Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director

Job Posting Organization:
Pact is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1971, dedicated to building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven, and owned by the communities it serves. With operations in nearly 40 countries, Pact focuses on enhancing resilience, improving accountability, and strengthening knowledge and skills to create sustainable social impact. The organization emphasizes collaboration with partners to achieve its mission and strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team at Pact plays a crucial role in realizing this vision by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, ensuring program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring, and evaluation.

Job Overview:
The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director position is part of Pact's new initiative in Liberia under the ACHIEVE project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State. This role is pivotal in aligning with ACHIEVE’s strategic objectives, particularly in achieving and maintaining HIV/AIDS epidemic control among vulnerable populations, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, children, and adolescents. The MEL Director will provide strategic guidance and management for the successful monitoring, evaluation, and learning of the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) program. This includes ensuring the generation and use of high-quality data to inform design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design and implementation, supervising MEL staff, and collaborating with various stakeholders, including sub-awardees, government entities, and donors. The MEL Director will oversee all MEL activities, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and Pact’s quality standards, while also enhancing health workforce capacity and improving access to quality MNCH services.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The MEL Director will lead the design and execution of the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan, ensuring timely collection, management, analysis, and reporting of quality data that meet donor and government requirements. Responsibilities include aligning MEL strategies with national health guidelines, developing performance monitoring plans, designing tools for data capture and analysis, managing assessments, and overseeing project data management. The MEL Director will institutionalize data quality into all MEL activities, lead routine data review meetings, strengthen subnational health management teams, and ensure accurate reporting to donors and government. Additionally, the MEL Director will supervise a diverse team of MEL and Data Visibility staff, promote collaboration within the MEL team, and represent the project in MEL-related interactions with stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree with eleven (11) years of work experience or a Bachelor's degree with at least thirteen (13) years of work experience. An advanced degree in public health, epidemiology, demography, statistics, information sciences, or a related field is required. A minimum of 9 years of experience in MEL, with at least 3 years in a senior MEL position on large health sector programs in Liberia, is essential. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in leadership roles with international donors and government officials, a proven track record of timely donor reporting, and proficiency in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, data quality assessments, and data analysis. Experience with electronic MEL tools and knowledge of the Liberian national health management information systems is also required.

Educational Background:
The position requires a Master's degree in public health, epidemiology, demography, statistics, information sciences, or a related field. A Bachelor's degree is acceptable if accompanied by extensive relevant work experience, specifically in monitoring, evaluation, and learning within health sector programs.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 9 years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, with at least 3 years in a senior MEL role on large health sector programs in Liberia. Experience working with international donors and government officials is crucial, along with a strong focus on maternal, newborn, and child health.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, with excellent verbal, written, communication, and presentation skills. Additional language skills may be beneficial but are not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and involves national travel. National candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The role emphasizes collaboration, capacity development, and supportive supervision for staff in monitoring and evaluation procedures.