Team Leader, Final Performance Evaluation President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) at Social Impact, Inc.

Job Title: Team Leader, Final Performance Evaluation President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S)

Project Objective: 

USAID/Nigeria has engaged the MEL Support Activity to conduct a final performance evaluation of the President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) to inform the design of a new PMI-USAID-funded malaria control program in focus states. The evaluation findings’ primary audience and end user is the USAID Nigeria mission’s Health, Population, and Nutrition (HPN) office.

The purpose of this evaluation is to determine the activity’s achievement of program goals and results and associated underlying reasons for achievement and/or non-achievement. Also to assess the effectiveness of PMI-S’s implementation approaches and determine if the program has contributed to any change in coverage of malaria interventions and a reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality by using proxy indicators. The evaluation should seek to identify best practices, lessons learned, innovations, and gaps in PMI-S’s implementation. The evaluations will also provide an opportunity to share lessons learned with USAID/Nigeria and other key stakeholders.

The PMI-S project was designed to implement interventions in selected PMI-focus states and to provide technical assistance to the State Malaria Elimination Programs (SMEPs) and National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEPs). 

• Task Order Two – Federal level support (NMEP)
• Task Order Three – Four states (Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Sokoto)
• Task Order Four – Initially four states (Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Oyo), however, three states (Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto) were added in 2024.

The four main objectives of the Task Orders include:

   1. Objective 1: To improve the quality of and access to comprehensive malaria case management.

   2. Objective 2: To improve data quality, interpretation, and use.

   3. Objective 3: To improve drug-based prevention and treatment approaches (intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy [IPTp] and seasonal malaria chemoprevention [SMC] in TO 04 states           only).

   4. Objective 4: To strengthen existing health systems and improve State Malaria Elimination Program (SMEP) program management.

The PMI-S project was designed to support key pillars of malaria control which include the prevention of malaria in pregnancy through Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPTp) and prevention of malaria in children aged 03-59 years through seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and to support prompt diagnosis and treatment of all malaria cases. 

The PMI-S project was designed to implement interventions based on the above-listed pillars in select PMI-focus states and to the NMEP in Nigeria. It is intended that, by the time the PMI-S project ends, there will be a sizable coverage and use of high-impact malaria chemoprevention and case management interventions in focus states in Nigeria, measured by increased coverage for each of the key malaria indicators for chemoprevention and case management of malaria.

It is expected that if we strengthen existing health systems and capacity in effective program management and evidence-based decision-making at state, Local Government Area (LGA), ward, and health facility (HF) levels, and if we inform and mobilize health workers to implement malaria services according to national and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, then comprehensive malaria case management and drug-based prevention and treatment approaches will become more available and accessible at scale, resulting in measurable reductions in malaria morbidity and mortality in target states and communities.

The estimated start date will be early February 2025. The evaluation is expected to last until August 2025 for up to 60 days LOE. 

Position Description:

Social Impact is seeking a team leader responsible for the overall coordination and management of the evaluation team’s effort and for ensuring a rigorous and high-quality evaluation in the locations stated above. Under the guidance of the MEL Support Activity, the team leader is expected to work closely with the USAID/Nigeria-HPN team. The team leader is expected to have done a similar evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa, or other countries with similar context.

The team leader will be supported by a subject matter expert, a malaria program specialist, and an evaluation specialist. The team leader will consult with and facilitate input from all team members throughout the evaluation.

The team will use a combination of literature review, mixed methods through focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews to gather insights to answer the evaluation questions. The team is also expected to propose an evaluation methodology/approach as required to respond to the evaluation questions.

Locations (Evaluation Coverage):

Akwa Ibom, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Responsibilities: 

The Team Leader will be responsible for the overall management of the evaluation. S/he will be the primary person responsible for ensuring a rigorous and high-quality evaluation design. The Team Leader will develop the outline for the draft report, present the report, and after incorporating USAID/Nigeria staff comments, submit the final report to USAID/Nigeria through the MEL Support Activity within the prescribed timeline. The evaluation team leader will be responsible for the overall management of the evaluation. S/he will be the primary person responsible for ensuring a rigorous and high-quality evaluation design. The team leader will finalize the evaluation design, coordinate activities, arrange meetings, consolidate individual input from team members, coordinate the process of submitting an inception report, and assemble the final findings and recommendations. S/he will also prepare and present the key evaluation findings and recommendations to USAID/Nigeria. The Team Leader will:

• Participate in the evaluation kick-off session with USAID/Nigeria.
• Conduct an initial desk study: gather relevant secondary materials to identify key actors and stakeholders.
• Lead the development of data collection tools, including survey and interview tools, and methodology for covering target states
• Conduct and manage the entire process of data collection, including conducting several KIIs and FGDs with stakeholders including women, health care providers, etc.
• Present preliminary findings on data collected from stakeholders’ engagement and desk review
• Provide leadership for the team and coordinate activities as necessary.
• Coordinate the team’s ongoing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Lead the preparation and presentation of the In-brief and Out-brief to USAID/Nigeria and other stakeholders as requested.
• Write the draft evaluation report with support from the team members, taking into consideration feedback from the Out-brief presentation.
• Respond to USAID comments on the draft report, incorporate USAID/Nigeria staff comments into the final version of the report, and finalize the report.
• Present the rapid evaluation results to diverse audiences according to USAID standard reporting.
• Work collaboratively with team members throughout design, implementation, analysis, and report writing to complement each other’s areas of expertise.

Qualifications: 

The candidate is expected to have the following qualifications:

• Minimum of ten years of professional experience in the Malaria sector, with specific expertise (including clinical) in malaria prevention and case management at the various levels of health care preferably in Nigeria.
• Minimum of ten years of professional experience in endline evaluations, research methods, and impact evaluation in a low/middle-income country.
• Experience in conducting endline evaluation for malaria programs.
• Expertise in the use of DID and Contribution Analysis for program impact evaluation is a key requirement
• Experience in international public health would be beneficial.
• Experience in preparing scientific technical reports and making verbal presentations, explaining issues clearly and concisely.
• Required oral and written communication and presentation skills in English.
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating across project stakeholder groups and donor projects.

The STTA should adhere to ethical guidelines, obtain informed consent, and protect the confidentiality and anonymity of participants.

Come join our energetic and innovative team! We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com. 

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.

Candidates are reviewed on a rolling basis; early submission is recommended. Please submit your CV in English for best consideration of your candidacy. CVs must not exceed a maximum of 10 pages.