Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries worldwide. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS engages in various programs, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. The agency is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes staff from diverse faiths and secular traditions who share its values and commitment to service. With a collaborative, mission-driven culture, CRS aims to build the capacity of its staff and enhance team performance across its global operations.

Job Overview:
The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will play a crucial role in supporting strategic leadership for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems improvement. This position involves collaborating with government ministries, departments, and agencies to strengthen national and sub-national M&E frameworks, guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs). The specialist will ensure that these initiatives align with the requirements of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), as well as national health priorities. The role also includes facilitating the design and optimization of M&E tools and processes, enhancing data quality assurance mechanisms, building capacity for M&E at all levels, promoting data use for decision-making, coordinating stakeholders, and monitoring and evaluating M&E system performance. The specialist will be expected to empower teams to effectively apply new skills within established frameworks and assist government partners in making data more actionable through dashboards and visualization tools.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist include:

• Supporting strategic leadership for M&E systems improvement by collaborating with government entities to strengthen M&E frameworks and guidelines.
• Ensuring alignment of initiatives with CDC-PEPFAR requirements and national health priorities.
• Facilitating the design and optimization of M&E tools and processes, including improving data collection tools and reporting templates.
• Providing expert advice to streamline workflows for data capture and reporting, enhancing efficiency within established programs.
• Offering technical support to reinforce data quality assurance processes within government health structures.
• Designing and delivering training, mentorship, and supportive supervision for facility, district, and national staff on M&E principles and data management.
• Assisting government partners in developing dashboards and visualization tools for actionable data use.
• Supporting government-led efforts to engage donors and implementing partners for harmonized reporting.
• Aiding government teams in tracking M&E system strengthening activities and documenting lessons learned for broader scale-up and improvement.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist position include:

• A Bachelor’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Informatics, or related health data sciences is required.
• A Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• A minimum of eight years of relevant work experience with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO.
• At least three years of experience managing field-based M&E processes.
• Strong experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and civil society partners.
• Proficiency in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and web conferencing applications.
• Knowledge of capacity-strengthening best practices and experience in project design and proposal development.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to influence and work with individuals in diverse settings.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Informatics, or related health data sciences. A Master’s degree in a relevant field is considered an advantage and may enhance the candidate's qualifications for the role.

Experience:
Candidates should possess a minimum of eight years of relevant work experience, with progressive responsibilities in the field of monitoring and evaluation. This experience should ideally be with an international non-governmental organization (NGO) and must include at least three years of managing field-based M&E processes. The candidate should demonstrate a strong understanding of M&E principles and practices, as well as experience in program monitoring and evaluation.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is essential for effective communication and reporting. Knowledge of local languages may be considered an advantage, especially in facilitating communication with local stakeholders and communities.

Additional Notes:
The position may involve supervisory responsibilities and is expected to adhere to the agency's competencies, including personal accountability, integrity, trust-building, collaboration, and a commitment to learning. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package for U.S.-based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The anticipated duration of the assignment for expatriates is informed by a term limit based on the job type and level, as well as the agency's needs. CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS offices are located.