Background

Under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (DRR), the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist’s main responsibility is to support the effective and efficient management and implementation of the country programme and projects through driving development results planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting in line with corporate requirements. In addition, s/he will be working closely with the Project Quality Assurance Specialist in establishing proper internal systems for project monitoring, quality assurance and evaluation.

The incumbent will ensure that proper monitoring and evaluation is carried out at outcome level and will provide input to extracting and capturing lessons learned. The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will also provide support to the donor reporting to ensure that reports cover outcome indicators and strategic information on results and impact of interventions.

UNDP Kuwait is comprised of four main programmes: Democratic Governance, Environmental Sustainability, Social and Human Development, and Economic and Private Sector Development.  The M&E Specialist will work closely with Programme, Operations, and Project staff in the Country Office, with UNDP colleagues at regional and HQ level, other UN agency staff, and with implementing partners to ensure that thematic, programme and project monitoring and evaluations are carried out according to schedules and that findings and recommendations are implemented and followed up.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Country Office compliance with corporate programme and project management requirements (including planning, M&E and reporting);
• Effective monitoring and reporting of the country programme and related projects, in support of effective partnership building and resource mobilization;
• Implementation and management of audit and evaluation policies, strategies and processes;
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing on monitoring and evaluation.

Ensure Country Office (CO) compliance with corporate programme and project management requirements (including planning, M&E and reporting), focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Coordinate and support RBM and M&E based programme and project formulation including annual work-planning and reporting exercises in line with corporate requirements, the RBA strategy and CO-level strategies and plans;
• Maintain, coordinate and ensure compliance of the programme and project setup and in Atlas and other corporate systems (such as Integrated Workplan, IWP, Results-oriented Annual Reporting, ROAR, Executive Snapshot) and provide accurate and timely input information into these systems as required;
• Establish and manage internal systems for effective and efficient programme and project monitoring and reporting, both internal UNDP and for Implementing Partners;
• Coordinate and support NIM/DIM Audit;
• Analysis and presentation of UNDP policies and their implementation in the CO.

Ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the country programme and related projects in support of effective partnership building and resource mobilization, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Establish effective mechanisms for monitoring the Country Programme implementation;
• Monitor on a regular basis country programme and projects including annual and quarterly reports, ongoing monitoring of overall financial status of country programming;
• Support CO programme staff with effective use of tools and methodologies for planning, monitoring and reporting;
• Support to programme sections for the implementation of the M&E system, programme coherence, benchmarking and measuring of indicators at outcome level;
• Provide methodological support to various programme units during the formulation, approval and implementation of M&E procedures and instruments and select RBM tools, in particular related to outcomes and impact monitoring;
• Ensure that projects are set up in line with approved project documents, all Atlas attributes are created accordingly and maintained regularly;
• Provide technical advice and support at the design stage of programmes/projects to facilitate monitoring during programme implementation;
• Develop, update, manage and monitor monitoring frameworks for the key programme cycle documents such as the UNDAF and CPAP;
• Manage and monitor the Atlas project management module and related tools;
• Support to value-for-money monitoring, including tracking of resources towards outcomes;
• Coordinate timely and appropriate reporting.

Implementation and management of audit and evaluation policies, strategies and processes focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Establish and manage internal systems for effective and efficient programme and project monitoring and reporting, both internal UNDP and for Implementing Partners;
• Direct responsibility and accountability for planning, management and oversight of thematic, country programme/project evaluations and other types of evaluations conducted in the Country Office;
• Keep track of all planned outcome and/or project evaluations for the CO under the regional programme evaluation plan;
• Follow up on implementation of evaluation recommendations. Ensuring the optimal use of evaluations by providing guidance in preparation of timely management response to all mandatory evaluations and by developing a communication plan;
• Serve as the CO focal point to the Evaluation Office NY and update the Evaluation Resource Center (ERC) on a regular basis vis-à-vis progress of the implementation of the regional evaluation plan;
• Development of evaluation tools and processes, innovative approaches in evaluation that meet the requirements of UNDP;
• Promotion of evaluation standards, quality assurance/control and capacity development in the Country Office;
• Provision of evaluation feedback into policy/project/programme design, including comments on various documents.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing on monitoring and evaluation focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Orient and train Country Office staff in understanding and applying results-oriented monitoring & evaluation policies, tools & methods;
• Facilitate programme unit’s application of best practices & advocate UNDP successful experiences in results-based monitoring & evaluation as well as substantive areas of expertise through global knowledge networks;
• Undertake regular field visits to ensure compliance and timely execution of the planned monitoring & evaluation by various programme units;
• Identification and formulation of lessons learned from evaluations and studies to be integrated into broader CO knowledge management;
• Collaboration and coordination with other UN agencies, government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations on monitoring and evaluation issues;
• Participation in evaluation community remaining abreast of latest development and professional norms, standards, tools and methodologies;
• Contributes to capacity development to enhance the enabling environment for greater national ownership and boosting delivery, for effective NIM. This will involve trends and financial performance analysis, trainings, monitoring and evaluation, audit reviews and implementation of corrective measures as a way to mainstream lessons learnt in programme formulation and system development..

Impact of Results:

The key results have an impact on the overall effectiveness and success of UNDP's interventions and activities in achieving the country's development and the MDG. Effective implementation of evaluation policies and strategies, as well as efficient management of the monitoring and evaluation process, enhances the organization's capacity and credibility in implementation of highly effective programmes with strong impact.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skill.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects, mobilize resources;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Master’s degree with 5 years’ experience or bachelor’s degree with 7 years’ experience in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.

Experience: 

• 5 years of post Master’s relevant experience at the national or international level in monitoring and evaluation, including hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing relationships among partners;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English;
• Arabic preferred.