Learning and Impact Manager

MAIN PURPOSE
To streamline and institutionalize effective research, impact and learning agendas across the organization that contribute to knowledge management within the organization. To enable research and evidence building capacity across the organization; to facilitate the development of innovative packaging of information that serves internally and externally creating visibility of Amref’s work and impact. To connect the research and impact agenda to programming that creates context relevant designs across the organization.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Planning

• Establish and implement an approach for institutionalizing learning within the organization as part of the knowledge management function.
• Coordinate and collaborate with technical leads, the Data and Systems team of the C-MEL and Corporate Information and Communications Technology (ICT) units as required.
• Ensure the Learning and Impact unit is resourced and supported adequately. Manage workplans and budgets, and support country offices as needed, subsidiaries and other entities to implement the Learning and Impact agenda.
• Liaise and network with internal and external Learning and Impact experts to bring about global best practices across the organization; maintain and grow partnerships with various research and evaluation bodies across Africa.

Systems and Processes

• Lead/support the design of impact studies and evaluations in collaboration with the technical and research COP/teams.
• Introduce a learning agenda in which research, impact and other evidence is captured effectively and fed back into programming; establish links from data, and regular reports into the learning agenda with the support of the data, information and systems teams.
• Facilitate the production of the Annual Technical Report in collaboration with the technical leads of the Community of Practice (CoPs). Ensure recommendations of this report are followed up on/implemented.
• Establish data driven approaches through enabling a learning culture across the organization.
• Enable the Learning and Impact unit to produce audience friendly communication on impact data through analytics and regular development of information/knowledge products to be shared internally and externally; enable Amref’s research work to be translated into position papers on important public health issues across Africa.
• Produce donor briefs using impact and outcome data evidenced through evaluations in coordination with the Partnerships unit.
• Review and establish standard operating procedures and/or guidelines to support the organization in designing and delivering impact, evaluation, research and learning processes.
• Introduce innovative but credible methods (as opposed to relying on traditional and time-consuming approaches) to gauge changes effected by programmes and/or context-related issues that affect Amref interventions immediately and effectively.

Technical Support

• Develop standardised training materials/curriculum on research methods, impact and evaluations and related topics and enable the delivery of these trainings to country offices and other entities
• Support and direct country office teams in undertaking quality impact studies, evaluations and research; review terms of references, methodologies and reports for quality and adherence to relevant standards.
• Act as focal person for 1-2 country offices and/or entities assigned to coordinate general MEL support.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Knowledge

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Statistics, Public Health or related areas or related fields;
• Relevant professional qualification preferred.

Experience

• At least seven (7) years of experience in development settings including designing and leading impact studies, evaluation and research with at-least 3-4 years of field/country office experience; 4-6 years of supervisory experience required.
• Demonstrated experience in statistical/quantitative and qualitative methods, designing credible studies focusing on impact and evaluations at a headquarters level; Use of statistical and analytical software.

Skills and Competencies

• A strategic thinker.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and support teams directly and through matrix management.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to listen, communicate and work collaboratively across the spectrum of teams involved: country offices, support units and within the C-MEL unit; ability and willingness to travel to country programmes as required for technical support.
• Facilitatory skills as opposed to top down approach to support country offices.
• Strong ability to work independently and self-motivated
• High levels of integrity and honesty
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills.