Plan International is a leading girls and children’s rights organization. Plan strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We motivate our people and partners to:
- empower children, young people and communities to make vital changes that tackle the root causes of discrimination against girls, exclusion and vulnerability
- drive change in practice and policy at local, national and global levels through our reach, experience and knowledge of the realities children face
- work with children and communities to prepare for and respond to crises, and to overcome adversity
- support the safe and successful progression of children from birth to adulthood
Plan operates in 77 countries around the world. It brings its support to millions of children, their families and communities, mainly in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and South America. It implements projects in the Health, Water and Sanitation, Education, Child Protection, Sustainable Livelihood, and cross-cultural communication. Child sponsorship forms the basis of our work with children. Worth to mention, Plan International global ambition is to support 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive!
As part of its commitment to support Plan International Federation reach 100 million girls so to Learn, Lead, Decide and Thrive, Plan International Liberia has developed a new country strategy which will for the next five years (2019 to 2024) focus on reaching 600,000 marginalized girls and children all over the country, with a strong commitment to work with partners at various levels to put an end to violence against girls and young women including Child Early Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other norms and practices that hinder their development and empowerment.
Plan International Liberia is committed to ensuring that Child Protection and Youth Safeguarding, Gender Transformative programming and Influencing are key and an integral part of all its work in the country.
We are currently seeking to recruit:
Title: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning Specialist TB/HIV & Malaria
Location: Monrovia ( Frequent travel to Project Areas)
Status: National Position
Department: Program
Reports to: MERL Manager
ROLE PURPOSE
Plan International Liberia (Plan) requires a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) specialist to play a key role in the team responsible for implementing the Global Fund TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria grants focusing on Key Populations, community-based TB control, LLIN distribution, and provisions of community-based malaria control services to those at risk of malaria. The TB/HIV and malaria grants are awarded to Plan International Liberia as the Principal Recipient alongside the Liberian Ministry of Health. Currently Plan has been implementing the Malaria grant as PR in Liberia since 2011. This position requires expert knowledge, experience, and skills in Monitoring, Evaluation, Data management, Research, and organizational learning to ensure that the grant’s M&E and research activities are implemented in a timely, effective, and efficient manner in addition to ensuring compliance with the grant’s Performance Framework and M&E Plan as well as Plan International’s and the Global Fund’s policies and guidelines on M&E and Research.
The MERL Specialist will be responsible for designing, implementing and overseeing the implementation of the grant’s M&E Plan, strengthening national M&E system by aligning the grant M&E plan with the national system and working closely with partners to build M&E and research capacity of the national entities, grant reporting, data collection and dissemination, and data quality assurance.
Dimensions of the Role
- Participate in the Country Dialogue process and Funding Requests to identity M&E and Research gaps and present solutions and priorities to address the gaps at the design stage
- Participate in discussions and negotiations with regard to setting grant targets in the Performance Framework and/or any changes to the grant targets resulting from reprogramming
- Ensure alignment of the M&E and Research activities of the Global Fund TB/HIV and malaria grants are in line with Liberia’s epidemiological context, the national M&E system and research priorities, as well as the relevant National Strategic Plans.
- Take part in developing and revising Data collection tools and ensuring adequate use of the data collection tools at all levels of grant implementation for collecting and reporting quality data.
- Work with in country partners to ensure that digital M&E databases and collection tools are in line with national standards and the technical requirements necessary for introduction of a digital information management system
- Identify problems and bottlenecks with data collection tools and present solutions to address the bottlenecks
- Ensure that the data collected and reported from the service delivery point up to the final reports submitted to the donor are of highest quality by overseeing the implementing of the data quality assurance mechanisms such as data quality assessments, spot checks, On-site Data Verifications, and monitoring visits.
- Provide technical support in developing tools and mechanism for data quality assurance and ensuring the use of these tools and mechanisms
- Support the development of database and oversee the use and maintenance of the database
- Ensure that the data collected from the Global Fund grants is used to improve the program quality and efficiency and inform programming and financial decisions to meet the priority needs of the TB, HIV and malaria programs in Liberia.
- Regularly review and analyze up to date reports and studies specifically those from Liberia such as routine data from national health systems, program reviews, evaluations, health facility assessments, IBBS, DHS, surveys and special studies.
- availability of data for reporting on impact including disaggregated data by relevant population groups at national and sub-national levels.
- Lead the preparation of Global Fund grant Progress Updates and collecting data from the field and incorporating
- Ensure that data and information is available for finalizing regular Progress Updates to the Global Fund
- Lead the process of meeting the Global Fund’s recommendations and Management Actions on M&E and research to address the underlying bottlenecks
- Provide periodic information to Liberia CCM (LCM) on progress and challenges of the Global Fund grants implemented by Plan International in Liberia
- Lead the process of designing the M&E Frameworks for the Grants as well as detailed M&E planning
- Identity the evaluation and research needs/priorities of the grants and lead the design of adequate methodologies and protocols for grant evaluation, assessing impact, and addressing specific operational research needs including studies on Gender Equality and Inclusion.
- Support program evaluation design, provide oversight to the methodology and protocol development, ensure selection of external service providers and appropriate and timely implementation.
- Review findings from evaluations and research and ensure that the evaluation reports are of good quality
- Provide guidance on key population size estimations and establishing baselines
- Identify and mitigate M&E and Research-related risks
- Liaise with MOH focal persons, the CCM oversight committee, and the Global Fund staff on M&E and research matters
Accountabilities
- Provides technical guidance and support data collection, storage, analysis, dissemination, and data quality assurance from the point of service delivery to central levels of data aggregations.
- Contributes to the design, implementation, and oversight of M&E and Research activities setting at each stage of the grant management cycle
- Support decision making, prioritization, and better resource allocation by
- Be a technical lead on preparing and finalizing Progress Updates to the Global Fund and meeting the donor’s recommendations to comply with donor’s M&E requirements, strengthening national M&E systems, and building capacity of the national and local entities.
- Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Key relationships
- There is high contact with Plan Liberia Administrative and Plan Liberia team
Technical expertise, skills and KNOWLEDGE ESSENTIAL - Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field;
- Expert knowledge and experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, and research with focus on health sector in Liberia
- Proven experience in data collection, analysis, storage, dissemination, and reporting in addition to using and maintaining databases.
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience with MERL activities of donor-funded projects preferably with similar size and scope
- High level of understanding of information technology tools and high level of understanding of DHIS2 systems and database/visualization tools like PowerBI
- Knowledge of and experience in fostering meaning partnership in M&E and research and M&E capacity building
- Knowledge and experience in designing Evaluation and research methodologies and protocols including surveys and studies.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- A strong understanding of and/or experience of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
- Ability to use knowledge and understanding of M&E and research tools, methodologies, systems, policies and guidelines for timely and effective implementation of M&E and research activities.
Physical Environment
- Typically, office environment with 33% extensive travel in program areas
Level of contact with children
- Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
- Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children
- High level: Frequent interaction with children
- The position will be based at the project office and level of contact with children is low
(Plan International’s Values in Practice)
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people.
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Grade: D1
Closing Date: October 28, 2020
Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy.
Plan follows an equal opportunity policy and actively encourages diversity welcoming applications from all especially women and people living with disability.
As an international child centred community development organisation, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children’s rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. Our organisation is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas. We will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.
More Information
- Job City Monrovia
