Job purpose
To provide oversight and support to all monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities of the SARMAAN II) Project in Nigeria. The M&E Manager will serve as the main focal person for all MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) activities which include impact evaluation, data validation, coordination meetings, lot quality assessment sampling (LQAS), end of cycle (EoC) reviews, capacity building in data quality and supportive supervisory visit to strengthen health management information system (HMIS). S/he will also work closely with externally engaged survey companies and technical assistants (TAs) for end of round (EoR) coverage surveys, other surveys, studies, evaluations and assessments, including for value for money (VFM); and would report to the Technical Specialist.
Scope of work
The M&E Manager shall be responsible for technical oversight in planning, coordination and supervision of M&E activities before, during and after SMC delivery for the SARMAAN II Project in three states (Kaduna, Kebbi and Jigawa). S/he will provide expert technical inputs to state MC/Senior M&E Officers, their state and LGA counterparts in campaign personnel database development/finalization, data management, data quality assurance, LQAS, analysis, interpretation of findings, EoC reviews and writing of progress and scientific reports. Furthermore, this Manager would be an integral part of digitization efforts/direction of the SARMAAN II Project by being an integral and active part of the country and international digitization subgroup.
The M&E Manager while reporting to the Project Director, would work with the Senior Country Technical Coordinator, Country Office M&E Manager, Senior/Zonal and State Programme Managers, Data Analyst, Senior Country and State M & E officers, towards the delivery of all MEAL activities at the national, state and LGA levels, plus in the sentinel sites.
Key working relationships
The M&E Manager will work closely with the Programme Director to operationalize all MEAL components of the programme. S/he would be line managed by the Project Director and will have dotted line management with the Senior Country Technical Coordinator. The post holder will provide technical oversight to the Senior M&E Officers working in the programme states and country office. S/he would work very closely with the Operational Research (OR) Specialist in the analysis of research findings and mainstreaming same into better programme outcomes. Technical quality assurance for the job will be provided by the Senior Country Technical Coordinator (SCTC); while the holder would be part of the MC/international M&E community of practice (CoP).
 
Key accountabilities
Management and planning (35%)

Support the finalization/review of SARMAAN II Project M&E plans and frameworks as listed below:

log frames with appropriate programme indicators, targets and data collection methods.
tools and methods for M&E components of the annual SMC implementation.
routine monitoring systems, including databases, systems for data collection, maintenance and storage; and
templates and schedules for routine reports including quantitative and narrative reports (where necessary).


Take the lead in planning M&E activities in the approved work plan and coordination of implementation ensuring high level of technical quality and work closely with the Technical Specialist to ensure that the M&E plan is aligned with the overall programme work plan and is within the budget allocated for M&E.
Support State Senior M&E Officers in the implementation of M&E activities in approved programme work-plan.
Ensure high quality data are available in useable format on a regular and timely basis for programmatic decision making by facilitating data collection and collation.

 
Data management, reporting, surveys, and dissemination (35%)

Provide technical support for routine data collection and management including IT applications for data transfer where needed.
Support the states in the development/finalization of the personnel database and composite national database for the SARMAAN II Project.
Support the conduct of successful monthly EoC reviews, LQAS and annual EoR survey.
Plan and coordinate quarterly routine monitoring visits to project supported sites and conduct field visits to validate data and monitor the quality and completeness of collected data.
Assist in analysis and presentations of project data at national level.
Participate in project assessments, evaluations and design including development of survey protocols with support from country office and advisors.
Participates in regular documentation of lessons learnt on various interventions by the project.
Work with relevant UK/HQ and Country Office colleagues, NMEP and state stakeholders towards appropriate impact evaluation of the SARMAAN II Project.

Knowledge Management, Capacity Building and Learning (10%)

Work with the Technical Specialist to develop training or capacity building plans related to M&E and implement them as necessary.
Support M&E training planning and rollout at the state levels.
Ensure that state M&E and programme teams regularly review and accordingly adjust M&E plans and tools in the light of changes and needs in the field context based on monitoring data and reflection sessions.
Support learning-to-action events and reflection sessions to systematically analyze data for programmatic use for the state and for the national level, and to document and incorporate lessons learned into programme design and implementation.
Conduct regular data review and analysis for feedback to states for program improvement, and for updates to national level (MC and government).
Work closely with the PD, TS and SCTC to support programme staff in key activities including development of a learning agenda, organizing regular learning events, supporting operations research, and reflecting, documentation, and communication of learning initiatives.
Actively participate in the M&E community of practice (CoP).
Support knowledge management systems (MC/External Relations/Communications) and practices to gather, document and share best practices with project team, MC country office, government and technical partners.

Accountability (10%)

Support state programme staff to engage key populations in M&E programme performance and to incorporate participatory methods into M&E systems in the states.
Support the state M&E Officers in the orientation of programme staff and partners on the basic principles and practices of beneficiary accountability in the states.
Support the development and implementation of feedback and response channels to reflect the preferences of community members and beneficiaries.
Support the states to ensure that beneficiary feedbacks are adequately documented, addressed, analyzed, and utilized by programme teams.

Networks and representations (10%)

Develop and maintain relationships with NMEP and relevant Ministry of Health officials, so as to stay abreast of and involved in related SMC, HMIS and M&E developments.
Represent MC at national level as designated  by the Project Director of Senior Country Technical Coordinator or MC senior management; and make presentations at technical meetings and events related to M&E.

Person specification
Qualifications and experience:
Essential

A postgraduate degree in Public Health (with focus on epidemiology/bio-statistics) or a relevant social science discipline such as Demography or Statistics;
A minimum of 5-years’ experience in a related role;
3 years’ previous experience in a supervisory role at middle management level;
Hands-on knowledge and expertise of database management systems (Epi-info, DHIS2, LMIS, HMIS, STATA, SPSS) as well as data and statistical analysis;
Previous experience in the Public Health sector and at the community level and on a malaria project;
Experience in use of evidence to inform programming and policy;
Significant experience in survey design and implementation; and
Experience in capacity building/ transferring of skills.

Desirable

Experienced in applying qualitative methods of data collection and analysis; and
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Work-based skills:
Essential

Proficient in the development of data entry programmes, using statistical analysis software (Epi Info, EpiData, Excel, Access, Stata, SPSS) and management of project M&E systems;
Excellent communications and presentation skills; and
Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable

Excellent organization skills; and
Experience/skills in team management.