Senior Research and Learning Advisor, 7-1-7 Alliance

Resolve to Save Lives seeks a Senior Research and Learning Advisor for its 7-1-7 Alliance initiative. This is a newly established initiative to pilot and innovate approaches to rapid quality improvement for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and support the global rollout of the 7-1-7 timeliness approach. Led by country partners and supported by RTSL, the 7-1-7 Alliance will partner with countries to accelerate adoption of the 7-1-7 timeliness approach to inform rapid quality improvement of early detection and early response functions.

The 7-1-7 Alliance will form a technical secretariat hosted by RTSL for an initial 5-year period. During this initial project period, the 7-1-7 Alliance will focus on alliance building with countries, network creation, partnership development, implementation, and learning, with the goal of building the capacity of institutions at country level to address health security capacity gaps based on functional assessments. The approach will be adaptive and contribute to existing International Health Regulations monitoring and evaluation framework tools. In collaboration with partners, the 7-1-7 Alliance will develop a common learning agenda, offer technical assistance to implement the 7-1-7 approach, and establish a rapid quality improvement grant program to support countries to address bottlenecks identified using the 7-1-7 metrics.

The role of the Senior Research and Learning Advisor is to advance the adoption of the 7-1-7 timeliness approach for performance improvement by supporting the development of and overseeing the research and learning agenda. The role will establish and facilitate training and peer-to-peer learning for partner organizations to support the scale up and quality assurance of the approach as well as co-develop the joint research agenda including informing research methodologies for operational and implementation research to be implemented by partners.

The Senior Research and Learning Advisor reports to the 7-1-7 Alliance Director and works collaboratively with other teams within RTSL (e.g., Governance and Quality Improvement, Early Detection Early Response, Policy and Advocacy, Communications). This full-time, remote position is for a fixed term of two years, with the possibility of renewal. The incumbent will be expected to convene periodically for in-person team meetings and to work during East Coast core working hours. The salary range for this role in the US is $120,000 to $132,000; outside the US, salaries are set according to national labor rates for the international NGO sector.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Formalize, implement, and enhance the 7-1-7 Alliance research and learning agenda

•  Coordinate across teams to define the learning and change management priorities to enable country implementation of the 7-1-7 metric
•  Develop and implement learning and research agenda including setting of parameters for research grant making, reviewing of research grant applications and outcomes
•  Collaborate with 7-1-7 Alliance team to define approach to documenting, synthesizing, applying, and sharing learning across partners in a systematic and strategic manner
•  Collect, analyze, and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data to generate actionable reports that are tailored for relevant audiences (e.g., country governments, technical partners, donors, senior management)
• Develop and maintain the knowledge management system to support effective management, use and continuous quality improvement of 7-1-7 Alliance knowledge and learning products
•  Ensure knowledge from monitoring, evaluation and other evidence-gathering efforts is shared and implemented into current and new projects

Design, implement, and evaluate training and capacity development strategies

•  Design training strategies for the effective adoption of the 7-1-7 framework across priority audiences
•  Create and deliver virtual and in-person trainings and structured participatory engagements, in English and French, to facilitate learning peer exchange to bolster adoption of the 7-1-7 technical package
•  Review and build upon existing content to deliver compelling synchronous and asynchronous content
•  Co-lead regional communities of practice (CoP) in English and French with Senior Technical Advisors, including recruiting participants, maintaining engagement, moderating sessions, and enabling application of core principles and implementation tools
•  Facilitate dynamic peer engagement that supports relationship building between public health professionals within and across countries
•  Define key metrics to evaluate process, outputs, and outcomes of training activities

Required Qualifications, Experience and Skills:

Education and experience

• Master’s degree or higher in public health or other relevant field
• 10+ years of experience working at the intersection of public health, operational research, evaluation and learning and capacity development, with at least five related to programming in low or middle-income countries
• Deep experience in designing and contributing to operational research, effective action, and quality / performance improvement to advance effectiveness of global health programs
• Demonstrated experience engaging and collaborating with national government stakeholders in LMICs
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating learning and exchange across a broad range of technical experts and decision-makers via virtual, hybrid and in-person methods
• Experience leading the development of peer-reviewed manuscripts is desirable

Skills & abilities

• Strong research methodology and data analytical skills related to program performance improvement
• Statistical analysis skills, and proficiency with at least one statistical software platform
• Ability to oversee and support capacity development in research, evaluation and reporting
• Excellent report writing, presentation and communication skills
• Skilled at creating learning agendas, practical curricula, and tools
• Knowledge of principles of adult learning and behavioral change theory
•  Strong facilitation and coaching skills
•  Demonstrated success in leading complex projects, with or without formal authority, and strong project management skills
•  Ability to ask for, receive, and integrate feedback from different perspectives
•  Skilled at self-directed learning and growing personal knowledge in new areas
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an ability to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and find creative solutions
• Proficient in MS Office 365
• Ability to work in EST or GMT time zones
• Willing to travel internationally up 20% of time
•  Excellent written and verbal communication abilities in English; proficiency in French is highly desirable

Resolve to Save Lives requires all employees regardless of location or job function to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Resolve to Save Lives complies with federal, state, and local laws with regard to accommodations related to this policy.

We are grateful for your interest in our work and for your application. Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications typically received, we can only reply to shortlisted candidates.