Technical Advisor II – MEAL (Liberian Nationals Only)

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

CRS Liberia has been selected as Principal Recipient (PR) for the 2024-2027 Malaria grant financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The program will be implemented nationwide in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders, with the goal of reducing the malaria burden by 75% by the end of 2025, compared to the 2016 malaria prevalence. Key activities include those related to vector control, malaria case management, specific prevention interventions including social behaviour change communication, community systems strengthening, and monitoring and evaluation.

Job Summary:

You will be responsible for the development, technical oversight, and implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) system for the Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Grant. You will ensure effective systems and processes are in place to ensure delivery of high-quality MEAL practices and procedures to continuously improve the impact of the Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project programming. Strengthening the technical capacity of project MEAL and ICT4D staff under your supervision, MoH, National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), and other partners under the Global Fund award will be a key responsibility of this role. You will work closely with Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Grant leadership and technical staff to advise on best practices for MEAL and data-driven implementation recommendations. In addition to ensuring quality, the Program Manager II – MEAL will be tasked with disseminating learning and project success through internal and external channels, including participation in communities of practice, and conferences, and leading in developing external publication materials.

We are currently recruiting: –

Title: Technical Advisor II MEAL

Location: Monrovia, Liberia.

Type of Role: Fixed-term contract

Reports to: Chief of Party I

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Plan and oversee the implementation of the Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project MEAL system in line with the approved Budget and work plan. Coordinate the implementation of monitoring, accountability, and learning activities and processes (including ICT4D and GIS mapping) within CRS and with MOH/NMCP and partners. Track compliance with Global Fund and LFA requirements on deliverables, timelines, and reporting.
• Lead the development of new or adapt/test existing MEAL technical guidelines, frameworks, standard operating procedures, data collection tools, and databases for health programming including routine HMIS reporting and non-routine malaria/RSSH data.
• Provide management, guidance, technical oversight, and direct supervision of the Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project’s MEAL team. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Identify MEAL staff and partners’ capacity and technical assistance needs, and support capacity-strengthening activities.
• Ensure that project data is systematically integrated into the national DHIS2 database.
• Ensure the development, testing, adaption, and roll-out of program-level MEAL systems, including performance monitoring plans (PMP), performance indicator reference sheets (PIRS), indicator performance tracking table (IPTT), data collection instruments, data and reporting flow maps, feedback and response mechanisms (FRM), and detailed implementation plan (DIP). Ensure the MEAL system aligns with Global Fund agreement and guidelines as well as CRS standards.
• Oversee and guide the IT staff of the Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project team for the introduction of ICT4D pilots.
• Analyze and evaluate project performance data using HMIS and LMIS data, following CRS MEAL policy and Global Fund requirements. Proactively identify issues and concerns using participatory processes, timely planning, and effective coordination to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Ensure data quality through the planning and conducting of annual data quality assessments (DQA), periodic pulse checks, and triangulation of HMIS and LMIS data, in collaboration with the program’s procurement and supply chain team, MOH, and partners.
• Ensure that all staff and partners are trained in the FRM and supervise the active seeking and response to feedback from all members of targeted communities and stakeholders.
• Contribute to content and technical reviews of all Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project reports including Pulse Check and Progress Updates (PU) reports. Ensure all required MEAL documents are submitted completely and on time.
• Share MEAL learning and experiences (case studies, tools, e-learning) within the Liberia CP and in global agency discussions, with donors, partners, and peer organizations. Communicate CRS’ approach to MEAL and key findings to CP and regional colleagues. Create opportunities for reflection and learning among MEAL and program staff, advisors, and practitioners within the region or sub-region.
• Act as a key resource person for MEAL in project design and proposal development in MEAL, as needed. Remain up to date with best practices and the latest methodologies within MEAL.
• Ensure effective planning, coordination, and integration of MEAL efforts and reporting with MoH and partners, as well as other CRS programs to optimize the use of shared MEAL teams, assets, and facilities, and strengthen the collective impact of interventions.
• Ensure that gender equity is consistently and intentionally streamlined into all program activities, including staff recruitment and training.
• Champion CRS’s commitment to safeguarding everyone from harassment, exploitation, and abuse through robust systems of prevention and response, as well as our commitment to gender equity.

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Statistics, Economics, Public Health, Demography, International Development, or a related field. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in designing, coordinating, and strengthening MEAL systems for complex health and malaria-related programs required, preferably with an INGO.
• Experience with Global Fund grants is an advantage.
• Field experience in designing and coordinating health system strengthening programs.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing and using health and malaria data for decision-making, working in remote field locations, and carrying out direct implementation of MEAL systems in conflict and resource-poor settings.
• Experience with DHIS2, SAS, SPSS, R, Stata, Epi-Info, or similar analytical software required.

Required Languages: English.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel up to 40% of the time.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Technical experience in developing and directly implementing MEAL systems for malaria and HSS programming.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgments.
• Proven ability to plan and manage multiple tasks in parallel. Capacity to respond rapidly to evolving challenges, devise appropriate solutions, and achieve results.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and analysis skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports. Good presentation and facilitation skills.
• Experience with accountability systems that include knowledge acquisition and management, appropriate and frequent information-sharing mechanisms, participatory decision-making, and formal FRM systems, staffed with competent personnel who provide timely data to stakeholders for learning and programming adjustments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with leading MEAL on Global Fund-funded projects.
• Experience collecting and analyzing HMIS data and integration with LMIS for health products management.
• Direct project management experience with Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) activities including DHIS2 and CommCare is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of Office 365 packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams), Web Conferencing Applications, and information management systems.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and are used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

CRS MEAL Competencies:

• MEAL in Design: Develop TOC, Result Framework, Proframes, MEAL system tools and components, and MEAL narratives for proposals that identify key indicators of change and appropriate methods for data collection and use.
• Monitoring: Implement monitoring activities, including timely collection of quality data, set up and maintenance of databases, facilitation of participatory quarterly visits and reflection on monitoring results, and submission of timely progress reports.
• Evaluation: Support project evaluations and reviews by ensuring the quality of evaluation methods, tools, and data and facilitating the use of evaluation results with partners and other stakeholders to inform decision-making and enhance learning.
• Accountability: Improve accountability to stakeholders through increased participation, transparent communication, responsive feedback mechanisms and adherence to internal and external quality standards and requirements.
• Learning: Promote excellent knowledge acquisition, management and collaborative learning processes at the project and institutional levels, generating robust evidence for programmatic learning that leads to action, decision-making and influence.
• Analysis and Critical Thinking: Engage with data, challenging biases and assumptions, posing thoughtful questions, pursuing deeper understanding of evidence through reflection and perspective-taking, and making informed programming decisions.
• ICT for MEAL: Supports CRS priorities in the use of ICT solutions to collect, manage, and analyze data based on feasibility in specific project contexts and cost-benefit analyses.
• MEAL Management: Secure and support the development of human resources to implement quality MEAL processes.

Supervisory Responsibilities: ICT4D Manager, MEAL Officers

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Global Fund Malaria/RSSH Project staff (Chief of Party I, Deputy Chief of Party, Malaria Technical Advisor, MEAL Officer, Procurement and Supply Chain Manager, Finance Manager, Grant Accountant), programs and operations management teams, Global Fund Support Unit, and regional and HQ MEAL technical advisors.

External: NMCP, MOH/PCU, County Health Teams, the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM), Global Fund Country Team, Local Fund Agent (LFA), partners, other Global Fund Principal Recipients in Liberia, Malaria/RSSH Sub Recipients, Service Providers, health consortia and local government authorities.