Head of Strategic Information (Hybrid)

THINK is a non-profit organisation committed to advancing health and well-being for vulnerable communities locally and globally. Our work spans three central domains: research, health systems strengthening, and capacity building. Our focus is on addressing a wider spectrum of critical health challenges which include Infectious Diseases, Mental Health, Gender disparities, and building resilient healthcare systems in the face of pandemics and climate change. THINK engages with the local community, government consortia, and international funders to provide care and carry out cutting-edge work that has contributed to making a difference locally and globally.

Are you an experienced, forward-thinking professional with a passion for shaping the future based on information and data? The Head for Strategic Information (SI) performs under the leadership of the Country CEO. The primary responsibilities are to organise and coordinate the development of data collection and management systems, data collection, storage, analysis, interpretation, use and reporting to stakeholders at all levels. The SI Head leads a dynamic team of SI staff operating at various levels in the THINK programs. The SI team assesses and reports on project outputs, outcomes and life-of-program effects and results, maintains data on progress, effectiveness and lessons learned from the program, and produces data reports for funders and the host government. The overall goal is to provide decision-makers with accurate, relevant and useful information in a consistent, timely, and cost-effective manner.

The SI Head will provide technical leadership and direction in the area of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of THINK’s projects and programs in South Africa, working closely with the team leaders of the other Departments such as Clinical Trials, Research, Health Systems Strengthening, Training and Education and Operations. The SI Head will work towards well-coordinated and efficient efforts to continuously improve the THINK’s M&E and Data systems; providing overall strategic direction to the SI team and the SI Head will also contribute to identifying programmatic approaches that will strengthen the THINK’s Programs.

• Supervise financial and administrative activities including conducting staff appraisals, reviewing and approving financial and administrative requests and accountabilities.
• Supervise the M&E staff and ensure that the M&E team is responsive to the needs of the program.
• Provide oversight to M&E staff in all THINK’s projects and programs in data collection, cleaning, analysis, use and reporting, and the provision of constructive feedback (to sub-grantees, THINK staff and other stakeholders).
• Serve as a member of the management team for THINK which is responsible for policy making, ensuring resource mobilisation, program performance and efficiency, and accountability.
• Contribute to the development of project and program work plans and budgets.
• Support new business development through the identification of evidence-based programming strategies, providing data and developing M&E sections for new proposals.

Monitoring

• Lead and oversee the implementation of THINK’s strategic information minimum standards across the program and projects, including the deployment of a robust M&E Plan and tools that collects data for monitoring, evaluation and reporting for the program.
• Help identify the key performance questions and indicators for monitoring project performance, and designing and producing performance reports.
• Provision of overall technical oversight to the M&E team, local government and sub-grantees (when applicable) on strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation of program activities.
• Development and continuous improvement of the program performance monitoring plan with realistic, key and priority population based/ hotspot-based targets and in tandem with funders and/or MOH policies, indicators and targets.
• Advise the THINK management team on early indications of progress, or lack thereof, in the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of programs and events, and their impact on THINK’s strategic goals.
• Develop capacity and technical expertise of SI&E staff, sub-grantees and local partners to undertake M&E activities, and to use data to inform program management and inform effective decision-making.
• Promote evidence-based planning and decision making through deriving and utilising public health quantitative and qualitative information as well as health management information system.
• Advise and train staff to perform their appropriate M&E tasks that include but are not limited to RedCap, DHIS, EDRWeb, TIER.Net and Microsoft Fabric.
• Serve as the focal point for M&E internally and externally and liaise closely with the team leaders of the other technical departments, other aspects and strategies of the program to ensure consistency in the M&E approach.
• Ensure that high frequency, quarterly and annual data reports are produced timely for submission to funders, DOH and other stakeholders.
• Provide overall technical leadership and oversight in the institutionalisation and sustainable use of the routine and non-routine data in projects and the program.
• Provide overall technical leadership and oversight in development and maintenance of technology-based data collection, storage, management, visualisation and use solutions to enhance data quality and data utilization by program staff for program management and implementation.
• Ensure project technical staff and relevant district local government, and sub-grantees, are provided with timely, accurate and reliable data generated through the project’s M&E system in strong partnership with the technical directorate, including following up programmatic indicators, analysing and interpreting data generated from the supported services to inform program implementation.

Technical Support to all Programs

• Work with the Senior Program Managers in the compilation of project reports to donors and to HQ.
• Oversee and ensure implementation of quality M&E services across all program areas in designated facilities and communities.
• Ensure availability of high-quality data across all program areas, projects and indicators.
• Develop innovative M&E systems to ensure availability of high quality and granular data across all program areas, projects and indicators.
• Conduct regular site visits to oversee support provided by the M&E team and addresses any gaps identified.
• Participate in regional and national review meetings; and provide technical assistance to strengthen identified weak program areas.
• Participate in the site improvement through monitoring system (SIMS) visits and works with relevant teams to ensure remedial actions are developed as needed.
• Strengthen linkages between routine program and research data.
• Provide support to the program staff on documentation of lessons learned and best/promising practices.
• Design, implementation and supervision of enhanced program monitoring, evaluation and documentation activities for the program.
• Develop and enhance systems for providing routine M&E data feedback to Implementing partners and other information stakeholders.

• Ensure program data is complete and up to date and data collection and reporting timelines are adhered to.
• Coordinate compilation of data reports and inputting of data in all program reports.
• Track progress at individual sites through review of progress reports and site visits.
• Manage all activities related to the Foundation’s databases for managing and sharing program data.

Quality Improvement

• Contribute to the integration of QI into all program implementation activities.
• Support documentation of quality improvement changes, quality improvement initiatives and promising practices under SI&E.
• Contribute to the development of expert knowledge on quality improvement frameworks.
• Coordinate the collection, aggregation and analysis of project QI qualitative and quantitative data for reporting purposes and further use to ensure the spread and integration of lessons learnt to health facilities regarding SI&E.

Operations Research & Evaluation

• Collaborate with the all departments to provide training and mentorship to program team in the conceptualisation, design, conduct and analysis of public health/program evaluations to advance program goals, knowledge, and learning.
• Collaborate with the department heads in providing routine program data and collecting primary data for public health evaluations.
• Comply with all THINK rules and regulations and policies and procedures.
• Be passionate about making a difference and add value to THINK.
• Perform other duties as required.

• Masters’ degree in public health, statistics, demography/population statistics, epidemiology or bio-statistics.
• 5 years at a M&E senior leadership level.
• Demonstrated applied skills in M&E methods and use of data for systems strengthening projects/programs, including ability to tailor data collection approaches to local needs, interests, and capabilities.
• Hands-on working experience with USG data management systems including DIS data submissions and data narratives.
• Demonstrated capability to provide leadership when working with other technical experts in M&E, Technical, QI and Research.
• Ability to convey M&E results to non-technical stakeholders and generate interest in the use of M&E data/results for programmatic improvements.
• Knowledge of protection of human subjects and ethics regulations in data collection and management to ensure compliance with all local and international requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English, including the capacity to prepare and deliver formal presentations on programs and results.
• Good working knowledge of major databases and analytical programs including MS access, MS excel, STATA, SPSS, and GIS.
• Strong training and capacity building skills for M&E, technical and soft skills, team building and performance management.
• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, supervisory, communications, mentoring and networking skills.

Exciting benefits await you:

• Being a part of and living our values, which include Care for people and outcomes, Making a Difference and Kicking the Paradigm – creating an environment where every team member thrives, every idea is celebrated, and every achievement is a testament to our collective commitment.
• Enjoy a 37-hour work week, allowing you more time for personal pursuits, hobbies, and spending quality moments with loved ones.
• Embrace financial security with a competitive salary package that recognises and values your skills and contributions with room for growth within our ever-expanding organisation.
• Experience peace of mind knowing you're covered with life, disability, and funeral insurance, ensuring you and your family's future is safeguarded.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which gives you access to an array of support services such as legal, debt and counselling services, ensuring that expert guidance is just a call away.
• We will contribute towards your medical aid as your health is a priority.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates in line with this advert for appointment to be made as soon as operationally possible.
• THINK reserves the right to close vacancies within 5 working days of posting.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Background checks will be conducted on shortlisted candidates.
• Please consider your application unsuccessful if you have not been contacted within four weeks of the closing date.
• THINK reserves the right in special circumstances to accept late applications or to extend the closing date in order to facilitate further searches.
• THINK reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Internal applicants will get preference for shortlisting.
• All personal Information collected is processed lawfully in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
• THINK is unable to provide relocation assistance.