GRADE: 7

TEAM/PROGRAMMEME: HIV and AIDS

Contract Length: Till March 2018

LOCATION:  National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC), Kathmandu

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: 

Save the Children is the leading independent organisation for children.  We save children’s lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfill their potential. We work together, with our partners from civil societies and government, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We reached over two million populations and invested over 36 million US  dollars in 2014 to reach more children than ever before, through programmes in Health, Nutrition, Education, Protection and Child Rights and Governance, Livelihood, HIV and AIDS,  and Humanitarian crises.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager – Global Fund programme of NCASC, close coordination with SI Focal Person at NCASC and indirect supervision of Senior M&E Manager – Save the Children,  the Strategic Information Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Provide high quality technical assistance to NCASC to carry out HIV surveillance, programme monitoring and evaluation and research for improving informed-response to HIV epidemic in Nepal.
• Provide support to leadership in the strengthening of SI unit of NCASC – provide necessary technical support to the staff for HIV surveillance, monitoring & evaluation and research responsibilities for smooth functioning of the SI system/unit.
• Develop innovative strategies to strengthen data collection, monitoring, evaluation, analysis and reporting for various programme being implemented by NCASC and provide input to cover wider stakeholder in its framework. 
• Oversee, lead and execute SI activities included in the work plan, with particular focus on results and impacts as well as in lesson learnt.
• Ensure progress reports are received accurately and completely in accordance with standard reporting formats and ensure their timely submission. 
• Ensure functioning of the UNAIDS 12 components of a functional strategic information system at country level; coordinate with key SI partners at country level to garner necessary support to perform 12 components balanced.
• Complement programme team in analysing and documenting the progress, impact, challenges and lessons learned of programmes. 
• Undertake visits, as necessary, to the various project teams to support implementation of SI and to identify where adaptations might be needed.
• Provide direction and leadership to the resource library in respect of acquisitions, binding, cataloguing, processing and management of information. This includes online database system for programme reporting.
• Provide technical assistance to country programmes on second generation surveillance methods, size estimation and sampling approaches for most at risk populations; develop surveillance protocols/SOP, and support other surveillance related capacity building projects.
• Develop M&E strategies, frameworks, plans and indicators to assess project performance and impact.
• Develop and/or adapts SOP for data quality assurance, reporting, data dissemination, and other routine M&E processes and support their implementation. 
• Provide technical guidance for use and dissemination of routinely collected data to monitor and evaluate country programmes and data from surveillance systems; dissemination approaches include slide sets, meetings, abstracts, and manuscripts.
• Conduct analysis of data, case evidence and research findings to distill relevant lessons from projects and programmes to support policy development and innovation.
• Ensure all HIV surveillance, monitoring and evaluation and research related activities are implemented within deadlines and reported to Save the Children and other donors.
• Ensure proactive management of risk within area of responsibility, including regular risk assessment, designing and implementing actions to manage risk and escalating critical risks, as necessary. 
• Contribute to efforts to identifying new resource streams building on our strategic information experience and expertise. 
• Developing strategic direction and work plans (as appropriate) for the Monitoring and Evaluation team and also contributing to National HIV strategic planning processes. 
• Work closely with the senior management team to establish, maintain and strengthen productive working environment between NCASC, Save the Children, and UNAIDS and with other external institutions involved in HIV/AIDS programme, in particular those working in Monitoring and Evaluation, including key government agencies, donor agencies, NGO/civil society partners and research institutions. 
• Encourage the team, through continuous support, setting clear work /activity plans and close monitoring on the quality aspects of the deliverability through exemplary approach.
• Lead the SI team in the preparation of various donor reports and ensuring high level of quality and timeliness in reporting. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

HIV Surveillance

• Provide overall leadership support of strategic information and improved data demand and use including analysis of programme data and impact on the national HIV response 
• Ensure all HIV surveillance activities are completed and findings are translated into action 
• Provide technical support to develop, update, implement of National HIV Surveillance Plan in co-ordination with key SI partners.
• Provide technical support for strengthening of the Second Generation Surveillance components; also start developing and implanting the third generation surveillance system 
• Plan and provide technical assistance to the routinely conduction of HIV epidemic analysis and modeling for improved understanding of the epidemic and suggest informed responses to planning, programming and review
• Produce Annual HIV surveillance Report and disseminate

Programme monitoring and evaluation

• Provide monitoring and reporting tools, guidance, and written analysis to inform future programme delivery, management decision making, and strategic planning 
• Develop an evaluation framework and carrying out programme impact evaluation and prepare strategic documents/reports 
• Facilitate the implementation of the National Monitoring and Evaluation strategy and guidelines ensuring the programme performance for informed response to HIV programme.
• Ensure that M&E plan is prepared and all M&E visits are planned in accordance with the M&E plan. 
• Take lead role for ensuring functioning of the core Monitoring and Evaluation activities of the National HIV programme including Global Fund grant.
• Provide leadership support in developing Client Monitoring Information System and other technology-based innovations for effective programme monitoring 
• Develop necessary system and tools to ensure data quality, update and implement. 
• Provide technical support to produce quarterly and annual grant-specific reports and report to national and international agencies, including donor and partners

HIV Research

• Provide support to NCASC to lead research and evaluation activities by generating and providing evidence in priority areas to support improved programme implementation and advocacy at national level.
• Provide technical support to develop, update and effectively implement National HIV Research Agenda.
• Identify research gaps and design operational research protocols and provide technical support to implement through programming.
• Share the results of operational research findings to policy makers and key stakeholders for improving programme coverage, clinical effectiveness, and system support and strengthening
• Develop a system of research communication for development of health system and community system strengthening

System support and SI partnership

• Timely update national SI systems and related tools, as per the national and international requirements, primarily to ensure the configuration with WHO, UNAIDS, Global Fund requirements and standards.
• Identify National SI needs and develop national SI capacity plans and co-ordinate among SI partners for implementation of the plan. 
• Explore opportunities and design Strategic Information partnership at national level. For this, work closely to key SI partners to strengthening the effective role of SI technical Working Group (SI-TWG) to ensure high quality technical inputs in strengthening of the SI system
• Provide technical support to co-ordinate and collaborate broader Health Management Information Management (HMIS) of Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) to contribute for mainstreaming of HIV information into broader HMIS.
• Work closely with SI unit for enhancing working environment with HIV EDPs, including UN agencies, multi- and bi-donors to for ensuing the timely fulfillment of reporting accountabilities and exploring possible support for system strengthening
• Provide technical support to SI unit to lead collaboration and maintain partnerships and engagements with external researchers and experts 
• Support to organise national and sub-national level dissemination of HIV epidemics and response (national workshops, seminars, round table meetings, mini-conferences, etc.) 
• Provide support to develop a learning culture among SI team and other staff of NCASC for evidence-informed practice.
• Produce routine epidemic analysis (data) to update epidemic profile of the country.
• Provide support to district SI team to develop district plan, update tools, implement and share the best practices 
• Any other duties or assignments as requested by the Project Manager/Deputy Director/Director of NCASC.

Occasional Significant Duties

• Prepare and timely submit technical  review report, annual and semi-annual 
• Fulfill any additional tasks as required and requested by DCOP and COP.
• Strategise, write, and edit content for briefs, proposals, qualification packages, and project descriptions.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master degree in Public Health with specialization in epidemiology or statistics/demography.
• At least 5-7 years’ experience in disease surveillance, health sector interventions monitoring& evaluation and research at  national level 
• At least 3 years’ experience in HIV/STI surveillance, HIV programme monitoring and HIV research at national level in developing countries
• Proven experience of working with government in national level health programme/project and multi-/bi-lateral agencies or international organizations. Experience of working in a team for bigger grants will be an asset 
• Understanding of the working procedures of the Government as well as of external development partners (EDPs) will be considered a huge advantage  
• Full command on key data management and epidemiological analysis programmes: Epi-Info, SPSS, STATA, EPP and SPECTRUM
• Experience in coordination and liaison with different partner agencies
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environment
• Ability to work will under pressure

Other Competencies:

• Thorough understanding of statistics, data management and monitoring and evaluation
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills
• Good communication and negotiation skills
• Prepared to spend time in the field with district health offices and other partners
• Excellent computer skills (MS Office, statistical software and database)
• Understanding of financial management and budgeting of development programmes desirable

Language Requirements:

• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Nepali