Team: USAID/Nigeria MEL Support Activity

Project: USAID/Nigeria Health Population and Nutrition (HPN) Office

Location: Federal Capital Territory – Abuja, Nigeria

Reporting to: Assessment and Evaluation Advisor

Employment Type: Independent Contractor / Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA)

Period of Performance: November 2024 – May 2025

Number of Positions: 1

Navanti supports a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Support Activity program that assists USAID/Nigeria in advancing its broader organizational learning and development efforts. This program strengthens the Mission’s capacity and performance in programmatic monitoring, evaluation, learning, collaborating, and adapting. The MEL Support Activity closely aligns with USAID/Nigeria’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). It provides a broad range of specialized technical assistance, training, data gathering and analysis, field-based monitoring, evaluations and assessments, facilitation of organizational learning and adaptation initiatives, and short-term technical assistance.

Overview and Evaluation Purpose:

USAID/Nigeria has engaged the MEL Support Activity to evaluate the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Activity to determine whether it meets its stated objectives. The evaluation will ascertain if the assistance provided by USAID/Nigeria through the Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project on DRF Activity achieved the stated development objectives (DO). The evaluation also seeks to understand the lessons from this Activity in Nigeria.

The purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness, promote accountability, inform decision-making, ensure the program's sustainability and impact on improving access to essential medicines and healthcare services, and inform USAID/Nigeria’s potential future support for drug revolving funds. The study will provide specific insights into the following proposed states:

• North-West: Zamfara, Sokoto
• North-East: Bauchi
• North-Central: Nasarawa

About DRF:

The drug revolving fund (DRF) is a financing mechanism used in healthcare to improve access to essential drugs and medicines. The primary goal of a DRF is to ensure a steady supply of quality medications and to prevent stockouts or shortages in public health facilities, such as hospitals and health centers.

The purpose of the DRF is as follows:

• Ensure the availability and sustainability of quality health commodities.
• Ensure accessibility and affordability of health commodities.
• Contribute to the attainment of universal health coverage.
• Support health care for the vulnerable.

USAID expected the DRF support to achieve the following high-level results:

• Improved access to essential medicines particularly in underserved areas at an affordable rate
• Strengthened health systems through improved capacity, governance, and coordination of supply chain management, procurement processes, and monitoring systems.
• Curtail dependence on external funding.
• Streamline the procurement and distribution of medicines, leading to more efficient health service delivery. This can result in shorter waiting times, improved patient satisfaction, and improved overall quality of care in health facilities.
• Improve revenue generation and sustainability through revolving/recycling funds from the sale of medicines and pharmaceutical products.

The primary users of the evaluation findings will be the USAID Health Population and Nutrition (HPN) Office, other U.S. Government (USG) officials, non-USG donor organizations, GON, and private sector firms, all of whom can use the findings to improve and build knowledge. The result of this evaluation will be used by the Mission, GON, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to enhance accountability and learning and to inform decisions on further investment and whether or not the DRF is being re-capitalized.

The estimated start date will be November 11, 2024. The evaluation is expected to last until May 2025.

Candidates are reviewed on a rolling basis; early submission is recommended.

Position Description:

Navanti is seeking a team leader responsible for the overall coordination and management of the evaluation team’s effort and for ensuring a rigorous and high-quality evaluation in the locations stated above. Under the guidance of the MEL Support Activity, the team leader is expected to work closely with the USAID/Nigeria-HPN team. The team lead is expected to have done a similar evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa, or other countries with similar context.

The team leader will be supported by a subject matter expert, a health financing specialist, a procurement and logistics expert, and a health data/evaluation specialist. The team leader will consult with and facilitate input from all team members throughout the evaluation.

The team will use a combination of literature review, secondary analysis of population-based surveys, and quantitative/qualitative data collection through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to gather insights to answer the study questions, with a special focus on data from the four states listed above. The team is also expected to propose based evaluation methodology/approach as required.

Locations:

• Zamfara, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Sokoto States

Responsibilities:

The evaluation team leader will be responsible for the overall management of the evaluation. S/he will be the primary person responsible for ensuring a rigorous and high-quality evaluation design. The team leader will develop the outline for the draft report, present the report, and after incorporating USAID/Nigeria staff comments, submit the final report to USAID/Nigeria through the MEL Support Activity within the prescribed timeline. The team leader will:

• Participate in the evaluation kick-off session with USAID/Nigeria.
• Conduct an initial desk study: gather relevant secondary materials to identify key actors and stakeholders.
• Lead the development of data collection tools, including survey and interview tools, and methodology for covering target states
• Conduct and manage the entire process of data collection, including conducting several KIIs and FGDs with stakeholders including women, health care providers, etc
• Present preliminary findings on data collected from stakeholders' engagement and desk review
• Provide leadership for the team and coordinate activities as necessary.
• Coordinate team's ongoing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Lead the preparation and presentation of the In-brief and Out-brief to USAID/Nigeria and other stakeholders as requested.
• Write the draft evaluation report with support from the team members, taking into consideration feedback from the Out-brief presentation.
• Respond to USAID comments on the draft report, incorporate USAID/Nigeria staff comments into the final version of the report, and finalize the report.
• Present the rapid evaluation results to diverse audiences according to USAID standard reporting
• Work collaboratively with team members throughout design, implementation, analysis, and report writing to complement each other's areas of expertise.

Qualifications:

The candidate is expected to have the following qualifications:

• A minimum of a master’s degree in a relevant field: Pharmaceutical studies, Supply chain management, Economics, health planning, or public/global health.
• Minimum of seven or more years of substantive and progressively responsible professional experience working in pharmaceutical supply chain, commodities, logistics management, and health systems in Nigeria.
• Specific experience in supply chain and logistics related to malaria and MNCH preferred.
• Experience evaluating/supporting start-up/improvement management/implementation of drug revolving funds is critical. Proficiency in evaluation methods, and quantitative and qualitative research methods including survey design, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of findings. This will be complemented by strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to prepare clear and concise evaluation reports, presentations, and briefs tailored to different audiences.
• Supply chain experience working with the Government of Nigeria at the national, state, and/or facility level or similar context is an advantage.
• Experience in measurement methods required for monitoring and evaluation of programs.
• Demonstrated experience with supply chain capacity building and policy reform, with preference to those with considerable working experience in Nigeria.
• Experience in preparing persuasive technical reports and making verbal presentations,
• explaining issues clearly and concisely.
• Required oral and written communication and presentation skills in English.
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating across projects stakeholder groups and donor projects.
• A minimum of seven years or more substantive and progressively responsible professional experience designing and conducting evaluations is required.
• Proficiency in evaluation methods, and quantitative and qualitative research methods including survey design, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of findings. This includes experimental/quasi-experimental designs, and case studies, to assess program effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and impact. This will be complemented by strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to prepare clear and concise evaluation reports, presentations, and briefs tailored to different audiences.
• A solid understanding of public health principles, policies, and practices especially related to pharmaceuticals, healthcare financing, and access to medicines.
• Familiarity with health system dynamics, including financing mechanisms, procurement, supply chain management, service delivery structures, and regulatory frameworks related to pharmaceutical and drug revolving fund schemes
• Sensitivity to cultural nuances, local customs, and social dynamics in Nigeria to ensure effective engagement with stakeholders and accurate interpretation of findings within the local context.
• Experience working in the health sector with international donor organizations, particularly USAID

The consultant should adhere to ethical guidelines, obtain informed consent, and protect the confidentiality and anonymity of participants.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.