Associate Director - Monitoring, Learning and Information Systems, Nairobi

• Organization:
• Reporting to: Regional Director
• Location: Nairobi, Kenya with domestic and international travel
• Start Date: Immediate
• Deadline: October 15, 2013

Summary:

Evidence Action is a new organization working in partnership with an existing non-profit (Innovations for Poverty Action, IPA) to scale proven interventions to improve the lives of the poor in Africa and Asia. Rigor, evidence, and action are all part of our values. We are looking for a dynamic, engaged individual to lead a Monitoring, Learning and Information Systems (MLIS) team that embodies the evidence-based nature of the organization's work and who will collaborate closely with program teams to ensure MLIS functions fully support and are relevant to work of program staff.

About Evidence Action

Evidence Action assumes management and growth responsibility for two programs currently making a difference in the lives of millions of people in Africa and Asia:

Ø  Dispensers for Safe Water is an entrepreneurial program scaling the chlorine dispenser system – a proven innovation that dramatically expands access to water treatment at an extremely low cost. This year the program will reach over one million people in Africa providing safe drinking water to vulnerable populations.

Ø  The Deworm the World Initiative actively supports the scale-up of school-based deworming programs worldwide to improve children's health, education, and long-term development. Free of intestinal worms, these children can concentrate better and get more out of schooling.  We partner with governments to support their work as part of our strategy for financial sustainability and in order to ensure integration with other health and education initiatives.

IPA has played in important role incubating the Dispensers for Safe Water program and the Deworm the World Initiative. Now the management, strategic planning, and evolution of this work are transitioning to Evidence Action.

Position Overview

Evidence Action's Associate Director of Monitoring, Learning, and Information Systems (MLIS) will lead a team that embodies the evidence-based nature of the organization's work, enabling it to use high-quality, rigorous data for programmatic and strategic decision-making – processes and capabilities that are critical elements of Evidence Action's brand and identity. This is a new role in a newly-restructured regional office, and the Associate Director will lead the process of designing and implementing the structure of the MLIS team. The MLIS team is responsible for several key functions across all programs being implemented by Evidence Action in Africa (either directly or with partners):

• Monitoring and evaluation: Measurement, sampling, and survey strategy and design; quantitative and qualitative data collection;
• Research and development: Experimentation and learning for improving program quality, efficiency and effectiveness;
• Information systems: Designing and managing databases and information architecture, developing applications and technical systems which support the effective and timely use of data;
• Data management: Ensuring best-practice methods and protocols for collecting, entering, coding, cleaning, storing and organizing data;
• Analysis and communication of information and results: Extracting meaning from M&E, R&D activities; providing clear presentation and insightful interpretations of data.

In order to accomplish this, the MLIS team, under the leadership and direction of the Associate Director, will collaborate closely with program teams to ensure these functions fully support and are relevant to their work. In many cases, program team members will play a role in operationalizing these functions in program-specific contexts.  The MLIS team will also interface closely with the policy team and provide information and results which are shared with government officials, partners and donors.  The Associate Director, MLIS will also serve as a member of Evidence Action's regional leadership team.

There is significant potential for growth and development as a member of the regional leadership team and enormous opportunity to contribute to improving the lives of millions of people around the world.

Specific Responsibilities

Lead the delivery of Evidence Action's monitoring, learning and information systems functions in Africa

• Oversee delivery of the five key MLIS function areas described above
• Ensure that the regional leadership team has access to timely, useful, and accurate data for ongoing program and performance management, assessment, and reporting
• Actively promote the synthesis and sharing of data and information across programs
• Provide technical capabilities, skills, and data-related resources across programs in a matrixed structure
• Create a service-oriented environment and develop client-driven relationships with programs, supporting and incentivizing them to maximize the value of MLIS input and to reach programmatic goals
• Set and maintain minimum standards for rigor, data quality, and related best practices within the regional office

Work with program teams to ensure that data-driven decision-making, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, and active learning are embedded in all programming

• Support and enable program teams to generate and access timely, useful, and accurate data for implementation and for communication with partners and donors
• Support and oversee the maintenance of quality control around data-related processes within and across programs
• Work with program leads and program-based M&E personnel to build capacity and troubleshoot operations as necessary

Contribute to regional leadership team and regional strategy

• Enable the regional office to use information for strategic engagement with policymakers, donors and decision-makers
• Support the use of data and evidence in the evaluation, selection, and design of new programs

Develop and manage MLIS team

• Lead the design of the organizational structure of the MLIS team and implement the transition of existing personnel to the new structure
• Attract, develop and retain excellent MLIS team members and ensure the ongoing development of their professional skills and capabilities
• Ensure that MLIS team members uphold and promote a service-oriented and client-driven approach to their relationships with programs.

Qualifications:

The Associate Director: Monitoring, Learning and Information Systems will have at least five years of experience leading and managing monitoring and evaluation related activities, and an interest in expanding their horizons within a mission-driven organization committed to impact at scale. S/he is excited about the prospect of building a new role and team within an organization which sees learning and the use of rigorous evidence as central to its mission, and is motivated to actively ensure that this approach is deeply woven into all programs. The ideal candidate has experience working in developing countries, including within Africa.

The Associate Director, MLIS will have the following experience and attributes:

• Master's degree in a relevant field with strong economics, statistics, or other analytical and quantitative training;
• Strong technical skills and capacity, with at least 5 years of practical experience managing and working directly with data;
• Knowledge of STATA (preferred), SPSS, or other advanced statistical analysis software; experience designing and managing database systems;
• Self-directed and self-motivating personality, with proven ability to manage demands from multiple clients while adhering to deadlines and priorities;
• Naturally inquisitive, skeptical, intellectually curious, detail-oriented and organized;
• Proven leadership experience in Africa and experience managing a cross-cultural team, ideally in Kenya/East Africa;
• A critical, analytical, and process-oriented thinker with a willingness to form and adjust opinions based on evidence;
• Inspired by Evidence Action's mission to bring proven interventions to scale, improving the lives of millions;
• A strong commitment to evidence-based practice and policy in the development field; and
• The ability to lead in an innovative organization and quickly-changing environment.
• An ability to operate effectively with ambiguity, and to thrive as a part of a dynamic and evolving leadership team
• A sense of humor and excitement to be part of an engaged and intellectually stimulating work environment

Application Instructions:

Please follow the application instructions below.  Any applications or resumes submitted outside this process will not be considered.  Note, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

1. Send an email to  and cc , following these instructions:

• In the subject line:  Copy exactly the following position line: 101024EA-Kenya, Associate Director MLIS Application
• Attachments:  Please attach ONLY your CV and cover letter.
• In the email body: Put your full name, first (given) name followed by last (family) name

Please do not include any text besides your name in the body of the e-mail. Adding extra text will interfere with the processing of your application.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Associate Director: Monitoring, Learning and Information Systems for Evidence Action. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to .

IPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), adhering to the laws that prohibit discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment. The IPA EOE policy provides equal employment, volunteer, and service opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, marital status, veteran status, disability (including HIV/AIDS), or any other status protected by applicable law.