MEL Advisor
1. Introduction
Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of NTDs (ASCEND) is a £200 million investment from the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID), to advance the impact and sustainability of national programmes tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). To be implemented between September 2019 to March 2022, ASCEND comprises of two lots – one focusing on South Asia, East and Southern Africa (lot 1) and the other on West and Central Africa (lot 2). ASCEND lot 1 is implemented by a consortium of technical partners led by Crown Agents, including Abt Associates, Oriole Global Health and the Royal Tropical Institute. Central to ASCEND 1’s approach is a close collaboration with National Governments and other implementing partners, to enhance national approaches to NTD control and elimination. ASCEND’s goal is to contribute to the global goal of reducing the burden of targeted NTDs so that they are no longer a public health problem.
In Zanzibar, ASCEND will focus on three NTDS; Lymphatic Filariasis, Schistosomiasis, and Trachoma anchored on the following broad areas of intervention:
- Treatment and prevention of disability, including mass drug administration (MDA), diagnosis and treatment, surgeries, morbidity management.
- Increasing the integration of aspects of NTD programmes within the health systems.
- Strengthening national health systems, integrating efforts to strengthen the relevant building blocks of the health system.
- Data for targeting and monitoring, including impact assessment and alignment of NTDs with national and international MEL systems and processes.
- Cross-sectoral collaboration, in particular within the health and WASH/BCC sectors.
DFID has contracted Crown Agents together with its consortium partners to act as Fund Manager for ASCEND in Uganda. Therefore, Crown Agents will work with the Ministry of Health to support the immediate procurement of services from Implementing Partners (IPs) that will further the above-stated objectives of ASCEND in the country
2. Duties and Responsibilities:
- To manage information data base bank for Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme by updating and enriching it regularly.
- Provide guidance, training and monitoring of all Zanzibar NTDCP MEL activities
- To help to compile regular reports from data collected from various sources for Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme operational activities.
- To collect and processing data as needed to enable the programme and other actors to make use of it in decision making.
- To provide feedback and regular information to other sectors and actors involved in NTDs control activities.
- To train various Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme staff and other collaborators on data processing and management interpretation and presentation.
- To constant enter data into data base
- To clean data reading for use and analysis.
- To store data professionally as back up information for the year.
- Any other responsibilities as assigned by the Program Manager
- Preparation and timely submission of NTD reports to ASCEND as appropriate
3. Key Requirements (Education, Knowledge and Experience)
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in statistics or Quantitative Economics, Computer Science or any other relevant qualification. An additional training in Health Management and Information System (HMIS) or Public health (biased on epidemiology/statistics) is added advantage.
- At least 5 years’ experience in monitoring an NTD control programme, or Health management information system including experience in NTD survey activities (TAS/IA/Coverage surveys).
- Working knowledge of NTD diseases is essential; experience in NTD research is preferred.
- Experience in design and programming of m-Health surveys and applications, including training of surveyors is essential.
- The MEL officer will be reporting to the head of the Division of Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases (DVB&NTD) who is also the National NTD Program Manager, ASCEND Country Lead and ASCEND regional MEL manager.
- Demonstrated experience in Microsoft Office, including Word, Power Point, and Excel
- Demonstrated knowledge of protection, prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation and the field of safeguarding is an added advantage
4. Skills (Special Training or Competence):
- Ability to build strong working relationships to enable effective management of partnerships and work collaboratively as part of a global team.
- Ability to deliver group-training sessions and build strong M & E capacity in the Uganda NTD Program.
- People management skills with a robust diplomatic understanding of culturally and ethnically sensitive issues.
- Strong communication skills as proven by past work experience.
- Willingness to travel and to conduct regular field visits including in hard to reach areas.
- English fluency (required)
How to apply
Send a covering letter and a copy of your CV to “recruitments@ascend.crownagents.com” by 28th January, 2021
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