Program Officer – Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Lead

Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.

We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity—of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds—is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect. Teams across the organization frequently collaborate on programmatic work and support each other in continuously building a better R4D.

R4D is seeking a Program Officer (PO) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Lead to join the R4D Benin team for a potential opportunity on an upcoming five-year, USAID-funded bilateral health systems strengthening (HSS) project. This project aims to strengthen and enhance the health system to deliver quality health services. This specific component (of a three-component approach) will strengthen the management of human resources for health, increase data availability and use, increase private sector investments, and strengthen the implementation and scale up of Universal Health Coverage. The PO-MEL Lead will be responsible for supporting the Chief of Party (CoP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) on the design and implementation of the MEL approach for this five-year project. They will ensure that implementation is continuously documented and analyzed and support the internal learning agenda which aims to capture lessons learned, best practices, and process improvement efforts throughout implementation. The staff member will be expected to build and manage relationships with key stakeholders in Benin such as the government as well as donors and peer implementing organizations, particularly as that relates to other learning/evaluation programs led by those stakeholders. The candidate must be well versed in translating learnings into practical implementation approaches that can support Benin’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Responsibilities

Lead the implementation of MEL activities and routine monitoring:

a. Design, adaptively manage, and report on the Benin HSS programmatic Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP). This includes identifying existing indicators, and when necessary developing project-specific indicators, to complete a project-level indicator matrix and performance indicator reference sheets (PIRS).

b. Ensure the development and implementation of MEL tools:

• Develop suitable and innovative solutions and tools for capturing outputs, qualitative outcomes, and lessons learned for internal and external project activities, capture tacit knowledge exchanged throughout collaborative learning activities, and use observable outcomes to support improving project implementation.

c. Lead data collection for assessment of project progress against MEL indicators, drawing from reputable data sources and project country records.

d. Routinely monitor project activities against work plans and planned deliverables to help teams stay on track.

e. Lead the design, contracting, and implementation of monitoring surveys, research, and evaluation activities as necessary, including:

• Support baseline assessments, including approaches like stakeholder mapping, social network analysis, data collection (quantitative / qualitative), survey design, key informant interviews, or focus group discussions.
• Support mid-term process evaluations to evaluate how the project is progressing towards its long-term goals. This includes an ability to design quasi-experimental or non-experimental mixed method research protocols, sampling methodologies, and data collection instruments.
• Support endline program evaluations to evaluate overall project contributions to UHC. This includes an ability to design quasi-experimental or non-experimental mixed method research protocols, sampling methodologies, and data collection instruments.

2. Design and adaptively manage the Benin HSS team’s approach to Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA). The CLA approach ensures that this project is coordinating with others, grounded in a strong evidence base, and iteratively adapteding to remain relevant throughout implementation.

3. Assist with the drafting of periodic progress reports and other materials requested by program funders.

4. Support the documentation of the Benin HSS project in collaboration with the Operations team, from initial scoping visits through work planning, implementation and evaluation.

5. Supervise the MEL Officer who will be based at a partner organization, CERRHUD, to ensure the quality and timeliness of their work, as required by project activities and work plan deadlines.

The ideal candidate will able to synthesize materials to foster greater understanding with the ability to draw out country experience, and in collaboration with governments, document and evaluate activities and learnings in country. The candidate will be a creative and highly motivated individual who possesses outstanding communication skills, can work independently and collaboratively as part of a globally dispersed team, and deliver high-quality results within tight timeframes.

Participates fully as a member of R4D by contributing, assisting and participating in projects, activities, and initiatives as requested by management.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in international development, public health, public/social policy, or similar
• 7-10 years of progressive experience designing and managing program AMELPs (including logic models, results frameworks, and theories of change), mixed method research, and evaluation approaches (related to the job functions listed above)
• 7-10 years of experience independently managing project activities and executing against expecting deadlines
• Experience working on health systems strengthening required, experience with mixed health systems approaches preferred
• Experience working as a facilitator to solicit group priorities, synthesize conversations into salient action items, and define strategies based on complicated environments and stakeholder groups preferred
• Fluency in French required, English language skills a plus