CONSULTANT – U.S. PORTFOLIO MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING TIME COMMITMENT: 10-20 hours per week, starting January 2026, 12-month contract LOCATION: Remote OVERVIEW At the Elton John AIDS Foundation, our mission is simple – to be a powerful force in ending the HIV epidemic. We believe high quality HIV prevention and care should be accessible and affordable for everyone, no matter what. Although significant progress has been made in the development of effective prevention and treatment options for HIV, many people in the U.S. are still not getting the care and treatment they need. Social, economic, and structural inequalities perpetuate the HIV epidemic in the U.S., and barriers to care disproportionately impact racial and gender minorities, especially in the U.S. South. Uptake of powerful prevention tools like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is very low, and unmet need is greatest among Black and Hispanic/Latino people. Further, within communities, stigma and discrimination are intense and pervasive barriers to seeking care. The Foundation’s strategy in the U.S. has been focused on breaking through the barriers that keep HIV services from those in greatest need. We have collaborated with trusted community members including faith leaders, harm reduction organizations, experts in trauma-informed care and other community-based groups across the U.S. South to improve access to HIV prevention, treatment and care, and reduce stigma toward people living with and affected by HIV. We have worked to equip the health workforce with what they need to provide compassionate HIV care. We have supported advocacy efforts toward federal and state policy changes that would remove structural barriers and make it easier for people to access the HIV prevention and treatment they need. SCOPE OF WORK During the final year of the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s strategy period (2020-2026), we seek a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) consultant to support the U.S. portfolio in the following ways: • Represent the U.S. portfolio in Foundation-wide MEL team activities, including participating in team meetings and contributing to cross-Portfolio, foundation-wide MEL workstreams. • Provide MEL technical support and oversight to U.S. portfolio grant recipients, to ensure timely and effective implementation and completion of MEL plans. • Review MEL components of 3-5 new grant applications, or costed-extension requests from current grant recipients, including supporting development of theories of change and MEL plans. • Oversee the collection, analysis, and reporting of data and information on grant performance; review quarterly Grant Reports for up to 10 current grant recipients, and provide guidance to grant recipients as needed to ensure data accuracy. In collaboration with the U.S. Portfolio Lead and Senior Manager, Knowledge, Learning and Impact, oversee activities for three external evaluations: • o Support the distillation and dissemination of key findings from an evaluation of community-based grants in the U.S. portfolio, slated for completion by approximately January 2026. o U.S. policy-related grantmaking to improve PrEP access – already underway, oversee implementation and completion. o U.S. portfolio overall strategy – lead recruitment of external contractor, and oversee implementation and completion. • Support data analysis, reporting, and visualization tasks, including through PowerBI. • Support the development and dissemination of knowledge products based on learning from the U.S. portfolio, including during preparations for the July 2026 AIDS Conference, and during cross-portfolio learning and communication activities at the close of the Strategy period (Q4 2026). DELIVERABLES • MEL plans developed for up to five new grants or costed-extensions issued in 2026 • Terms of reference executed and managed for two external evaluations • Evaluation findings from two external evaluations validated and summarized ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE • 5+ years professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, ideally working with non- profit organizations, philanthropy, and/or supporting projects in public health • Quantitative, qualitative and/or mixed-methods research experience including expertise in MEL design, data collection, analysis, and reporting • Experience collecting and/or evaluating data in the U.S. context • Experience in MEL capacity strengthening for non-profit organizations • Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to approach situations methodically HOW TO APPLY To apply, please submit the following via email to Noelle.Esquire@eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org with the subject line, “U.S. MEL Consultant 2026”: • Resume • Cover letter • Summary example of a MEL strategy or plan designed by the consultant • Contact details for two professional references