Back Monitoring & Evaluation, mentoring and coaching Consultant

Montrose is an international development project management and consultancy company providing support to clients operating in the developing world. Specialised in the sectors of health, education, rural livelihoods and private sector development, our clients include bilateral and multilateral development agencies, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations and other development stakeholders.

Background

Montrose has been contracted to support the Monitoring, Evidence, Learning and Review (MELR) of the DFID Saving lives in Sierra Leone (SLiSL) programme. SLiSL seeks to save women’s and children’s lives by improving the quality, availability and accessibility of reproductive, maternal, new-born and child health services. The programme’s purpose is to achieve a sustainable step-change in health outcomes for under-fives, adolescents, pregnant women and mothers. The five-year programme is divided into two phases: Phase 1 was from October 2016 to September 2018, and Phase 2, from October 2018 to March 2021.

One of the components of the MELR program is “provision of Technical Assistance to DPPI and DRCH”, with a special focus on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).

Within the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS), the Directorate of Policy, Planning, and Information (DPPI) is responsible for overseeing all M&E activities, which includes the National Health Information System (DHIS2) for tracking key health indicators. DPPI also supports ministry-wide Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) needs, policy and planning coordination, health financing activities, and coordinating with the Research and Training directorate for research activities. The Directorate of Reproductive and Child Health (DRCH) is responsible for Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Child Health and Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), National Adolescent Health, School Health programme and the Quality Management Program (QMP).

In 2018, new Directors were appointed to lead both the DPPI and the DRCH. To achieve strategic goals there is an increased emphasis on M&E functions as well as a critical need to build staff capacity in a systematic approach. Discussions between Montrose and the Directors recognised the necessity of assessing staff, taking into consideration current and future requirements.

The objective of the first phase of the Organisational Development was to (a) conduct an organisational capacity assessment of the DPPI and M&E-related positions for the DRCH and (b) propose a recruitment and capacity-building plan including a way forward for the proposed M&E TA by SLiSL/MELR/ Montrose. In addition to implementing the proposed capacity building plan within the DPPI and DRCH in the project’s second phase, Montrose also plans to leverage selected activities from the first phase and extend them to other key MoHS directorates.

The milestones include:

• Capacity building plan developed with measurable milestones based on M&E capacity assessment
• M&E infrastructure systems are more streamlined and functioning.
• National and Programme Staff are receiving coaching and mentorship in M&E
• M&E systems fully operational with staff managing systems

To support DPPI and DCRH, Montrose will specifically (but not exclusively) utilise two TAs whose primary engagement objective is to coach and mentor staff in M&E by building capacity in a formalised, systematic coaching/mentoring arrangement. The two TA M&E Coach/Mentor positions will equally apportion the national staff between them and work in close collaboration and communication to ensure consistency in methodology and approach. However, only one TA M&E Coach/Mentor will support the M&E unit leader. The DPPI M&E team currently assigns each M&E team member to serve as an internal expert for the various MoHS districts and programmes. Both TA M&E Coach/Mentor positions will act a master coach and mentor to guide each of the national staff as they in turn coach and mentor their assigned programme and district-level M&E staff.

The coaching/mentoring approach will consist of a short diagnostic phase to confirm and define objectives and measures followed by regular coaching sessions and routine follow up and support. Two positions will be required for nine months. At the end of nine months, a determination will be made if an extension of both or only one TA should be made until the project closes in March 2021). The TAs will establish a written agreement with each coachee/mentee that sets the goals and timeline along with assurances of confidentiality, where appropriate, due to the potentially sensitive and proprietary nature of information discussed during coaching sessions. In this situation, the coaching would also focus on the gaps identified in the competency assessment completed during Phase 1 and work with the staff to focus on areas of concern related to their responsibilities according to the directorate/unit work plan.

As part of its responsibilities, the TAs will support DPPI M&E in conducting RACI charting exercises amongst themselves. With the support of the TA, the national M&E staff would use the same coaching methodology with the district and programme staff (cascaded approach) as the TAs use with them.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultant will serve as a TA M&E Coach/Mentor as part of the MELR team. The Consultant in close collaboration with the Technical Lead will help feed into the M&E Framework for Phase 2 of the SLiSL, development of nested logframes for the Implementing Partners, development of monitoring and tracking tools for use by MELR. They will be responsible for responsible for providing technical support to the MoHS directorates (including DPPI and DRCH) on M&E specific activities. The overarching objectives of this consultancy are to build the capacity of national M&E staff to act as internal experts through coaching and mentoring them to perform the work themselves rather than doing it for the M&E staff and helping national staff to in turn to mentor and coach programme and district level M&E officers as they build their capacity. See sections on Specific Roles and Responsibilities of the Consultant and Deliverables below.

Specific Roles and Responsibilities of the Consultant

The following are the specific roles and responsibilities of the Consultant;

• · Provides systematic coaching and mentoring to the MoHS directorates and district staff on MELR related M&E pieces to ensure capacity building and knowledge transfer
• Assesses strengths and weaknesses, develops individual coaching plans, and provides appropriate coaching and mentoring interventions
• Guides M&E staff in designing and developing data collection tools and M&E frameworks using the Log Frame approach for the MoHS (including DPPI and DRCH) and donor-supported programmes, in concert with MoHS monitoring and evaluation policies, standards
• Helps the national M&E staff strengthen communication and reporting relationships between national and programme/facility-level M&E staff.
• Helps the national M&E staff to develop policy briefs based on evidence from HMIS
• Helps the national M&E staff to design bench aides and other guidelines to improve data quality facility level.
• Promotes increased cross-functional collaboration through supporting DPPI in conducting RACI charting exercises (or similar) amongst among the M&E team (national, programme, and facility levels).
• Advises M&E leadership in developing individual development plans (as part of the MoHS Individual Performance Appraisal System “IPAS”) for their staff, ensuring they will complement the TA coaching and mentoring capacity building activities.
• Supports M&E staff in developing frameworks, methodologies and databases for monitoring the achievement of internal and international goals (e.g. SDG); including preparation for monitoring of UHC and monitoring of PBF
• Identifies innovative evaluation methodologies and supports their incorporation into MoHS operations. Assists in promoting uniform communication about M&E indicators to all relevant stakeholders
• Supports M&E staff in developing and adapting tools, guidance, training materials, and manuals in monitoring and evaluation
• May assist the DPPI in monitoring and evaluation designs, strategies and approaches
• May support Health Information Management activities to ensure data is available at the national level for reporting purpose
• Works with DPPI leadership to ensure a substantive quality assurance framework based on credible data collection, as well as achieving high-standard, user-friendly monitoring and evaluation reports.
• May assist with field visits for data verification and supportive supervision to promote joint problem-solving and communication for data accuracy.
• Supports development of research and provision of key results to DPPI
• Participates in integrated supportive supervision within the district’s health facilities to ensure that timely and quality data is used in decision making by all health facilities and internal verification teams.
• Supports the M&E unit in their role of assisting with implementation of the Performance Based Finance, monitoring its effectiveness, performance indicators, and payment processing.
• Coaches the M&E staff to develop and introduce a verification checklist
• Supports the M&E unit in developing annual work plans and strategic documents.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to increase M&E staff’s facilitation/training skills

Required Competencies

1. Credible – Demonstrates exceptional M&E skills mastery gained through at least ten years of related M&E experience and builds rapport and trust with each coachee/mentee.
2. Balanced Challenger - Encourages the coachee/mentee to stretch beyond what the coachee/mentee may feel is possible without overwhelm; Provides candid but compassionate feedback and supports coachee/mentee in overcoming emotional barriers.
3. Adaptable – Meets each coachee/mentee at the level they’re at, asks powerful questions which help the coachee/mentee gain their own insights. Respects individual learning and performance styles while guiding coachee/mentee to perform the work (not doing it for them) to maximize development and growth
4. Collaborative – Strong communication skills and emotional intelligence to cooperate with the DPPI team and TA M&E coach/mentor counterpart and supporting stronger connections among the M&E national unit and MoHS programme and district-level M&E staff

Essential Skills, Qualifications, and Attributes:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in a relevant field is preferred

• At least 5 years relevant experience – including in Monitoring and Evaluation.

• At least 5 years previous international development project management or delivery experience in Sierra Leone

• Knowledge of the health sectors in Sierra Leone an advantage

• Experience of working within government sectors, particularly health

• Experience in coaching and monitoring

• A passion for doing development work better, working with all types of stakeholder, partner, client, consultant, government counterpart, and community members to improve people’s lives

• Exceptional drive, and a willingness to work hard to deliver high quality outcomes

• Strong time management, organisational and communication skills, and exceptional attention to detail

• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to produce accurate, inspiring and relevant content.

• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the experience of seeking creative ways to overcome complex problems

• Microsoft Office proficiency (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint)

• Right to live and work in Sierra Leone essential (currently based in Freetown an advantage)

Desirable

• Understanding of DHIS 2.0 sorftware and HMIS systems desirable
• Knowledge of other languages (Krio, Mende, Temne, Limba)