Logo

Financing Alliance for Health, Senior Fellow - Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

scheme image

About the portfolio organization

The Financing Alliance for Health (FAH) is an Africa-based, African-led, and Africa-focused entity that convenes governments, funders, philanthropy, private-sector, and communities to address systemic financing challenges to scaling primary and community health systems for delivery of integrated primary healthcare services through country, regional and global partnerships.   As trusted strategic and technical advisors, FAH acts as a bridge between the world of health and finance through long-term partnering with the Ministries of Health and Ministries of Finance teams to develop different and changing financing sources. This approach will empower/ enable them to be the lead stewards in their local health systems to reach the scale and sustainability that is needed and ultimately achieve universal health coverage. 
 
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, FAH has successfully supported 22 governments at the national and sub-national levels, across 16 countries (Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mali, Ethiopia, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa, Central African Republic, Malawi, Senegal, Kenya, and Togo). FAH works with governments in their journey of designing, scaling, and financing of primary and community health programs, with a view to strengthening national and regional health systems through embedding teams, evidence generation, designing financing solutions, and advocacy. Our longer goal is to scale up and strengthen Primary and Community Health Systems to increase access and utilization of reproductive, maternal newborn, child & adolescent child services at primary facilities and community levels. We act as a bridge between the worlds of health and finance. Our work areas include:  
  • Country government support: Long-term onsite technical and financing support on primary and community health.  
  • Analytical toolkits: Develop and offer toolkits to support country costings, investment cases, and financing pathways.  
  • Financing products/ modalities: Working with donors & financing industry to design, develop, and deploy new/modified financial products.   
  • Awareness and education: Develop investment cases, build thought leadership, and share capacity-building material.  

About the Fellowship role

The MERL Fellow will support efforts in ensuring effective Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning systems and processes are in place for all FAH programs. The role requires a strong research and impact measurement background. The MERL Fellow will work closely with FAH program managers and the partnership team.    
 
Fellowship location: Remote, preferably within GMT+/-3 time zone 
Employment: Full-time, one-year Fellowship 
Starting Date: Preferably around July-September, but earlier or later starting dates are of course possible
 

Key responsibilities

The Fellow will provide support in the following key areas: 
  
1. Data Analysis and Reporting  
  • Support the maintenance and update a robust M&E system for the organization that ensures the highest data quality and use of data for decision making. Coordinate execution of key M&E components (assessment, design, implementation, baseline, monitoring, evaluation, transition, learning and documentation) across the different programmes with a particular focus on results and impacts as well as lessons learned.   
  • Support data collection and analyses of FAH’s programs performance and prepare timely management and donor reports.   
  • Support the monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs), financials, and impact metrics.   
  • Help identify trends, strengths, weaknesses, and potential risks, providing recommendations.   
  • Ensure data quality and integrity by conducting periodic data quality assessments (DQAs) and verifications.   
  • Help develop data analytics and visualization tools to present data in compelling ways to implementing partners, the donor and / or government clients   
  • Collaborate with program managers and sub award partners to prepare detailed periodic performance reports with insights and recommendations.   
2. Learning, Adaptive Management and Knowledge Sharing  
  • Support the development of evidence-based learning products (reports, briefs, case studies, toolkits, etc.).   
  • Ensure alignment of learning products with the FAH strategic objectives.   
  • Support the program implementation team in periodic program reviews to validate implementation strategies; jointly define a pathway to change; analyse performance trends along the program indicators and articulate necessary course corrections.   
  • Tests the assumptions underlying its theory of change and results framework to enable evidence based adaptive management   
  • Support the program implementation team in developing M&E summaries to facilitate documentation of best practices and dissemination of lessons learnt. Identify best practices and lessons learned for internal and external dissemination.   
3. MERL System Implementation  
  • Support the implementation of FAH’s MERL systems by helping in better data collection and visualization.   
  • Participate in the preparation of work plans, budgets, M&E plans, performance frameworks, proposals and program performance reports.    
  • Support the design, maintain and optimize the FAH’s impact dashboards.   
  • Ensure data collection aligns with donor requirements and FAH objectives.   
4.Capacity Building  
  • Provide technical training to project staff on MERL tools, Donor compliance, and data-driven decision-making.   
  • Mentor field staff and partners on data collection methodologies, ethical standards, and tracking and impact reporting    

Requirements

Experience and education:
The desired candidate will have but not limited to:   
  • Master’s degree in International Development, Public Health, Social Sciences, Statistics, Economics, or a related field.   
  • At least 3+ years of experience in monitoring and evaluation.  
  • Proven experience in designing and implementing MERL systems, data analysis, and adaptive management.   
  • Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, communication and capacity-building skills.   
  • Experience managing complex MERL systems and working in partnership-type interventions.   
  • Excellent relationship management, networking, presentation, and communication skills.   
  • Ability to work effectively in diverse cultural settings.   
  • Proficiency in English; French or regional languages are an asset.  
Must Haves:
  • Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, R) and visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).   
  • You will be expected to have excellent oral written presentation skills, strong computer skills including MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel. 
  • Full proficiency in English and possibly French. Additional language skills are an added advantage especially Portuguese. 

About the LGT Impact Fellowship

As part of LGT Venture Philanthropy's and Lightrock's strategic efforts to scale positive impact, the LGT Impact Fellowship was established to provide additional know-how and capacity to portfolio organisations and companies. Each year a limited number of professionals are nominated to work full-time for one year with the organisations and companies supported by LGT Venture Philanthropy and Lightrock in Africa, India and Latin America as per the above job description.
LGT Impact Fellows are part of an enriching cohort of like-minded Fellows. They benefit from various program activities, including a 1-week in-person kick-off workshop, webinars, access to the network and know-how of LGT Venture Philanthropy, etc.

How to apply

Submit your application via the "Apply" button. Please note that we only accept online applications and that multiple applications are not allowed. However, you are invited to mention additional preferences in your application.
Moreover, please make sure to read all information in the application form carefully and answer the questions accordingly (additional information about the questions are marked with "i").