The success of the VAS project depends largely on accurate, complete and timely reporting of achievements to donor. Achievement of set targets is of utmost importance. Hence, the objective of the M&E Officer position is to provide technical leadership in the roll-out of the M&E plan in the states and generating strategic data for program management, reporting and documentation of best practices.

Management and Functional Relationships

Reports to: State Tea Lead and M&E Coordinator (based in Abuja).

Internal Relationships: Work closely with State Program staff, Senior Program Officer, VAS Program Manager, Finance and Admin staff, and other project team members.

External Relationships: Works with health facility staff, state Ministry of Health M&E units, and other implementing partners as necessary.

Supervisory Responsibilities: M&E Interns and provides technical guidance to health facility-level M&E staff and other stakeholders.

Specific responsibilities:

• Provide technical input in the development of an integrated State VAS project plan in collaboration with the VAS Program Manager and M&E Specialist.
• Take lead in the implementation of VAS state M&E plan and reporting formats for indicators and targets in collaboration with the M&E Specialist.
• Establish system for flow of information from service-delivery points to the VAS central data base and ensure timely M&E technical support to all implementing health facilities.
• Take lead in building the capacity of health units’ M&E staff and relevant health and community workers in collection, summarization, analysis and presentation of M&E data.
• Manage the roll-out of the project M&E data quality assurance system including quarterly data quality audits.
• Assist the M&E Specialist to coordinate the establishment/strengthening of one state M&E system that informs policy and practice.
• Ensure state-of-the art database management practice at the state.
• Analyze M&E data on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis and flag action areas to the project management.
• Work with M&E Specialist/Head of Nutrition Programs to document and publish best practices.
• Guide staff and implementing partners in preparing their progress reports. Together, analyse these reports in terms of problems and actions needed. Prepare consolidated progress reports for project management to submit to the relevant bodies, in accordance with approved reporting formats and timing.
• Prepare monitoring reports, analyze them for impact evaluation and identify the causes of potential bottlenecks in project implementation.
• Guide the regular sharing of the outputs of M&E findings with project staff, implementing partners and primary stakeholders.
• Make regular reports to the project team highlighting areas of concern and preparing the documentation for review at meetings.

Qualifications and Experience

• Postgraduate degree in Statistics, Epidemiology or related field with focus on monitoring and evaluation and/or Biostatistics.
• At least 4 years hand-on-experience in monitoring and evaluation with very good analytical, presentation, communication and reporting skills.
• Significant experience in developing monitoring plans and/or management information systems 2 years of which spent working with NGOs in an African setting.
• Excellent inter-personal, multi-cultural and team building skills.
• Strong computer skills, particularly in spreadsheets, databases and statistical applications.
• Significant experience working in HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, and VAS programs in Nigeria.
• Excellent writing skills, oral and written communication skills and fluency in English