Senior Associate, Field Operations, MLE

About Evidence Action

Evidence Action aims to be a world leader in scaling evidence-based and cost-effective programs to reduce the burden of poverty in some of the poorest places. Our large-scale, evidence-based programs are rigorously evaluated to ensure they reach the greatest amount of people in the most cost-effective ways. No matter what the position, each member of our team takes solace in the notion that the hard work we do does in fact make its intended impact. Collectively, our at-scale initiatives measurably reach over 280 million people annually, and we continuously seek dedicated and mission-driven people to help advance this rare, and large-scale, global impact.

Background on the program

Syphilis among pregnant women is a highly neglected but addressable problem, responsible for more than 300,000 serious adverse outcomes annually (stillbirth, neonatal death, and congenital syphilis). Nearly all of these adverse outcomes can be prevented inexpensively and easily if women are tested and treated during antenatal care visits. The recent development and WHO pre-qualification of an affordable rapid dual diagnostic test for HIV and syphilis has made it possible to achieve near universal testing and treatment for governments that choose to deploy this test at antenatal clinics. Evidence Action has launched a maternal syphilis program in Liberia through which we provide technical assistance to the Government of Liberia and the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NACP) in scaling up this intervention. As of 2021, nearly half of pregnant women in the country seek care at a facility trained to provide syphilis screening and treatment. We are working to reach the remaining half of pregnant women over the coming years.

Job purpose

The Senior Associate, Field Operations, MLE is responsible for supporting all of Evidence Action’s Monitoring and Evaluation activities in Liberia. This is an exciting position that involves supporting: program research, monitoring, and learning activities; implementation of health facility surveying; data entry and management; and development of program data tools. This individual will coordinate between the Regional MLE Lead, the MLE Strategy team, the program teams (global and in Liberia), and government and other implementing partners as needed. The role holder will report directly to Liberia Country Manager with dotted line reporting to the Regional MLE Lead who will provide overall technical support.

Duties and responsibilities

Research and Learning

● Lead the maintenance of relevant databases for tracking and managing information for the Liberia Maternal Syphilis Screening and Treatment program.

● Quarterly monitoring and reporting of program progress against a series of Key Performance Indicators.

● Capture and disseminate lessons learnt from implementation rounds as well as tracking improvements in those significant areas over time to ensure that learnings are translated to program improvements.

● Support MLE Strategy and Program teams with implementing operations research activities, as needed, for the Liberia program.

● Support program decision making through analysis of all available data.

Implementation of Facility Surveying

● Collaborate with the MLE Strategy and Program teams to iterate and improve upon the Comprehensive Facility Survey between implementation rounds.**

● Vendor Management:**

● Support drafting and/or reviewing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) and Scope of Work for data collection vendors.

● Directly manage timelines and deliverables by vendors contracted to perform data collection on behalf of Evidence Action.

● Review enumerator training materials and protocols and participate in the training of monitors from the enumeration firm.

● Verify and validate data collected by data collection vendors and or other partners through data reviews, quality checks and field visits

● Take the lead on developing and implementing field data quality checks e.g. infield supervision and back checks

● Support the analysis of data collected during the facility surveying as key inputs into the program’s evaluation of coverage attained.

Data entry

● Enter Maternal Syphilis program data obtained via photos of data tools into databases.

● Collate government data available via the monthly Health Management Information System and the quarterly electronic Logistics Management Information System.

○ Work together with government partners to identify and investigate any data discrepancies identified in these data systems as pertaining to the maternal syphilis program indicators.

● Develop strategies for capturing and utilising qualitative feedback provided by master trainers in the course of their interaction with health facilities.

Coordination between MLE and Program, Government and Partners

● Represent MLE in program meetings with partners and government where MLE presence is needed, and record meeting notes for team dissemination.

● Communicate program requests and/or needs for data and translating that back to the necessary MLE Strategy and delivery team/members for action when required.

● Active participation in stakeholder engagement in terms of representing the Liberia program at meetings that require Evidence Action’s M&E inputs and actions, making presentation, review meetings, support in terms of training and other capacity building activities.

Development of Program Data Tools

● Work together with the Program teams to develop and iterate upon tools utilised by master trainers and our government partners in the course of their implementation of training and supportive supervision activities.

● Identify and create data-informed decision making tools whose ownership can be transferred to our government partners. Examples may include a commodity quantification tool, facility monitoring tools, etc.

Data Management

● Collaborate with Evidence Action’s MLE data team department to ensure that the data entry templates are updated.

● Ensure any program data collected by Evidence Action is stored according to organisation policies and any identifying data is kept confidential.

● Ensure that program data, particularly data collected during the Comprehensive Facility Survey, is shared with government partners per the terms of Evidence Action’s MOU.

● Support other ad hoc data related tasks made by programs.

Other

● Train government officials on monitoring and evaluation, including how to better utilize data in decision making, with a focus on maternal syphilis data.

● Provide data inputs to the global Maternal Syphilis program team and the global Cost-Effectiveness Analysis team as requested for donor reporting.

● Perform any other monitoring, evaluation and learning duties as may be required and assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

▪ Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with strong economics, statistics, or mathematics and related background;

▪ 3+ years of experience of M&E programs in Liberia

▪ Strong technical skills and capacity, with at least 2 years of practical experience managing and working directly with large teams and data.

▪ Project management skills

▪ Experience programming and using electronic data collection platforms, specifically SurveyCTO.

▪ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

▪ Willing to travel on short notice, to multitask, to work in ambiguity and to respond to instruction from multiple sources.

▪ Naturally inquisitive, sceptical, intellectually curious, detail-oriented and organised;

▪ Inspired by Evidence Action’s mission to bring proven interventions to scale, improving the lives of millions;

Working conditions

This position will require coordinating closely with the Regional M&E team members, a majority of whom are based in East Africa. It also requires frequent travel across program implementation Districts

Physical requirements

None

Direct reports

None

Equal Opportunity Statement

Evidence Action does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.