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TITLE: Senior Strategic Information Advisor
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Zambia Rising Project
LOCATION: Lusaka-Zambia
GRADE: TBC
CONTRACT LENGTH: 2 years
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3 - The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or
access to children or young people.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Senior Strategic Information Advisor will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the M&E and
Research activities of the Zambia Rising project.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: The Chief of Party
Dimensions:
Staff directly reporting to this post: 2
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
The Senior Strategic Information Advisor will be expected to provide leadership in:
 Project monitoring activities: S/he will lead the project's M&E activities, oversee the
development of systems to collect, organize, verify and analyze data on inputs, outputs, outcomes
and impact of the project. In close collaboration with the project M&E Advisor, technical and project
partners’ staff, s/he will lead the establishment of the project’s M&E framework, including indicators,
targets, data flow and M&E tools for implementation. S/he will strengthen data-driven management
and provide technical leadership in collaboration with the COP and DCOP in analyzing data for
strategic decision making for project management and decision making.
S/he will support project technical and provincial teams to actively monitor project’s activities - using
the project’s monitoring framework. S/he will work closely with the project technical and M&E staff
to collect project data and ensure quality of data and reporting. S/he will conduct supportive
supervisory visits to provincial and districts sites and to sub-grantees to monitor and provide quality
feedback on the use of OVC data, HIV data and indicators.
S/he will be leading the data reporting to the donor (including training data via online USG system,
data reporting for S/APR and quarterly reports and ensuring narratives are in place and uploaded as
necessary). S/he will represent the project in different M&E related fora.
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Building GRZ capacity in using data for decision making: At national level, s/he will lead
capacity building of MCDMCH and its Planning Department, the National AIDS Committee and
MGCD to use data for planning and decision making. S/he will provide hands-on support to the
Policy Advisor to ensure data is used to formulate technical and policy briefs to inform the national
level coordination mechanisms (NCCC and NAC), district coordination mechanisms as well as
clinical and OVC partners.
In addition to capacity building of the line ministries-listed above, s/he will lead capacity buiding of
Provincial Coordinators to actively mentor district child protection committees in using OVC and
HIV data for decision making. S/he will ensure that indicators for HIV prevention and treatment and
mitigation through social services are retained, analyzed and used for decision making as part of
Zambia Rising’s efforts to ensure coordinated care to children, adolescents and households affected
by HIV and AIDS. S/he will work with district coordination mechanisms to identify indicators, targets,
data sources and to analyze and use data related to OVC and HIV clinical services. This will include
data from NACMIS, the ZOMIS database and other relevant databases and data sources (the Social
Cash Transfer MIS, the single registry and others). S/he will foster strategic alliances with GRZ line
ministries M&E focal points, OVC and clinical partners and actively participate in the Research and
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M&E technical working groups (through the National Coordination Committee for Children
(NCCC) as well as the National AIDS Council (NAC)).
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Building the monitoring capacity of USG local primes and other USG funded programs:
S/he will support the Organizational Development Manager and M&E team to provide technical
support on M&E related matters to USAID local primes and to members of the district coordination
committees. S/he will support the Zambia Rising, ACT and ZAMFAM partners and GRZ institutions
with development of M&E plans and other M&E needs as agreed upon with these institutions (such
as but not limited to, capacity building of M&E staff at district, provincial and national level on M&E
and data use).
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Developing Zambia Rising learning agenda: S/he will ensure integration of learning concepts
into and from the project. S/he will establish the project’s Research agenda and work with project
and M&E staff, partners on the design of quality research protocols, data collection instruments,
training of data collectors, conducting research studies and ensuring quality research reports. S/he
will support the Zambia Rising team to identify and conduct special studies, develop quality abstracts
for international and national conferences, best practices and respond to requests for information
from USAID, Save the Children or other stakeholders as requested.
S/he will be resourceful and strategic in establishing and maintaining key relationships with
stakeholders in-country, keeping abreast of the latest research and guidance on OVC and clinical
services and their linkages with each other and share this with the project team as well as with
external, like-minded stakeholders. S/he will work closely with project staff, GRZ and partners to
conduct data reviews and develop abstracts and presentations and a plan for documentation and
dissemination of program implementation, results and best practices. Any other support as
requested by the Chief of Party.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
 Holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role
modelling Save the Children values
 Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the
freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve
performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
 Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their
own personal development and encourages others to do the same
 Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
 Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
 Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external
partners and supporters
 Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
 Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
 Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
 Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
 Honest, encourages openness and transparency
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
 Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Demography, Social or
Behaviour science or related field.
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Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in the HIV/AIDS, health and social services sector
At least 7 years experience in project M&E for USAID-funded projects in developing countries
Demonstrated experience with PEPFAR 3.0 programmatic priorities, PEPFAR MER reporting
requirements and PEPFAR Site Improvement and Monitoring Systems.
Strong experience in applied operational research, research ethics, development of study
protocols, establishing research teams, developing data collection instruments, data analysis and
reporting in one or more of the following areas: HIV/AIDS, health services and/or social services.
Excellent understanding of health and social services sectors
Strong quantitative and qualitative data management and analytical skills, including proficiency in the
use of data management and data analysis software.
Demonstrated experience in a leadership and supervisory role.
Excellent communication skills in English, including report writing.
Able to produce thorough, high quality results within a tight timeframe and meet deadlines and
deliverables to partners and donors.
Demonstrated ability to work with multiple partners on collaborative projects.
Previous work experience in Zambia preferred; experience on Sub-Sahara Africa an added
advantage.
Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.
The ability to travel extensively to locations within Zambia as required.
Date of issue: ……………………………, 2015
Author: Cornelia Van Zyl