Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Advisor (MEL)

Job Posting Organization:
FHI 360 is a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions for human development. Established in 1980, FHI 360 operates in more than 60 countries and has a diverse workforce of over 4,000 employees. The organization is dedicated to addressing global health challenges, education, and economic development, and it emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnership with local communities and governments to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Job Overview:
The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Advisor will play a crucial role in supporting the DoS funded Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, which is part of the Global Health security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Agenda (GHSA). This position is based in Bujumbura, Burundi, and involves in-country travel. The MEL Advisor will provide strategic and technical leadership in designing, implementing, and strengthening the MEL systems for the project. This includes ensuring that monitoring, evaluation, data quality assurance, and learning functions are fully integrated into project planning and operations. The MEL Advisor will guide the development of M&E plans, tools, and reporting systems that align with project strategy, national frameworks, and donor requirements. The role also involves overseeing the collection, management, analysis, and dissemination of high-quality data, supporting performance monitoring against key indicators, leading data use initiatives, and ensuring robust learning and adaptive management processes. Collaboration with project staff, government counterparts, and partners is essential to ensure that activities proceed as planned and that project outcomes are clearly demonstrated.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The MEL Advisor will be responsible for providing technical leadership in the design, planning, and implementation of MEL systems, tools, and processes that align with national, regional, and global standards. This includes leading the development and refinement of project MEL frameworks, such as performance monitoring plans (PMPs), results frameworks, indicator reference sheets, and MEL standard operating procedures (SOPs). The MEL Advisor will conduct periodic reviews of MEL systems and guide improvements to enhance data use, reporting, and learning. Additionally, the role involves providing technical assistance, supportive supervision, and mentoring to project teams and Ministry of Health (MOH) staff to strengthen reporting systems and data management capacities. The MEL Advisor will lead processes for collecting, aggregating, validating, analyzing, and using project data for national, donor, and global reporting, ensuring that data quality standards are met through coordination of Data Quality Audits (DQAs), routine data verification, and system assessments. The position also requires preparing or contributing to routine performance reports, project briefs, donor reports, and learning products, as well as coordinating timely submission and review of quality improvement (QI) data feedback reports and following up with country teams on data use for decision-making. Furthermore, the MEL Advisor will support the development of learning questions, study designs, and analytical products to inform program adaptation, organize learning reviews, reflection sessions, and documentation of lessons learned, success stories, and innovations, and promote data use for program improvement and strategic decision-making across stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for the MEL Advisor position should possess strong technical knowledge and experience in monitoring, evaluation, surveillance, and data use for global health programs. A demonstrated ability to lead MEL system design and capacity strengthening in resource-limited settings is essential. Proficiency with data management and analysis software such as Excel, Power BI, Tableau, SAS, SPSS, Stata, or R is required. The candidate should also have strong communication, coordination, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, along with sensitivity to cultural differences and an understanding of ethical considerations in research, surveillance, and data management. Fluency in reading, writing, and speaking English and French is mandatory.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Information Systems, or a related field is required for this position. This educational background will provide the necessary foundation for understanding the complexities of monitoring and evaluation in health programs.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of eight (8) years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for large-scale health programs. At least three (3) years of experience in a leadership or technical MEL role, preferably in a resource-limited setting, is essential. Experience with global health security, surveillance systems, or related health programs is highly desirable. Prior experience supervising technical staff and leading MEL activities for donor-funded programs, particularly with the Department of State (DoS), is preferred.

Languages:
Fluency in English and French is mandatory for this position. The ability to communicate effectively in both languages is crucial for collaboration with diverse stakeholders and for the dissemination of findings and reports.

Additional Notes:
This position requires 20%–30% domestic travel as needed. The job posting summarizes the main duties of the role but does not prescribe or restrict the exact tasks that may be assigned. FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to preventing any type of abuse, exploitation, and harassment in its work environments and programs. The organization emphasizes safeguarding the welfare of everyone who engages with its programs and requires all personnel to share this commitment. All offers of employment will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including reference, criminal record, and terrorism finance checks. FHI 360 also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS) and will request information from previous employers regarding any substantiated findings of misconduct. The organization fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development opportunities, and policies that support a healthy work/life balance.