Strategic Information Manager

Job description

The Strategic Information Manager provides leadership and oversight of all Strategic Information, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) functions for the EKN HIV Instrument Project at country level.

The role is responsible for ensuring the availability of high-quality project data, supporting evidence-based decision making, strengthening data quality and reporting systems, coordinating community-led monitoring processes, and ensuring compliance with project monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements. The position serves as the primary country focal point for strategic information and works closely with project teams, government stakeholders, implementing partners, community organisations and regional project structures to strengthen data use and project accountability.

The Strategic Information Manager plays a critical role in translating project data into insight, supporting adaptive management, improving project performance and contributing to strengthened HIV-related data systems and evidence-informed decision-making.

Key Performance Areas

Strategic Information Leadership and MEL Management

Purpose

Provide overall leadership and oversight of country MEL and Strategic Information systems.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead implementation of the EKN MEL framework at country level.
• Ensure alignment with the project’s strategic information, reporting and learning requirements.
• Provide technical leadership for monitoring, evaluation and learning activities.
• Support implementation of community-led monitoring approaches.
• Coordinate MEL planning and implementation across project functions.
• Ensure effective use of strategic information to support project management and decision-making.
• Promote data-driven project management and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the planning, design, coordination and implementation of baseline, midline and endline assessments ensuring findings are used to track progress, assess outcomes and inform adaptive management

Data Quality, Performance Monitoring and Reporting

Purpose

Ensure high-quality project data and accurate reporting of project performance.

Key Accountabilities

• Oversee routine data collection, validation and quality assurance processes.
• Conduct regular data quality assessments and implement corrective actions.
• Monitor progress against project indicators, targets and milestones.
• Lead preparation of routine project reports, workplans and performance updates.
• Ensure compliance with donor and organisational reporting requirements.
• Support reporting against EKN indicators and results frameworks.
• Promote use of performance data to strengthen project delivery.
• Identify data quality, reporting and compliance risks and work with project team to implement mitigation and corrective actions.

Data Systems, DHIS2 Integration and Information Management

Purpose

Strengthen project information systems and support interoperability with national and project systems.

Key Accountabilities

• Support implementation and strengthening of project data systems.
• Facilitate integration and alignment with national health information systems and DHIS2 processes.
• Support use of digital tools and platforms including community-level reporting systems.
• Ensure secure management and storage of project information.
• Support development and maintenance of dashboards and reporting tools.
• Promote standardisation of indicators, reporting tools and data processes.
• Strengthen data governance through clear indicator definitions, data dictionaries, SOPs, data flow processes, access controls and version control.
• Support interoperability and data-sharing requirements.
• Ensure ethical data collection, informed consent, data protection and responsible use of sensitive project information

Data Analysis, Learning and Knowledge Translation

Purpose

Generate and communicate actionable insights that support project improvement and policy influence.

Key Accountabilities

• Conduct analysis of project performance, trends and outcomes.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, reports and visualisations.
• Support interpretation of community-led monitoring and performance data.
• Incorporate qualitative evidence from community led monitoring, interviews, case studies and stakeholder feedback into project analysis and learning.
• Facilitate routine data review and learning sessions.
• Support documentation of lessons learned, innovations and best practices.
• Develop and contribute to evidence-based knowledge products including conference abstracts, technical papers, articles, case studies and other publications that document project learning, outcomes and best practices.
• Translate technical information into user-friendly formats for project teams and stakeholders.
• Support evidence generation for project improvement and policy engagement.

Government, Partner and Community Data Engagement

Purpose

Strengthen country ownership and use of data through stakeholder engagement and capacity building.

Key Accountabilities

• Build productive relationships with government and partner organisation counterparts responsible for M&E and health information systems.
• Participate in relevant MEL, SI and data-related technical working groups.
• Present and disseminate project findings, learning and evidence to donors, government stakeholders, implementing partners, community organisations and technical working groups.Support implementing partners and community organisations in strengthening data quality and reporting.
• Facilitate routine review of project information with stakeholders.
• Promote use of community-generated evidence in planning and decision-making.
• Support country-level data-sharing and accountability processes.

Team Leadership, Capacity Building and Technical Support

PurposeStrengthen Strategic Information capacity across project teams and partners.

Key Accountabilities

• Manage and support Strategic Information Officers and other assigned MEL staff.
• Provide day to day supervision, work planning, performance support and quality review for Strategic Information Officers and other assigned staff
• Build MEL and data-use capacity among project teams and partners.
• Provide coaching, mentoring and technical guidance to provincial teams
• Support implementation teams in understanding and using project data.
• Promote a culture of accountability, evidence use and continuous improvement.
• Foster collaboration between SI, project and support teams.

Key Deliverables

• High-quality country MEL and Strategic Information systems.
• Accurate and timely project reporting.
• Strong data quality and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Functional dashboards and performance monitoring tools.
• Effective use of data for project management and decision-making.
• Strengthened integration with government data systems.
• Improved capacity of project teams and partners to collect, analyse and use data.
• Evidence and learning products that support project improvement and advocacy.
• Conference abstracts, technical papers, articles, case studies and contributions to other publications that document project learning, outcomes and best practices

Accountability

Owns

• Country MEL implementation.
• Strategic Information systems and processes.
• Data quality and reporting.
• Project performance monitoring.
• Country dashboards and performance analysis.
• Community-led monitoring data processes.
• Routine MEL reviews and learning activities.
• Capacity building on data and MEL.
• Country SI team management.

Does Not Own

• Regional MEL strategy.
• Project delivery and implementation management.
• Country operational management.
• Financial management.
• Project governance structures.
• Resource mobilisation activities.

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Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

Must Have

• Bachelor’s Degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Demography, Biostatistics, Data Science, Health Information Systems or a related field.

Preferred

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Monitoring & Evaluation or related discipline.
• Certification in DHIS2, Power BI, Tableau or similar platforms advantageous.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 8 years’ experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Strategic Information or Health Information Systems.
• Experience managing MEL systems within donor-funded projects.
• Experience with DHIS2 and health information systems.
• Experience in HIV, SRHR, community health or public health projects.
• Experience with data quality assurance, reporting and analysis.
• Experience managing MEL or SI staff.
• Proficiency in Bemba will be an added advantage.

Preferred

• Experience with community-led monitoring approaches.
• Experience with PEPFAR, Global Fund or major donor reporting frameworks.
• Experience working within NGOs or INGOs.

Core Competencies

Technical Competencies

• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
• Strategic Information Management
• Data Quality Assurance
• DHIS2 and Health Information Systems
• Data Analysis and Visualisation
• Community-Led Monitoring
• Research and Evaluation
• Reporting and Performance Management
• Knowledge Management

Leadership Competencies

• Technical Leadership
• Analytical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Influencing and Facilitation
• Project Coordination

Reporting & Team Structure

• Reports to: Senior Project Director
• Collaborates with: EKN Strategic Information Lead (GSH)
• Supervises: SI Officer

Working Conditions

• Employment Type: Full-time
• Location: Zambia