MEL), Health Programs

FHI 360•US-REMOTE-DC, DC

About The Position

The Senior Director, Strategic Information/Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (SI/MEL), Health Programs is a strategic leader within FHI 360, responsible for the technical leadership and strategic direction of strategic information, monitoring, evaluation, analytics, data systems, and learning across the Health Programs portfolio within the Programs and Research Group. The role also provides scientific and technical leadership in epidemiology, surveillance, health informatics, and data use. It provides technical and operational oversight to a division of project SI/MEL teams and ensures the delivery of high-quality, timely, actionable data aligned with organizational objectives and funder requirements. The Senior Director establishes and refines SI/MEL frameworks, approaches, tools, and activities; identifies specialized partnership needs; and engages qualified partners to ensure technical performance. The position strengthens integration of surveillance, MEL, data management, analytics, and digital health systems across projects and country portfolios. It leads one integrated SI/MEL team serving all Health Programs projects, with shared standards, harmonized indicators, and coordinated staffing and level of effort. The Senior Director works with internal and external stakeholders to share evidence and best practices, supports continuous improvement, and contributes technical leadership to new business development. The role represents FHI 360 as a thought leader in strategic information, health informatics, and data-driven program improvement. Engagement with country and field teams is primarily through project SI/MEL leadership. Direct, hands-on support to field teams is expected on bilateral awards and is provided to global projects at project leadership’s request. The position’s decisions are guided by organizational strategy and can have significant short- and long-term effects on public health and development outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent in Public Health, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Informatics, Global Health, Medicine, or a related field.
At least 15 years of relevant experience in strategic information, monitoring and evaluation, surveillance, epidemiology, or health information systems in global health programs; alternatively, 12 years with a master’s degree, 9 years with a PhD, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
At least 8 years of experience leading and managing SI/MEL or other technical teams, including staff based in several countries.
Proven experience leading and managing complex strategic portfolios of programs or projects on a national or international scale.
Experience leading teams in complex settings and managing financial and human resources.
Significant experience with large U.S. Government-funded or other global health awards in NGOs or similar settings.
Demonstrated expertise in strategic information, MEL, surveillance, and data analytics in large, complex public health or development programs.
Experience leading SI/MEL across several awards simultaneously, including harmonizing indicators and data systems and managing staff in a matrixed structure.
Strong command of quantitative and qualitative methods, data visualization, and digital tools such as DHIS2, Power BI, and Tableau.
Knowledge of global health and development programming, particularly global health security, HIV, TB, malaria, polio and other infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and health systems strengthening.
Excellent oral and written communication and analytical skills in English.
Advanced knowledge of epidemiology, surveillance systems, health informatics, and monitoring and evaluation.
Expertise in strategic information systems, health informatics, data governance, interoperability, and data-use frameworks.
Comprehensive knowledge of designing and managing large-scale global health surveillance, strategic information, and health systems strengthening initiatives.
Expertise in program implementation methodologies, organizational leadership, strategic planning, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
Demonstrated ability to drive innovation and achieve impactful outcomes within a division.
Ability to contribute to new business, including technical design and SI/MEL sections of proposals for U.S. Government, foundation, and other funders.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or doctoral degree (e.g., MPH, MSc, PhD, DrPH, MD) with formal training in epidemiology or biostatistics.
Track record of presenting SI/MEL, surveillance, or epidemiology work in technical forums or reports.
Experience building or leading a cross-project SI/MEL or surveillance team.
Professional proficiency in French or another language used across FHI 360’s country portfolio.
Other relevant certifications or their international equivalents.

Responsibilities

Navigate complex SI/MEL challenges and provide strategic, innovative solutions for portfolio-specific issues.
Analyze project performance against indicator targets, data quality assessments, and portfolio-level trends; identify improvement opportunities and recommend actionable solutions.
Resolve cross-award methodological and measurement problems and set technical standards across the portfolio.
Strengthen institutional data governance, interoperability, and integration of information systems, including DHIS2, EMRs, LMIS, and custom databases.
Ensure project data systems meet funder reporting standards, including DATIM, DHIS2, and MER indicators, and support decision-making.
Provide technical leadership in the design, implementation, and use of surveillance systems and public health evaluations.
Lead improvements to the collection, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and use of health data across country portfolios.
Guide methodological approaches for surveillance and program evaluation, and identify opportunities to use routine health information systems, EMRs, surveillance platforms, and real-world data to improve outcomes.
Serve as a senior resource on epidemiologic methods, disease surveillance, measurement approaches, and data quality.
Exercise discretion over SI/MEL technical and methodological matters; make decisions on resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
Set and enforce portfolio-wide SI/MEL technical standards and provide strategic insights to inform organizational strategy and program priorities.
Build and maintain relationships across FHI 360, including with all Groups and Enterprise Support colleagues, project teams, funders, and implementing partners.
Serve as senior technical advisor to project leadership, project SI/MEL Directors and Advisors, and headquarters management.
Provide technical guidance on surveillance and data use for epidemic control, global health security, and cross-cutting health programs.
Support proposal development through SI/MEL technical input, writing relevant sections, and contributing to results frameworks.
Promote knowledge management and learning by synthesizing lessons, sharing best practices, and contributing to technical briefs and conferences.
Build the capacity of FHI 360 technical teams and local partners in data management, visualization, and evidence-based decision-making.
Cultivate partnerships with ministries of health, U.S. Government agencies, multilateral and global health partners, academic institutions, foundations, and implementing partners.
Represent FHI 360 in technical working groups, conferences, funder engagements, and global technical forums.
Foster collaboration among SI/MEL, surveillance, health informatics, digital health, and program teams.
Oversee SI/MEL implementation across projects in the division; provide leadership and guidance to project teams, set strategic direction, manage budgets, and ensure programmatic quality.
Lead, supervise, and develop a team of technical experts, including performance management and professional development.
Lead one integrated SI/MEL team across Health Programs projects; assign country backstops, plan and monitor workload and level of effort across funding sources, manage award transitions, and ensure continuity of country support.
Build a cross-trained team able to support technical areas and awards through onboarding, training, and mentoring.
Provide matrixed, dotted-line technical oversight of project SI/MEL Directors, set technical performance expectations, and contribute to their reviews with their line managers.
Clarify portfolio- and project-level responsibilities: project SI/MEL Directors retain accountability for award-specific deliverables, while the Senior Director is accountable for cross-portfolio standards, methodological quality assurance, staffing and capacity, and harmonization and comparability across awards.
Ensure projects are appropriately staffed and technically supported by advising on staffing structures and level of effort, participating in recruitment and selection of senior SI/MEL staff, onboarding new staff, and mobilizing surge or specialist support as needed.
When costed to a bilateral award or requested by a global project, take direct responsibility for that project’s SI/MEL activities, including contributing to work plans, performance monitoring plans, and periodic reports.
Provide technical mentorship and professional development to senior SI/MEL, surveillance, epidemiology, and health informatics professionals.
Strengthen organizational capabilities through communities of practice, technical training, knowledge sharing, and other assigned duties.