Technical Director – CDC Capacity Building for Global, Regional, and National Immunization Programs (Global)

About Corus: Corus International is the parent of a family of world-class organizations working to deliver the holistic, lasting solutions needed to end extreme poverty once and for all. We are a global leader in international development, with 150 years of combined experience across our brands. Our nonprofit and for-profit subsidiaries include IMA World Health, Lutheran World Relief, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and Farmers Market Brands. Our more than 800 employees around the globe are experts in their fields and dedicated to helping the world's most vulnerable people break the cycle of poverty and lead healthy lives. Further details about the organization can be found at: https://corusinternational.org

Today, IMA offers extensive expertise in managing and implementing highly successful and complex donor-funded programs in global health security, vaccine-preventable disease immunization, nutrition, maternal and child health, health systems strengthening (HSS), malaria, HIV/AIDS, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). IMA has managed an average of $100 million annually over the last four fiscal years, through grants and contracts from the United States Government (including CDC, DoS, and others), FCDO, World Bank, the Global Fund, UNDP, and private donors.

About the job:

IMA World Health, a member of Corus International, is seeking a Technical Director to lead M&E efforts for an anticipated five-year, CDC-funded project titled - Capacity Building for Global, Regional, and National Immunization Programs. . The program's goal is to strengthen immunization programs in priority countries so they can better prevent, control, and eliminate/eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) like polio, measles, and rubella, reduce illness and death from these diseases, and respond to emerging global health threats. will build stronger systems in priority countries to prevent, detect, and respond to VPDs. This includes improving immunization services, strengthening VPD surveillance, and expanding the capacity to prepare for and manage outbreaks. The Recipient will also create and carry out targeted approaches to reach high-risk groups who are un- or under-immunized. Additionally, the Recipient will promote long-term sustainability of immunization programs-such as supporting evidence-based decisions through National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs)-and enhance program evaluation to increase impact.

In coordination with the MERL Director and under the supervision of the Project Director, the Technical Director will:

• Oversee 1) primary evaluation and performance monitoring data collection (qualitative and quantitative), 2) data quality assessment and data validation technical assistance using health management information systems (HMIS) such as DHIS2, and 3) data analysis and interpretation of both secondary and primary data;

• Lead the design of the project strategy to drive immunization program performance improvement through data quality improvement and utilization to inform key decisions in a timely manner;

• Oversee the design and implementation of the pr

• Document and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and other project deliverables;
• Provide technical assistance to implementing partners and national and sub-national stakeholders including health agency counterparts in evaluation design, data quality, data utilization, and other immunization data-related issues.

• Actively participate in project coordination mechanisms

The Technical Director will report to Corus HQ and may be remote, depending on circumstances.

Key Responsibilities:

• Designs and leads the implementation of the strategy to strengthen the collection, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting of immunization data on actual achievements against set objectives, highlighting emerging trends and providing clear reports on findings and conclusions.
• Promotes data quality improvement through regular data quality audits/ assessments, to verify and validate the accuracy and reliability of data to inform decision-making.
• Works closely with project management and local stakeholders to develop and implement a robust learning program that promotes continuous learning, collaboration, and adaptation to advance the project's learning agenda.
• Oversees and implements all project monitoring and evaluation activities for the project.
• Designs and implements quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and tools to measure progress across project activities, as well as a robust and context-appropriate system for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, and reporting of activity outputs/results and program quality.
• Organizes and trains project staff on data quality and use and project monitoring and evaluation systems and tools to strengthen their monitoring and evaluation capacities.
• Supports the recruitment of consultants and temporary field staff for monitoring and evaluation activities (as needed).
• Oversee data collection and analysis to ensure analysis by all potential risk factors is available, conducted, and utilized to guide programming.
• Ensures that data integrity, security and ethical standards and procedures are in place and comply with national guidelines, information systems and reporting requirements for primary data collection/ research activities involving human subjects, and for monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Conducts analyses and contributes to the preparation of mandatory and ad hoc project reports (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, end-of-project) by capturing performance results and ensuring that lessons learned are integrated into project implementation to continuously improve the quality of interventions and results.
• Monitors the implementation of the learning program to identify best practices and lessons learned, as well as adaptive management and knowledge.
• Provides training, mentoring, and coaching on data use to project staff, consultants, and other local stakeholders (as needed).
• Uses the IMA World Health DHIS2 platform to ensure regular data flow and use by providing information on performance and areas of activity, thereby contributing to strategic decision-making and project planning with project management.
• Participates in relevant technical working groups and data quality and performance improvement coordination mechanisms, and collaborates with the CDC, relevant stakeholders, and project staff on project-related M&E, as appropriate.
• Contributes to the development and sharing of information and knowledge products with all relevant stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Organizes quarterly coordination and data review meetings with the various project stakeholders to ensure clarity and harmonization of activity progress and data provided.

Qualifications:

• A Master's degree in public health, epidemiology, or a closely related field. Extensive training in the field of health, epidemiology, multi-sectoral health-related risk analysis, and/or is an asset. Previous experience working on a CDC-funded project is highly desirable.
• Minimum 7 - 10 years of experience with HMIS, immunization or health-related MERL, with an emphasis on global health and epidemiology.
• Significant experience (5 years or more) with the DHIS2 platform is highly desirable.
• Experience in managing DHIS2 and other databases, proficiency in IT tools and MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• In-depth understanding of and expertise with CDC's global immunization support, disease surveillance activities, and performance monitoring, logical frameworks, and reporting plan indicators is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in data utilization for performance improvement highly desirable; data analysis using quantitative and qualitative software also a plus
• Experience working with CDC-funded projects in monitoring and evaluation is desirable.
• Strong quantitative, qualitative, and analytical skills, and ability to present technical information clearly and effectively to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent communication skills, including written and oral presentation; proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among various partners.
• English fluency with professional proficiency in writing required.
• Working fluency or better in other language an asset, especially French, also potentially Spanish, Arabic, etc.
• Experience working fragile contexts preferred.
• Ability to travel to project sites as needed.