JOB OPPORTUNITY
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Job ID: 40172
Location: Asia and Pacific
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Background Information
Closing Date: 11 November 2021 (5.00 pm Nepal Time)
Duration: One year (renewable)*
Contract Type: Fixed-Term
Duty Station: Kathmandu, Nepal
* No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulation 4.5
Organizational Setting
The Position:
Under the direct supervision of the UNFPA Deputy Representative, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist (M&E Specialist) will lead the process of adaptive results-based programme management and will ensure that the Country Programme and projects, funded under core and non-core resources, are properly designed, monitored, and evaluated with high-quality outcomes in accordance with UNFPA’s policies and standards on results-based programme management.
The M&E Specialist will develop and strengthen programme planning, monitoring and evaluation and establish an efficient system to track progress on results and use results data to guide upstream policy advocacy work and facilitate periodic programme planning, implementation and learning. S/he works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations teams, as well as the Government, Implementing Partners, at all levels, to ensure the achievement of intended results and impact of the Country Programme and projects, building their capacities at same time.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, working to a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who uphold the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
UNFPA is implementing the Eight Country Programme for Nepal (2018-2022). The programme is designed to contribute to a transformative agenda to build a foundation for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The central goal of the programme is to reduce maternal mortality, expand reproductive rights and end gender based violence through upstream policy advocacy work, capacity building and support for service delivery in development and humanitarian contexts. A commitment to leaving no one behind underpins the programme. UNFPA will also strengthen the capacity of the national statistical system to generate, analyze and utilize disaggregated data for evidence based planning, monitoring and evaluation of results, and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable.
You will play a vital role in the UNFPA office by providing quality technical and programming support and guidance to the programme staff through strengthening programme design, planning, monitoring and evaluation as well as building the capacities of the staff and implementing partners on the same. You will contribute to generating and sharing knowledge including through commissioning research studies and assessments and promote organizational learning and application of good practices and standards.
In a complex working environment, you will build close working relationships with the programme and operations team at national and sub-national level and maintain collaborative relationships with the implementing partners and donors as well as the UN agencies to address programme monitoring and evaluation requirements.
You will have strategic oversight of planning, monitoring and evaluation activities in the UNFPA Nepal Country Office, with responsibility for leading the monitoring and evaluation functions in the office and collaborating with all units in the organization.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
You will be responsible for:
A. Planning, monitoring and quality assurance
- Support the development, implementation and review of the UNFPA Country Office’s overall M&E plans, including the quarterly benchmarks and annualised targets.
- Guide the annual planning and reporting processes, ensuring that baselines, targets and milestones capture programme progress and challenges, and maintain programming quality and compliance with UNFPA’s policies and procedures.
- Lead programme monitoring with a view to promoting quality assurance, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of programme results and resources.
- Manage day-to-day M&E activities under the UNFPA supported Country Programme and projects. Design and implement the annual target setting and ensure accurate inputs to the end-year reporting on results, challenges and lessons, in particular focusing on SIS planning, monitoring and reporting.
- Develop and maintain materials, tools and procedures to facilitate data collection for results monitoring and analysis as well as results reporting.
- Support design of the next UNFPA Country Programme including the problem and objective analyses, Theory of Change, and results and resources frameworks.
- Support the development of the results-based Country Programme Multi-Year work plan or the Country Programme Operational/Action Plan.
B. Results Based Management and Capacity Development
- Participate in programme meetings to provide programme results-based planning and monitoring advice to relevant staff and implementing partners. Lead specific and hands-on training for UNFPA staff and implementing partners on adaptive results based management (RBM), for the maximum and optimal use of available RBM tools.
- Lead the RBM assessments of the UNFPA supported Country Programme and projects to identify gaps and solutions towards strengthening the RBM practices.
- Provide technical and policy guidance to the relevant staff and implementation partners to ensure the UNFPA Country Programme and projects are managed in accordance with the corporate Policies and Procedures Manual (PPM) related to RBM.
- Ensure full understanding and implementation of UNFPA PM&E Guidelines by the concerned staff and implementing partners.
- Build capacity of the staff and implementing partners in data collection and monitor the process of data collection for quality assurance. Lead training for UNFPA staff and implementing partners on results-based project management and results reporting.
- Contribute to monitoring and evaluation activities with UNFPA’s regional office and headquarters and perform other emerging M&E functions, as needed.
C. Evaluation
- Manage all phases of the UNFPA Country Programme Evaluation, as well as other project and thematic evaluations, including but not limited to the development of high quality terms of references, stakeholder mapping, recruitment of and support to the evaluation teams, coordination of stakeholders, and reviews of evaluation products. Disseminate and promote use of evaluation products, and ensure development and tracking of management responses to evaluation findings.
- Facilitate mid-line and end-line project evaluations to assess the extent to which the project has achieved or is going to achieve its pre-stated objectives, as needed.
- Contribute to the evaluation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) and any other UN system wide frameworks and/or joint UN projects, as required.
D. Programme Management and Coordination
- Advise the management on strategic issues related to implementation of M&E activities and on strengthening the adaptive programme and project management capacities among staff and implementing partners.
- Liaise with concerned staff and implementing partners to collect and analyze disaggregated data on UNFPA’s transformative goals including on marginalized population groups to determine progress achieved by individual projects.
- Compile and analyze data on project indicators and inform the management, as well as present to the staff on a regular basis to examine the progress and challenges.
- Support the organization of the annual review of the UNFPA Country Programme and projects with the Government and other relevant partners in line with the CPAP and donor funded project agreements.
- Participate in the UN inter-agency M&E and other relevant outcome and/or thematic groups and provide leadership in integrating UNFPA’s priority areas of concern.
- Coordinate with concerned staff the UNFPA inputs for the development of the UNSDCF as well as the annual reporting and evaluation requirements.
E. Research and Knowledge Management
- Analyse data needs and coordinate implementation research activities for the purpose of facilitating learning and improving programme delivery and oversight, and monitor the implementation of all relevant UNFPA supported studies and surveys.
- Manage baseline surveys, reviews, evaluations, and other assessment activities conducted by the UNFPA Country Office.
- Support interventions for generation of evidence derived from research and drawing of lessons learned in programme management and delivery.
- Coordinate the identification, documentation and dissemination of good practices in programme management and delivery under the UNFPA supported interventions.
- Ensure regular documentation of lessons learnt under UNFPA supported programme interventions on various monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Lead the knowledge management function by ensuring that the outcomes of UNFPA supported activities are properly documented, discussed and disseminated in-country, and through the UNFPA regional and global networks.
Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
- Advanced University Degree Public Health, Social Sciences, Demography, Development Studies, Statistics, or related social sciences with a strong emphasis on research methods and/or programme design, monitoring and evaluation.
Knowledge and Experience: - A minimum of five years of professional experience in the field of development and population activities, with relevant and increasingly responsible professional experience in programme/ project management and knowledge of evaluation and research methodologies applied to development, health and/or social programmes;
- Recognized expertise in monitoring and evaluation, including sound knowledge of results-based management techniques;
- Knowledge of statistical software (SPSS, STATA, CSPro and DevInfo) an advantage;
- Track record in managing evaluations, with strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;
- Experience in project design, management, and monitoring;
- Familiarity with multilaterals development programmes and working procedures, especially global RMB and M&E standards and practices;
- Field experience is a strong asset;
- Strong presentation, communication, and writing skills;
- Emotional intelligence; ability to work independently and in culturally diverse teams.
Languages:
- Proficiency in English and Nepali is required. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset.
Required Competencies
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
- Embracing diversity in all its forms
- Embracing change
Core Competencies:
- Achieving Results
- Being Accountable
- Developing and Applying Professional Expertise/Business Acumen
- Thinking analytically and Strategically
- Working in Teams/Managing Ourselves and our Relationships
- Communicating for Impact
Functional Competencies:
- Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda,
- Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships,
- Delivering results-based programme,
- Internal and external communication and advocacy for resource mobilization
Managerial Competencies
- Engage internal/external partners,
- Lead, develop and empower people, create impact a culture of performance
- Making decisions and exercising judgment
UNFPA Work Environment
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.
Disclaimer
WARNING TO APPLICANTS: UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Should you feel that you have received a fraudulent notice, letter or offer that makes use of the name or logo of UNFPA, you may submit a report through the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
Notice to applicants: In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, are required to renounce such status upon their appointment. Exceptions to this rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization, when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.
HOW TO APPLY:
UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.
Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA at http://www.unfpa.org/employment.
Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process.
Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
