Strategy Evaluation Consultant

ABOUT VILLAGEREACH

VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone. We are driven by a vision of a world where each person has the health care needed to thrive. VillageReach’s goal is to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care for 350 million people by 2030. We work with governments, the private sector, partners and communities to build responsive primary health care systems that deliver health products, information and services to the most under-reached. As a locally driven and globally connected organization, VillageReach has offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and the United States.    

Scope of Work

VillageReach launched its 2030 Strategy last year, aiming to reduce inequities in access to quality primary healthcare (PHC) in health systems reaching 350 million people. We aim to do this by working with governments, private sector and partners to build a responsive model of PHC, centered on the needs of the most under-reached communities. Through our work, we have seen that the best health care systems in Africa embody three key attributes: 

1.       They make health products and services available when and where they are needed, ensuring that even the most remote communities have access.

2.       They possess the flexibility to adapt swiftly to changing demands and better absorb shocks and stresses.

3.       They routinely factor in and respond to the diverse needs and preferences of under-reached communities.

We will know we are successful when we have evidence that our solutions have improved outcomes across these three attributes and, as a result, when we see increased equity in who utilizes health services. We aim to share lessons learned in what works and what doesn’t work in building responsive PHC systems. 

After more than a year of our 2030 Strategy, we are seeking an external consultant to conduct an early assessment, guided by our strategy monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework. The assessment is intended to provide early evidence for an internal audience as well as identify exemplars for external audiences, including donors and partners.

DELIVERABLES

The Consultant will:

• Document exemplars of our work around our 2030 Strategy through a series of case studies, leveraging existing evidence and consultations with program teams: We expect to identify at least 2 exemplars per component in the Strategy M&E Framework. Our areas of strength include supply chain, digitally-enabled PHC, data systems, building the health workforce and sustainable financing for innovation. The specific number of exemplars to be documented as case studies will be negotiated at the time of contract.   
• Provide recommendations on how to collect new evidence of the impact of our work in alignment with the 2030 Strategy: Recommendations are expected to include illustrative methods to collect evidence, leveraging our existing programming as well as new opportunities.  
• Conduct a landscape assessment of evidence on what works and what doesn’t in reducing inequity to access to PHC: In order to demonstrate how our solutions and programs contribute to a truly responsive PHC system, we will need to deeply understand the evidence generated by like-minded partners and governments. This landscape assessment is expected to include evidence related to our areas of strength as well as complementary areas. 

The consultant will work under the supervision of VillageReach’s Research Evidence and Learning Team Lead, in collaboration with internal stakeholders overseeing or implementing the programs where evidence is available.  

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• Master’s degree in public health, social sciences or similar field is required
• At least ten years’ experience in healthcare and/or public health
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation of global health programs, including a familiarity with the types of evidence that these programs generate 
• Experience interpreting quantitative and qualitative data to inform recommendations or decision-making
• Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to convey highly technical information and complex data in a concise manner to diverse audiences
• Experience using evidence-based approaches to integrate an equity lens into programs

Other Qualifications:

• Fluency in English and French is required; Portuguese preferred
• Established cultural competency in partnering with racial, cultural and linguistically diverse groups
• Demonstrated understanding of challenges with working in rural, underserved and low-income context; experience living in and/or working in a low-income country a plus
• Ability to work and collaborate remotely with an international workforce across time zones and multiple languages
• Ability to work independently with little direct oversight while still maintaining high quality of work

Due to the time zone differences between our offices in the US, DRC, Malawi and Mozambique and location of other global staff, the Consultant is expected to be available for meetings starting at 6am if based in the US. Staff located in Europe and Africa are expected to be available for meetings up to 6pm.

Application Information:

• This consultancy is expected to begin June 2, 2025 and to end by September 30, 2025. Resumes and cover letters will be reviewed on a rolling basis until May 21, 2025.
• To apply, please submit your resume/CV, cover letter and a writing sample that you led the writing of to our online portal: http://www.villagereach.org/join-us/

Benefits

Compensation:

Please submit your hourly rate with your application.