Job Title:  Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist

Organisation: John Hopkins Center for Communication programs (CCP)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

Report to: Technical Advisor – Monitoring & Evaluation

About Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs:

Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs John Hopkins Center for Communication programs (CCP) is a leader in strategic communication and research that facilitates access to information and exchange of knowledge to improve health. CCP has more than 60 projects that employ staff in more than 40 countries around the world. CCP has unparalleled experience as a global center for Social and Behavioral Change excellence. Through its projects, CCP harnesses the power of social and behavior change communication to encourage the adoption of healthy behaviors in the projects implemented worldwide.

Project background: 

The Social and Behavioral Change Activity (SBCA) is a five-year program implemented through a cooperative agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Uganda) and Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (CCP). The Vision of USAID’s Social and Behavioral Change Activity is a Uganda where individuals and communities are not just healthy, but resilient, supported by strong adaptable systems and institutions to lead productive lives.

The SBC Activity supports the Government of Uganda (GoU) and US government implementing partners to design and implement Social and Behavioral Change (SBC) communication initiatives that contribute towards reduction in Maternal and Child mortality, Malaria prevalence, Total Fertility rate, new HIV infections, TB prevalence and improved Nutrition out comes, resilience and improved SBC systems and expertise.

Job Summary:

The Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RME) Specialist is a key member of the SBCA Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Team. The RME Specialist provides technical support to monitoring, evaluation, learning, and quality assurance/continuous quality improvement activities/components of the Social Behavior Change Activity (SBCA) in Uganda. This position will support coordination, collaboration, learning, and program adaptation integrated in the knowledge management systems. She/he will work closely with the RME Technical Advisor to coordinate the development and implementation of the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP) and corresponding M&E systems and use and promote the use of that information to guide performance management through well analyzed, rapid and timely feedback.

The RME Specialist will work to include appropriate indicators, baseline data, results and a plan to monitor and evaluate performance, produce timely, accurate and complete reporting. The Specialist will be responsible for ensuring effective bi-directional communication and learning between the project and service delivery implementing partners. This will include coordination and integration of knowledge management systems, and work processes, fostering a culture of collaboration.

She/he will support other project partners, as well as USAID service delivery implementing partners to develop, train, and apply new and proven approaches to MEL with a lens on Social and Behavior Change (SBC). Travel within Uganda will be required.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

 Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Support the project in establishing performance measures, collecting and analyzing performance information, quality improvement standards, planning and managing evaluations, and assisting the project management in using the performance information for decision-making and resource allocation.

Apply M&E tools to monitor project results areas

• Support the development and implementation of the Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (AMELP) and corresponding M&E systems.
• Support in making adaptations to the project AMELP each year based on new or shifting program objectives, and ensure adherence to the plan.
• Support the development and the process of updating standard operating procedures (manuals, trainings) for data collection, data entry, data analysis, and management of devices related to data collection or use.
• Assist teams to select data collection methods for adequate monitoring and evaluation of implementing partners’ performance and of the program as a whole (these methods may include field visits, quarterly reports, specialized surveys and other sources of information like Government of Uganda statistics).
• Provide input into the design, implementation and dissemination of evaluations, special studies and assessments.
• Encourage the use of performance information in resource allocation decisions by the Activity Team Leaders, Senior Management, and implementing partners through leading discussions, preparing analysis or other measures.
• Assist Senior Management in building local M&E capacities in RME and CLA.

Data collection and quality assurance

• Support implementation of data collection activities (including all mobile data collection and GIS data, where relevant).
• Support development and implementation of quality assurance procedures for data collection to ensure data accuracy and the validity and reliability of monitoring data and study results.
• Conduct site visits to ensure quality, reliability, and consistency of data and seamless flow from the field to central office and onto the Baltimore HQ.
• Supervise the collection of data related to performance indicators required by Project, and report data on a regular basis into CCP’s global dashboard.

Data storage

• Create, maintain and safeguard electronic databases and any other data collection files in compliance with JHU data security requirements.
• Manage access permissions for data entry and dashboards to view monitoring output.
• Help prepare data for archiving as required by USAID’s Digital Data Archive policies.

Data analysis and reporting

• Track, analyze and produce comprehensive and succinct reports and documentation on indicators and measures.
• Conduct data cleaning and analysis on a monthly basis and produce graphs and reports for quarterly reporting.
• Support in writing project reports and entering data into donor and partner led identified management information systems as required (i.e. USAID PRS)

Coordination and communication

• Work closely with partners and stakeholders within the MOH.
• Ensure timeliness and quality of service delivery data from partners.
• Work with the program team to ensure proper documentation via knowledge management approaches.
• Participate in the development and writing of strategies, work plans and assessments.
• Maintain efficient communication with Baltimore-based program and R&E teams.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in a performance monitoring and/or evaluation role with with USAID programs.
• Master’s degree in Public Health, epidemiology, biostatistics research methods, or behavioural science with relevance to SBC research, monitoring and evaluation or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of fifteen (15) years’ experience above.
• Uganda national.
• Oral and written fluency in English.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to summarize disparate information in a clear and concise manner
• Excellent research and data collection methodology skills
• Ability to create organizational work plans based on higher-level goals
• Ability to lead and coordinate multiple offices through multiple step processes without being a direct supervisor (although appropriate authority will be given)
• Skills in supporting staff with a variety of levels of knowledge and capabilities
• Strong organizational skills in order to balance competing priorities
• Ability to work independently to efficiently meet deadlines
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Oral and written communication skills to deal effectively with mid and high-level partner contacts, the host government, and the local communities.
• Skills in qualitative and quantitative analytic statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS) and qualitative software (e.g., Atlas.ti, NVivo), and proven ability in data visualization using graphs, charts, maps, and GIS;
• Experience in web-based data management system (preferably DHIS2 and/or Open Data Kit), and/or mHealth and mobile data collection.

How to Apply:

All candidates are encouraged to submit e-mail applications to ccpug-jobs@jh.edu with copies of current CV, cover letter and three professional referees. Please indicate which position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.

Deadline: 17th August 2022

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