JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a public health management consulting and research organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world over the last forty years. JSI is currently seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist for the USAID-funded Country Health Information System and Data Use (CHISU) global cooperative agreement. This is a full-time position based in one of JSI’s offices in Arlington, Virginia or Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

CHISU is a project designed to enhance host country capacity to produce high-quality health information, to optimally manage this information, and to institutionalize evidence-based decision-making. The project will work with USAID- supported host country health managers, health workers, and other stakeholders to strengthen the enabling environment of health information management and strategic planning in order to: improve harmonization of fragmented information systems, reduce duplication of data collection, and improve monitoring and tracking of a country’s own health trends and priorities.

The MEL Specialist works under the supervision of the Senior MEL Advisor and works closely with CHISU’s executive management team, technical advisors, resident advisors, communications and knowledge management team, and MEL team. The MEL Specialist is responsible for leading at least one portfolio within project MEL activities. The MEL Specialist will support global and country-specific reporting as well as collecting, managing, and using program data to monitor and disseminate progress. The MEL Specialist also contributes to maintenance of the project management information system and supports key research and learning activities on health information systems and data use.

CHISU is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The MEL Specialist will:

• Oversee at least one MEL or cross-cutting portfolio, including but not limited to:
• CHISU’s Management Information System (MIS) maintenance, updates, and helpdesk support
• Gender integration and tracking across all CHISU activities
• Complexity aware monitoring and evaluation methods
• Promotion of best practices in data visualization and use
• Provide backstop support to 2-4 country teams and general support across all countries, regions, and core activities
• Collaborate with MEL, Knowledge Management, and Communications team members to produce, package and publish CHISU’s achievements, including preparing technical briefs, peer-review journal articles, blogs and success stories for publication
• Facilitate reporting and learning activities, ensuring documentation and other standards outlined in CHISU’s activity, monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan (AMELP) are met
• Support the development of country-specific MEL plans as well as the revision of CHISU’s global AMELP
• Support internal, external and country-level pause and reflect sessions
• Support all MEL portfolios with the design and application of quantitative and qualitative approaches to synthesize program processes, achievements, and outcomes
• Support data collection, management, analysis, and use of CHISU global indicators and country-specific indicators in the project’s MIS and other platforms used by the project or its stakeholders
• Conduct complexity-aware monitoring activities such as writing and preparing protocols for IRB submission, drafting literature reviews and indicator matrices, developing questionnaires and analysis plans, and managing related work plans
• Support collaboration, learning, and adaptation of project activities to promote health information system strengthening and improved use of data
• Create visual dashboards or tools that promote data use and report writing, liaise across stakeholders to understand data needs and design user-centered information use products, and contribute to strategies around promoting the use of information for decision making
• Other tasks as assigned

• Education: Masters degree in a related field such as public health, development, or health policy, or equivalent experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional international public health experience; prior experience with HIS-related programs preferred
• Expertise in the principles and current approaches to monitoring and evaluating global health and/or development programs including collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using complexity aware and participatory research methods
• Excellent technical writing and oral communication skills
• Strong facilitation and/or training skills, with a strong commitment to participatory approaches, such as co-creation
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in cross-cultural settings
• Experience working with USAID, including familiarity with USAID’s Program Cycle and CLA
• Ability to work independently and to manage a wide range of activities on a daily basis with limited supervision
• Work authorization required
• Additional desired qualifications and/or experience
• Experience ensuring gender-transformative approaches are reflected in MEL frameworks
• Experience in database development and management
• Ability to work in a second language, French preferred
• Prior experience living and working in a developing country