworks and programmatic gap analysis.
• Coordinate with other Global Fund departments (TAP and CRG), facilitate alignment with latest guidance provided by technical partners and consistent application of the Global Fund policies and procedures.
• Provide clarification to the Technical Review Panel and Grant Approval Committee on Public health and M&E issues during concept note review process and during grant making.
• Negotiate indicators and targets for grant monitoring and assessment of performance.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen M&E systems and improve program and data quality.

Mobilize and strengthen partnership

• Facilitate transparent communication and engage with partners on grant related M&E and programmatic issues and progress of implementation with in-country national program counterparts as well as technical partners.
• Facilitate discussion with partners and in country stakeholder on strategic investments, prioritization of interventions for key populations, women and girls, building resilient and sustainable systems for health and community systems strengthening.
• Ensure adequate coordination with partners in planning and implementation of M&E activities at country level.
• Identify relevant opportunities to link countries with regional or global initiatives, e.g. Health Data collaborative.

Lead M&E and programmatic risk assurance mechanism for data and program quality

• Manage and lead the development of a risk assurance plan linked to program and data quality including risk mitigation measures and assurance mechanisms.
• Provide guidance on resolving bottlenecks related to data collection, reporting and delivery of quality services.
• Select appropriate program and data quality assessment tools, identify service providers and monitor implementation of the recommendations with the national counterparts.

Facilitate building of Resilient & Sustainable Systems for Health

• Identify data gaps and ensure that adequate funds are allocated for data systems for routine reporting such as HMIS/DHIS, surveys, etc. Ensure the availability of data for reporting on impact including disaggregated data by relevant population groups at national and sub-national levels.
• Lead planning and implementation of special initiatives to provide additional data to measure impact in selected countries.
• Ensure establishment of systems for the measurement of data in priority work streams (such as women and girls and key populations).

Develop Program Evaluation framework

• In close collaboration with other GF teams such as TAP, CRG and HSS team, define programmatic evaluation needs.
• Support program evaluation design, provide oversight to the methodology and protocol development, ensure selection of external service providers and appropriate and timely implementation.
• Review of evaluation findings and recommendations- ensuring generation of quality reports and use of data for funding decisions.

Data analysis and use

• Review and analyse data from various sources such as routine data systems, program reviews, evaluations, health facility assessments, surveys and special studies.
• Ensure use of data for program improvement, efficiencies, and reprogramming.
• Inform the funding decisions to ensure adequate funds are available for necessary actions.
• Promote use of data by policy makers and program implementers for effective planning, allocation and utilization of resources.

Contribute to the overall work of the Grant Management division

• Training and capacity building of internal and external stakeholders including Principal Recipients, Local Fund Agents, etc., on Global Fund M&E policies, procedures and tools.
• Integrate latest updates and new Global Fund policies to support performance based funding in specific grant contexts such as challenging operating environments, innovative results based financing approaches.

International duty travel should not exceed 25 percent, except in exceptional circumstances, and should be based on six-monthly planning conducted by country teams that prioritize key deliverables where in-country presence is required.

Subject to change by the Executive Director at any time at his or her sole discretion.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in medicine, public health, health system management, health economics, epidemiology or related field.

Experience

Essential:

• Sound M&E knowledge and experience in public health and disease program management with focus on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
• Robust experience in planning, collecting, analysing and reporting information for assessing progress and ensuring program and data quality.
• Solid experience in developing partnership in M&E and in managing complex M&E issues and deliverables at country, regional and international level.
• Rich professional experience, including a track record of working in strategy and policy analysis, program planning and management, and/or equivalent experience.
• Solid understanding and experience of strategic, organizational and management issues.
• Solid understanding of Global Fund processes and the Global Fund New Funding Model.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable:

• At least 7 years of professional experience (international or national) working in planning, management and M&E of programs in the health sector, including in developing countries.
• Documented field experience in strengthening health management information system, executing large scale surveys, health program evaluation, operational research.
• Experience in developing M&E frameworks, policies, tools, and guidance.

Competencies

Languages:

Fluency in English is required for this role. Knowledge of other languages would be an asset.

Technical Competencies:

• Ability to apply sound knowledge of M&E, public health and disease program management, to inform investment decisions of the Global Fund
• Ability to apply sound knowledge and understanding of M&E tools, policies and guidelines, to ensure effective implementation of M&E-related activities
• Ability to solve complex issues with minimum guidance and supervision, and to adapt policy and guidance to the country reality and context
• Ability to take the lead in solving complex issues. Adapt policy and guidance to the reality and context

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements