Associate, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning - Maternal and Newborn Health, Emergency Referral Systems

Job Posting Organization:
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization founded in 2002, primarily in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Its mission is to save lives and reduce the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. CHAI operates in over 40 countries, working closely with governments and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems. The organization has expanded its focus beyond HIV to include infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis, as well as non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes. CHAI emphasizes the importance of sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that programs are designed to be nationally scalable and that learnings are shared globally. The organization values diversity and inclusion, recognizing that a diverse workforce enhances its mission and effectiveness.

Job Overview:
The Associate, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) for Maternal and Newborn Health, Emergency Referral Systems will play a crucial role in the implementation of the ERS project in partnership with the Ministry of Health. This position involves coordinating the MEL activities of the project, managing the project results framework, and conducting routine monitoring. The officer will lead internal baseline assessments and enhance data quality, analysis, and visualization. The role requires frequent travel to various provinces and will involve providing technical guidance to staff and government counterparts. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that the MEL framework aligns with program, donor, and government requirements, and will facilitate performance reporting and learning across teams.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the ERS MEL framework and Project Monitoring Plan, including indicators, targets, data sources, and quality assurance procedures.
• Assist the Ministry of Health in strengthening the ERS call/dispatch system and health information systems, ensuring consistent definitions and secure access to data.
• Analyze and visualize data on referral-system performance, contributing to donor and management performance reports.
• Facilitate performance review meetings and track action items to support evidence-based adaptations.
• Lead internal baseline assessments, managing data cleaning and analysis, and producing actionable recommendations.
• Serve as the MEL focal point for coordination with IDinsight, ensuring clear separation from independent evaluations.
• Build capacity among CHAI staff and health workers in using reporting tools and applying data-quality standards.
• Perform additional duties as requested by the Technical Advisor or Senior Program Manager.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in public health, statistics, demography, epidemiology, health informatics, data science, social sciences, or a related field.
• At least five years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning, health information systems, or performance management within public health or a related sector.
• Proven experience in developing MEL frameworks and coordinating assessments.
• Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods, research ethics, and digital data collection.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with statistical packages such as Stata, SPSS, SAS, R, or Python.
• Understanding of the Zambian health system and strong communication skills.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as public health, statistics, demography, epidemiology, health informatics, data science, or social sciences is required. A Master's degree in a similar field is considered an advantage.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of relevant experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning, health information systems, or applied research within the public health sector. Demonstrated experience in developing MEL frameworks and coordinating assessments is essential.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory. Knowledge of local languages may be advantageous but is not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
This is a full-time position based in Lusaka, Zambia, with frequent travel to Copperbelt and Southern Provinces. The role does not have formal direct reports but involves providing technical guidance to various stakeholders. CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity and inclusion in its workforce.