Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Director

TITLE:           Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Director
REPORT TO:  Chief of Party (COP)
LOCATION:    Hanoi, Vietnam

FHI 360 is an international non-governmental organization operating in Vietnam to promote the health and well-being of the Vietnamese people, particularly vulnerable and marginalized populations. We work with the Vietnam Ministry of Health and other national bodies, as well as provincial and district-level health services to address systemic health challenges. FHI 360’s portfolio has involved addressing HIV prevention, testing, and treatment; combatting trafficking in persons; COVID-19; tuberculosis case finding and treatment; anti-microbial resistance; health system strengthening; maternal and child health and nutrition;and diagnostic and laboratory services.

We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Director for the multi-year USAID Strengthening Local Health Security Activity. The goal of the USAID Vietnam Strengthening Local Health Security Activity is to strengthen Vietnam’s capacity at the sub-national levels to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to epidemic-prone emerging infectious diseases (EID) through One Health (human, animal, and environmental) approaches to achieve Global Health Security (GHS) targets for zoonotic diseases (ZD), EID surveillance and response, and risk communications and community engagement (RCCE).

Recruitment is contingent upon the successful award of the project to FHI 360 and final USAID approval of the candidate.

Main responsibilities:

The MERL Director will oversee MERL, quality assurance/continuous quality improvement activities for the project. This involves Guiding the development and utilization of near-real time systems for monitoring project results; leading research activities, knowledge management, and collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA); and establishing and continually refining MERL technical frameworks, approaches, tools, and activities. The MERL Director will also provide technical leadership to develop MERL plan and capture program intervention results; ensure high-quality, timely, valid, and verifiable data collection and analysis; and develop and implement a learning agenda to inform adaptive management and to disseminate among the project team, policymakers, and other stakeholders the lessons learned. S/he will be responsible for the overall knowledge management and thought leadership aspects of the project.

Specific responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

• Lead and ensure the quality and timely implementation of all monitoring and evaluation and knowledge management components of the project
• Produce project monitoring, evaluation and learning plan and data management plan, and oversee its management and implementation, including the data collection, analysis and reporting of data and information on project activities
• Design and implement MERL utilization plan both for internal and external audiences
• Supervise team of MERL professionals and support MERL capacity of implementing partners
• Secure timely, complete and accurate reporting from in-country partners, including data quality assessment (DQA)
• Coordinate and ensure quality of all project reports and deliverables and learning products
• Support DCOP in coordinating quality assurance of research/study including the knowledge products.
• Monitor and evaluate progress towards meeting annual work plan objectives, facilitate adaptive management and use of tools and techniques to improve the quality and use of data for decision making and ensure data use for project improvement
• Lead knowledge management and communication activities to ensure project information is readily available for use by target audiences and is compliant with donor policies
• Assist the Chief of Party in the preparation of annual workplans plans and budgets
• Participate on behalf of the project in appropriate technical meetings and conferences for knowledge dissemination
• Maintain a dialogue and MERL technical exchange with FHI 360 Asia Pacific Regional Office counterparts and technical staff of implementing partners

Experience and abilities for the position:

• Advanced degree (post-graduate or higher) in relevant subject such as statistics, data analytics, environmental studies, international development with strong grounding in quantitative and qualitative research methods
• At least ten years working experience including:

1. Five (5) years relevant work experience at a senior level in monitoring and evaluation in of large donor-funded projects in Vietnam
2. Eight (8) years prior experience developing M&E plans and conducting quantitative and qualitative research for at least one of the following: global health security, animal health, human health/medicine, health information systems, epidemic-prone emerging infectious diseases (EID), and zoonotic diseases (ZD) in Vietnam.

• Familiarity with USAID reporting requirements and indicators in the environment and plastic pollution sectors (preferred)
• Demonstrated research experience and skills, complemented by experience in collaborating with colleagues, peers and varying types of partners
• Strong written communication skills and experience with writing program reports and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications
• Ability to exchange information, present recommendations, and collaborate with colleagues and peers within the organization and externally
• Must have extensive knowledge in collaboration, learning, and adapting concepts for complex development initiatives.
• Knowledge in design or implementation of non-traditional methods in data collection and analysis
• Fluency in Vietnamese and excellent oral and written communication skills in English

FHI 360 offers competitive compensation and excellent benefits.

Interested candidates are invited to visit FHI 360’s career page at https://www.fhi360.org/careers and apply the position ONLINE by January 15, 2024.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews