- Commencement: July 2025
- Based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
- Open to all applicants
About the Program
The PNG Australia Transition to Health (PATH) is a six and a half -year (July 2020-December 2026) health sector program funded by the Australian Government under the Papua New Guinea – Australia Partnership for Development. PATH supports the Government of PNG (GoPNG) to strengthen essential health service delivery in alignment with the National Health Plan 2021–2030. PATH is guided by the National Department of Health (NDoH), Provincial Health Authorities (PHAs) and the Bougainville Department of Health (BDoH), who together are responsible for the delivery of health services across PNG.
PATH’s most significant areas of service delivery support are tuberculosis, routine immunization and sexual and reproductive health. PATH is designed to simultaneously use its service delivery projects as an opportunity to build the capacity of PHAs and identify and address Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) issues in the sector.
PATH’s end of investment outcomes (EOIO) are:
- PHA’s more able to lead provincial health reform and manage effective, efficient, equitable and quality essential health services in selected provinces.
- DFAT funded health services are demonstrating efficient and effective models of service delivery, influencing Provincial Health Authority (PHA) performance; and building sustainability by transitioning to PHA management in selected provinces.
PATH’s intermediate outcome (IO’s) are:
- PHA Leadership – Leaders and Technical personnel in PHAs/ BDoH are performing mandated functions
- Women in Leadership – Women in Leadership are increasingly influencing more equitable health sector decisions
- Essential Health Services – Increased delivery and coverage of selected essential health services
PATH is a locally led, adaptive, and politically informed program that seeks to maintain flexibility to respond to changing and local circumstances over the life of the program.
About the Opportunity
The Performance and Learning (PAL) Lead is responsible for implementing and further developing PATH’s program-wide, Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, Learning and Adaptation System (MERLA). This includes provision of technical advice and support to implementing service providers (ISP) funded through PATH for their data collection, reporting and learning.
The PAL Lead should consider how innovative and technical approaches can be introduced (within the context of PNG) to enable collection, analysis and reporting of data-driven evidence.
The PAL Lead is part of the PATH Executive Leadership team, and works closely with the PATH Team Leader, two Program Delivery Leads, GEDSI Lead and Operations Lead to support good practice in MERLA, and an organisational culture which values evidence informed practice, learning, and adaptation.
The PAL Lead will also be required to work collaboratively with the communications and public diplomacy manager to ensure that MERLA informed results are converted into communication products and conversely to utilise the communications expertise in the development of program reporting.
The PAL Lead will manage the PAL workstream consisting of a team of up to six MERLA staff and ensure appropriate collaboration with the Australian High Commission (AHC) to deliver PATH’s PAL function.
Key responsibilities
PAL Team Leadership:
- Manage the PAL Team to deliver the MERLA System for the PATH Program
- Manage a small team of MERLA staff, and support their professional development, to ensure the required skills and capabilities are available to effectively deliver PATH’s PAL function
MERLA Leadership
- Implement and iteratively update the PATH MERLA system
- Provide technical oversight and guidance to PATH projects and ISP provider MERLA plans/systems ensuring alignment with the PATH program Performance Assessment Framework (PAF).
- Lead the PAL Team to support workstream leads and as required ISPs to design, plan, implement, analyse, and report on data collection methods outlined in the MERLA Plan – including qualitative and quantitative data
- Give consideration to how innovative and digital approaches can be introduced (within the context of PNG) to enable collection, analysis and reporting of data-driven evidence. Implement these as appropriate.
- Further develop systems and processes to ensure the routine review and consideration of MERLA data to inform programming decisions
- Produce high quality MERLA products, and support PATH program areas and ISPs to produce high quality MERLA products, including baseline analysis, major analytical/review products, learning briefs and evidence to demonstrate progress
- Further introduce, oversee and build capacity in the use of simplified reporting of quantitative data sets (e.g. Power BI dashboards) to enable easier analysis and informed decision making by end users
- Oversee the application of a PATH program management information system (MIS) to manage, collate and report on program data, including data from multiple partners and grantees
- Lead and co-ordinate the development and delivery of six-monthly, high-quality program progress reports compliant with DFAT’s M&E standards
- Establish and oversee the evaluation pipeline (including rapid cycle evaluation, and engagement with PNG Human Development Monitoring and Evaluation Services, HDMES, the independent monitor)
- Facilitate regular learning and reflection events to collaboratively and critically assess program progress, drawing on evidence and insights, that lead to appropriate adaptation of program logic and Theory of Change as required
- Establish/maintain coordination mechanisms to enable effective delivery of PAL’s cross-program functions
MERLA Capacity Building
- Build MERLA knowledge, skills, capability, motivation and practice across the PATH program
- Support workstream teams to apply MERLA practices and tools, at provincial and local levels
Research and Knowledge Building
- Review, establish and oversee as required coordination/ commissioning of a research and analytic pipeline for the program, with content driven by demand from provincial and national teams
- Produce clear, policy-relevant briefing notes to encourage learning across levels of government, non-state actors, and PATH service providers
NDoH/BDoH/PHA support
- Contribute to the strengthening of MERLA in the NDoH, BDoH and PHAs through
- Participating in relevant NDoH/BDoH technical working groups
- Supporting training related to data collection, analysis and reporting and broader MERLA as required
- Other duties as reasonably directed.
Key deliverables
Position Specific Deliverables:
- PATH MERLA Plans and system.
- Periodic review of the overall PATH and project (as relevant) Theory of Change, PAF, Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks and Development Results Frameworks informed by annual and other learning events and reflection exercises.
- Support and technical advice to ISPs for their MERLA processes
- Development and maintenance of MIS Business Requirements Documentation.
- MIS maintained up to date
- Delivery of multi-stakeholder reflection and learning workshops, twice a year
- Annual and Six-Monthly Performance Reports and communication of the main findings/issues with stakeholders.
- Significant analytical exercises, including but not limited to baseline analysis, beneficiary surveys to assess socio-economic impacts, adequate designs of new initiatives, reviews of significant initiatives, VfM analysis etc.
- Timely and quality Program Completion Report(s).
Executive Leadership Team Deliverables:
- High level of responsiveness to AHC issues and requests.
- Quality reporting, milestones, deliverables and KPIs are submitted on time and meet internal (Abt) and external (AHC) requirements.
- Build and maintain open, productive and outcome-oriented relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including AHC and GoPNG.
- Ensure PATH delivery addresses issues of inclusive leadership, disability inclusion and security through integrating GEDSI principles and objectives across all PAL activities and as defined in annual workplan.
- Corporate risk and fraud issues are proactively identified, reported, and managed following corporate and DFAT policies and procedures
- Flexible, adaptive and innovative approaches to development assistance are actively pursued and incorporated into the delivery and design of the Program.
Key working relationships
- PATH Executive Leadership Team and Senior Management Team
- Performance and Learning Team
- Relevant AHC Representatives
- Relevant GoPNG Representatives (National Department of Health, Provincial Health Authorities)
- Implementing Service Providers
- Abt International Technical Practice colleagues
About You
For applications to be considered, a response to the key selection criteria below must be provided.
- A tertiary qualification in Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences, International Development, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field. Formal training or certification in M&E methodologies, data analysis or digital tools is highly desirable.
- Significant demonstrated experience in the development and roll out of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning frameworks for large, complex programs.
- Proven experience using data-driven evidence to inform decision-making, adaptive management, and reporting. Demonstrated application of innovative M&E approaches using digital M&E platforms and data management systems to improve data collection, management, utilisation and reporting is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience managing, leading and mentoring a diverse national team and commitment to the principles of inclusion, localisation and equity.
- Experience working in complex, uncertain, dynamic environments – such as PNG or a comparable experience
- Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated experience leading preparation of high-quality reports and communications products for donor and Government audiences using dashboards or other advanced visualisation techniques. Familiarity with donor performance and quality and reporting requirements would be an asset.
How to Apply
- Please ensure to address the Key Selection Criteria (About You) in your cover letter, and submit your application online, along with your CV as a single document.
- Applications must be submitted personally by individuals only. Applications submitted by a company or organisation will not be accepted.
- The successful applicant will be engaged through an employment agreement determined by Abt.
We welcome and thank all applications; however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Closing Date: Tuesday, 17 June 2025 (Midday, local time) #LI-AUSBRIT
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