Provincial MEL Coordinator, Western Province |PATH

• Location: Daru, Western Province 
• Commencement: September 2025
• Open to PNG citizens only

 

About the Program

The PNG Australia Transition to Health (PATH) is a five-year (2020-2025) health sector program funded by the Australian Government under the Papua New Guinea – Australia Partnership for Development. It is planned that the program will be extended until 30 June 2026. PATH works with the PNG Government to improve coverage and quality of health services for the people of PNG through effective, equitable, efficient, and inclusive interventions. 

Guided by the National Department of Health (NDoH), Provincial Health Authorities (PHAs) and the Bougainville Department of Health (BDoH) are responsible for the delivery of health services across PNG.

PATH assists NDoH, PHAs and BDoH to strengthen systems for health service delivery targeting infectious diseases, and reproductive, maternal, newborn child and adolescent health, with a focus on promoting women’s leadership.

PATH’s end of investment outcomes (EOIO) are: 

1. PHAs more able to lead provincial health reform and manage effective, efficient, equitable and quality essential health services in selected provinces. 
2. 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 (IOs) are: PHA Leadership; Women in Leadership; and, Healthcare Workforce. 

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 Provincial MEL Coordinator role supports the PHA Health Information team to implement MERL activities to strengthen recording and reporting systems and ensure quality and timely reporting to NDoH (NHIS) to improve leadership and management of health services for the selected Provincial Health Authorities (PHA). 

This role will work closely with PHA Health Information Team to establish and coordinate reporting mechanisms within provincial hospital to ensure timely reporting to the NHIS.

This role will also support the Provincial Facilitator to plan, budget, deliver and coordinate provincial health reporting and services, including the coordination of analyses/assessments to identify bottlenecks at the selected PHAs. 

This role plays an important role in developing, coordinating and strengthening NHIS activities in the province.

 

Key responsibilities 

• Facilitate and support the development and implementation of a M&E Improvement Plan (MEIP) for PHA / BDOH.
• Provide support in the induction, orientation, training, coaching and mentoring of PHA / BDoH counterparts and partners in adopting and complying with MEL policies and procedures in line with NHP M&E Strategic Plan
• Support/facilitate the establishment, coordination and effective functioning of the Provincial M&E Coordination Committees.
• Coordinate the establishment of PHA / BDoH performance plans and dashboards to track, monitor, reflect on transition progress (e.g. track performance indicators for PHA / BDoH management).
• Support/facilitate the coordination and testing of newly developed or introduced M&E methods and reporting tools for PHA / BDOH and disseminate shared learnings.
• Collaborate with PHA / BDoH to provide provincial baseline, midline and endline data collection and documentation, including supporting the design of specific M&E and HIS studies where needed.
• Integrate research findings / lessons and GEDSI components into PHA / BDoH M&E reporting tools, methods and plans. 
• Guide the reporting process (in terms of finding out current data/reporting gaps between clinical reporting and NHIS data updates, current disease trends) to ensure appropriate reports are submitted to PHA / BDoH and then to NDoH by relevant personnel.
• Coordinate with the Provincial Health Information Officers (PHIO) to compile, collate relevant data for PHA board and management planning and decision-making, including funding opportunities, strategy focus and direction.
• Encourage and collaborate with PHIOs to improve and strengthen disaggregated data reporting through the e-NHIS system and other reporting platforms. 
• Identify and explore opportunities to support PHA / BDoH build and develop capacity on M&E. 
• Collaborate with the Provincial Facilitator and ensure the PATH Performance and Adaptive Systems (PAS) Team are regularly updated and involved in PHA / BDoH M&E / HIS activities.
• Where required provide secretariat support role to Technical Working Group meetings, Provincial Board Meetings etc.
• Other duties as reasonably directed.

 

Key deliverables

• Bachelor’s degree in monitoring and evaluation, public health, social sciences, international or community development or relevant field
• More than three years of experience implementing monitoring, evaluation, research and learning activities
• Experience and understanding of GESI activities and monitoring, including ability to integrate and promote principles of gender equity and social inclusion in all aspects of this role
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis including exposure to real time data collection platforms
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills with an ability to be part of an effective team and collaborate, especially in a cross-cultural context.
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders to collect, clarify, collate and share data
• Comprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft Excel with demonstrated analytical skills including database management and statistical analysis
• Strong written communication skills with demonstrated experience preparing high quality reports and documents for different audiences.
• Effective time management, with proven delivery of activities and reports on schedule.

 

About You 

For applications to be considered, a response to the key selection criteria below must be provided. 

• More than three years of experience implementing monitoring, evaluation, research and learning activities
• Experience and understanding of GESI activities and monitoring, including ability to integrate and promote principles of gender equity and social inclusion in all aspects of this role
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis including exposure to real time data collection platforms
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders to collect, clarify, collate and share data

 

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:  Friday, 22 August 2025 (Mid-day, local time) #LI-AUSBRIT