Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, NO-C, Banjul, The Gambia

Job Number: 527603 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Africa: Gambia

Work Type : Fixed Term Appointment

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

-To ensure that the UNICEF Country Office has useful, valid and reliable information on the situation of children’s and women’s rights;the performance of UNICEF-supported programmes including their relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and in emergency contexts, their coverage, coordination and coherence.

-To work within the UN M&E Group to support government and implementing partners for delivering valid and reliable information on the attainment of the SDGs and other goals, and on the performance of UN­ supported programmes.

-To assist in the establishment of a monitoring an evaluation tools which enhance partnership between the UN M&E Group, government and other key players to collectively track progress on SDGs and other international commitment for children.

-To assist in the development of national capacities for monitoring, evaluation and research, with special attention to the interest, concern and participation of government, community, and civil society stakeholders.

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Planning. The Country Office and national partners have a well-­ prioritized and realistic plan of research, monitoring and evaluation activities, developed collaboratively that provides all the relevant and strategic information needed to manage the Country Programme.

2. Situation Monitoring and Assessment.A collectively Situation Monitoring and Assessment system owned by all key partners is in place, trough which the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate measurements of change in conditions of children, women, and their families in the country or region; this information is available to facilitate planning and measure program impact.

3. Programme Performance Monitoring. The planning function of the Country Office has quality information collected and disseminated with the participation of all concerned partners to assess progress towards expected annual and multi-year results.

4. Evaluation. UNICEF-supported evaluations attain established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders for improving programme performance and contributing to national and corporate learning.

5. M&E Capacity Building. The monitoring and evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners – government and civil society – enhanced with the contribution of UNICEF knowledge partners meet the expectations and requirements of their positions and responsibilities.

6. Coordination and Networking.The UNICEF office is linked to wider UNICEF M&E developments in way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective M&E management.

7. Innovation: The UNICEF office in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, uses innovative approach to gather and analyze  information in real time manner.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all/ or part of the following areas of major duties and key end results.

1. Integrated Monitoring,Evaluation & Research Plan (IMEP)

Ensure that the Country Office and national partners use a well-prioritized and realistic plan of research, monitoring and evaluation activities that will provide the most relevant and strategic information to manage the Country Programme, including tracking and assessing UNICEF’s distinct contribution.

Duties & Tasks

Make professional contributions to and provide technical assistance for the planning and establishing the major research, monitoring and evaluation objectives, priorities, and activities in UNICEF’s multi-year and annual IMEPs, in consultation with child-rights and implementing partners.

Likewise, support the development of UNDAF M&E Plans from a sound results-based programming process.

Identify the M&E objectives, priorities, and activities required for effective CO and partner Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans,

In humanitarian response situations, within the first month, draft and recommend a simple one-month data­ collection plan to cover key data gaps as required for the initial emergency response, working in close collaboration with the humanitarian clusters partners.

After the initial humanitarian response, support management of the medium-term response with a revised IMEP

2. Situation Monitoring and Assessment

Ensure that the Country Office and national partners have timely  and accurate measurement of change in conditions in the country or region, including monitoring of socio-economic trends and the country’s wider policy, economic or institutional context, to facilitate planning and to draw conclusions about the impact of programmes or policies.

Duties & Tasks

 In coordination with other stakeholders, support the collection of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and other key social development indicators (through MICS or other surveys) to improve national planning.

Support partners in the establishment and management of national statistical databases (e.g., Devlnfo), ensuring that key indicators are readily accessible by key stakeholders. Potential uses include the Situation Analysis, Common Country Assessment, Early Warning Monitoring Systems, and Mid-Term Reviews.

Develop a collectively Situation Monitoring and Assessment system owned by all key partners which supports the preparation of country level statistical and analytic reports on the status of children’s and women’s rights issues; and which allow, when opportunities emerge to influence developmental and social policies. To include technical support to global reporting obligations including national reports on progress toward the SDGs, and toward CRC  and CEDAW fulfilment.

In humanitarian response Situations, provide professional support for one or more rapid assessments (inter­ agency or independently if necessary) to be carried out within the first 48-72 hours, working in close collaboration with the humanitarian clusters partners.

3. Programme Performance Monitoring

Ensure that the Country Office has quality information to assess progress towards expected results established in annual work plans.

Duties & Tasks

 Provide technical support to ensure that a set of programme performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, with inputs of all concerned partners in the context of the multi-year and annual lMEPs, the Annual Management Plan and Annual Work Plans, as outlined in the Programme Policy and Procedures Manual).

Coordinate with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring, with special attention to humanitarian response.

Drawing on monitoring and analysis of key program performance and management indicators, provide professional input to management reports, including relevant sections of the annual reports.

4. Evaluation

Ensure that UNICEF-supported evaluations are designed and implemented to established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders in order to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning.

Duties & Tasks

Technically support programme partners to formulate Terms of Reference and evaluation designs of high quality, when relevant drawing on the know-how of knowledge institutions, in compliance with the organization’s programme evaluation policies and guidelines.

Monitor and ensure the quality of the field work and data management during the implementation phase, and the quality of the analysis and ease of understanding during the report writing phase.

Disseminate evaluation findings and recommendations to the intended audiences in user-friendly methods. In particular, to ensure that effective participatory feedback is provided to community and civil society stakeholders.

Monitor and ensure that a management response to the findings and recommendations of the evaluation is completed, recorded, and followed up for implementation. Most specifically, ensure that evaluation recommendations are submitted to the Country Management Team and follow-up actions recorded in CMT minutes. Submit electronic copies of all evaluations to NYHQ via the Evaluation Data Base web portal, with full accompanying documentation.

5. M&E Capacity Building

Ensure that the monitoring and evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners- government and civil society are strengthened enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead monitoring and evaluation processes.

Duties & Tasks

Promote the awareness and understanding of the shared responsibility of M& E function among all staff members through communication, training, learning and development activities organization-wide.

In close collaboration with partners, ensure that an M&E capacity building strategy for UNICEF/UN staff national partners and institutions exists in the context of the IMEP, or UNDAF M&E plan. Pay particular attention so the capacity needs of national partners such as professional evaluation associations will be strengthened by involvement in evaluation processes and possibly through specific capacity building initiatives.

Collaborate to implement capacity building strategies as a joint commitment with other developmental partners. Utilize a range of appropriate skills building strategies including self-learning, seminars and workshops and practical experience in order that UNICEF and UN staff have the basic knowledge and skills in understanding and applying new M&E policies, tools, methods to fulfil their responsibilities. Similarly, design and implement strategies suited to the skills needs of national partners.

Actively seek partnerships with knowledge institutions for the identification of capacity gaps and development of strategies to address them.

6. Coordination and Networking

Ensure that the UNICEF office is effectively linked  to wider UNICEF M&E developments in a way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective M&E management.

Duties & Tasks

Collaborate with Regional M&E Advisers and HQ Evaluation Office for overall coordination of priority research, monitoring and evaluation activities, especially those of regional scope requiring the coordinated effort of multiple countries.

Partner with the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser to ensure that current and accurate M&E data and results are included in regional reports, multi-country studies, and knowledge sharing networks.

Undertake lessons-learned reviews on successful and unsuccessful M&E practices and experience at the national level, and ensure  they are shared as appropriate. Similarly, pay attention to M&E  knowledge networks to identify innovations and lessons learned  that may be relevant for the CO and partners to improve their M&E function.

7. Innovation

The UNICEF office in collaboration with government and other stakeholders, uses innovative approach to gather and analyze information in real time manner.

Support the Country Office colleagues and national partners on the application and implementation of innovative approach, use of latest information technology and introduction of innovation and best practice to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy in programming and operations.

Support timely planning, monitoring and reporting (PMR) of children’s issue and programme intervention in real time manner for timely analysis and corrective action

Explore new partnership for innovative approach related to PME in collaboration with other relevant UNICEF staff at Country Office and Regional Office.

JOB GRADE FACTORS

P3/NOC Level (Level 3)

Country Program Size:  Small to medium CP (based on UNICEF’s Country Office Category).

Risk of Emergencies: Humanitarian crises, if they occur, are expected to arrive in sudden-onset natural disasters or in longer-term  recurrent problems like drought.

Technical Breadth: Must be capable of independent leadership in IMEP development and management. Should have significant   professional strength and office leadership responsibilities in at least 3 of the remaining 5 functional areas (Social Data, Programme   Planning, Evaluations, Capacity Building, Coordination and Partnership)

Sectoral Breadth: Will be required to offer substantive support to 2-3 of the 5 MTSP Key Results Areas; should possess academic or professional work exposure to the MTSP themes prioritized in the Country Programme.

Innovation and Conceptualization. Considered fully competent to apply standardized approaches and models; expected to seek support from regional or HQ level when innovating approaches, techniques and policies.

Technical and Managerial Engagement: Primary roles are in technical support and quality assurance. Normal counterparts are ministerial and academic/private specialists. Is occasionally a Coordinator/Team Leader with broader managerial roles.

Capacity Strengthening: Fully competent to organize and help deliver specialized training, including the design of materials and methods. Not expected to develop capacity strengthening strategies without external support.

Networking: Ability to effectively liaise with knowledge institutions to seek partnerships in formulating capacity strengthening strategy.

Supervisory Role: Not expected to supervise more than one professional post at levels 1-2. May supervise multiple consultants up to Level 4 work.

QUALIFICATION AND COMPETENCIES

1. Education:

Advanced university degree in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning.

2. Work Experience:

Professional work experience in programme development and implementation including monitoring and evaluation activities as follows:

       Level 3 – Five years of relevant professional work experience. Developing country work experience (for IP) or field work experience                      (for NO)

 At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning. Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred.

3.Language Proficiency

Fluency in English and another UN language. Fluency in the national language of the duty station an asset.

4. Competency Profile

View our competency framework at  http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Technical Knowledge

a) Specific Technical Knowledge & Competencies Required (for the job)

Knowledge of Project Evaluation.

Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Evaluation Process Management, Follow­ up on Recommendations and Dissemination of M&E results.

Emerging international good practice in monitoring and evaluation partnerships.

b) Common Technical Knowledge  Required

 Professional technical knowledge/expertise in demography, statistics, and data management.

Professional technical knowledge/expertise in methodology of M&E, including theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods.

Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Evaluation Design, data analysis, and reporting.

Gender equality and diversity awareness

c) Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced

Professional/technical knowledge/expertise in Team Management, Coaching & Training.

Mastery of UNICEF’s M&E policies and procedures.

Latest programme monitoring and evaluation theory, methodology, technology and tools.

Understanding of UN Mission and system, current key UN topics; and International Code of Conduct.

Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and UNICEF Guiding Principles.

UNICEF strategic framework for partnerships and collaborative relationships

To view the UN salary scale applicable to this post go to: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/salaries/gambia.htm.

Closing date for applications : 20th November 2019

Closing Date Thu Nov 21 2019 00:55:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)