Strategic Information Advisor at Palladium Group

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.

Job Position: Strategic Information Advisor

Location: Abuja

Background

• In April 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the implementation of the Translating Data for Implementation (Data.FI) cooperative agreement to a consortium led by Palladium. Data.FI is a $180 million, 5-year project which will serve as USAID’s primary mechanism for data, technology, and health information systems to support HIV activities across strategic President’s Emergency Program for AIDSRelief (PEPFAR) countries as part of a suite of large-scale global HIV programs representing the next generation of HIV/AIDS programs.
• The project will play a key role in USAID’s goals of helping partner countries on their journey to self-reliance and transitioning local organizations to prime recipients of US Government funding.
• The project’s overall goal is to improve in-depth global, regional, and national analyses of HIV epidemiologic and program data that can be directly applied to expedite the achievement of PEPFAR targets to attain and sustain control of the HIV epidemic.
• The focus also includes directly supporting host country governments and implementing partners to enhance existing health information system platforms further to inform management responses to well-defined HIV/AIDS programming gaps.  To ensure rapid access to high-quality data, Data.FI is working towards accelerating data utilization to rapidly course-correct and take to scale cost-effective and impactful activities, models, and approaches required to attain and maintain HIV epidemic control; scaling and optimizing in-country health information system capabilities to collect, exchange, adapt, govern, and visualize information to track the attainment and maintenance of HIV epidemic control, and supporting the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners.

Purpose of Position

• Palladium is seeking a Strategic Information Advisor to work with the USAID and Data.FI Nigeria Strategic Information (SI) teams and service delivery implementing partners (IPs) to support data quality assessments, the Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS), and the Blended Performance Assessment Approach (BPAA) in line with USAID Nigeria’s vision of sustainable quality data for decision making to achieve epidemic control. The Advisor will lead DQA processes in line with data quality protocols approved by USAID Nigeria.
• (S)he will report to the Senior Regional Data Use Advisor and as part of the Data.FI Nigeria Data Analytics team will be supporting situation room activities across several states supported by USAID.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the development and finalization of DQA protocols, site selection methodology, and site visit plans.
• Institutionalize a standardized approach/methodology to data reviews.
• With inputs from USAID/Nigeria’s relevant technical office and the Data.FI team, finalize materials and lead data assessor training.
• Conduct IP M&E systems assessments and data verification for select HIV/OVC program indicators at IP central levels, intermediate and service delivery/sub-contractor levels (as appropriate).
• Participate and supervise the field activities of multiple teams of data quality assessors
• Coordinate debrief meetings of DQA and SIMS assessors following the facility and IP visits.
• Review and provide relevant feedback on daily reports of DQA activities and findings submitted by DQA assessors.
• Evaluate and assure system compliance with laws and regulations applicable to managing patient information.
• Technical backstop in data quality and data alignment exercises, working with the IPs at the state level with interventions cascaded to facility levels.
• Recommend actionable recommendations to address emerging data quality issues and M&E system issues identified.
• Compile site visit reports and validated data into comprehensive DQA reports.
• Develop PowerPoint presentations debriefs with USAID/Nigeria and other stakeholders.
• Carry out other DQA/SIMS tasks assigned by the Senior Regional Data Analytics and Use Advisor/or Country Director.
• Provide technical support to situation room implementation across several USAID supported states:
• Work with other IPs to strengthen the data analytics and visualization capabilities of the automated partner performance reporting (APPR) platform, District Health Information Software, version 2 (DHIS2), situation rooms, and other platforms.
• Build the capacity of national programs and Country staff in data demand and information use, applying developed curricula, and conduct follow-on mentorship.
• Any other duties assigned per the dynamic programming environment as defined by USAID.

Job Qualifications

• A Master’s Degree in Public Health, Statistics, Health Informatics, Epidemiology, Computer Science, or a related field.
• At least 8 years’ experience advising on HIMS or routine health information systems.
• Experience working with HIV/AIDS programs, including DHIS 2 preferred.
• Extensive demonstrated experience in leading and managing rigorous and evidence-based DQAs.
• Extensive demonstrated experience in training M&E methodologies, data collection and analysis, and findings dissemination sessions using DQA findings.
• Demonstrated experience writing evaluation reports and data quality assessment reports for USAID or other donors.
• Sound knowledge of the USAID ADS policy, especially guidance and requirements on DQAs.
• Familiarity with conducting qualitative and quantitative data analysis in SPSS, Stata, NVivo, or Excel for DQA.
• Working knowledge of patient-level and aggregate data management systems.
• Knowledge of project management principles to manage outputs with multi-disciplinary teams, including extensive
• knowledge of IT principles, methods, and techniques.
• Ability to work well under pressure; skills in crisis management and problem-solving; ability to achieve consensus among multiple stakeholders.
• Proven skills in data analysis with proficiency in statistical packages – Stata, SPSS, advanced excel, BI applications
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English; ability to communicate technical information to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise.

Method of application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online