Background

Under the guidance and supervision of the DRR/P, the Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist ensures the effective implementation of the evaluation policy, sets minimum monitoring and evaluation requirements for the Country Programme and projects, and initiates thematic and crosscutting evaluations. The Evaluation Specialist ensures that objective evaluations are designed and managed to assess the country programme relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of results; evaluations carried out in a credible and systematic manner; evaluation lessons and recommendations are used for programme design, contribute to implementation of UNDAF priorities and results.
 
The Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist will liaise closely with the Evaluation Office at Headquarters regarding evaluation approaches and methodologies, ensuring that the UN Joint Office meets the minimum requirements for monitoring and evaluation, including the conduct of mandatory project evaluations.
 
The Evaluation Specialist works in close collaboration with Programme and Operations Teams in the CO, and Government officials to ensure that thematic, programme and project evaluations are carried out according to schedules and that findings and recommendations are implemented and followed up swiftly.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Ensures the implementation of evaluation policies and strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Responsibility for planning, preparation, budgeting, reporting and oversight of thematic, country programme/project evaluations and other types of evaluations conducted in the Country Office.
• Contribution to the programme of work, including identification of topics, and projects/programme to be evaluated
• Contact with HQ Evaluation Office and evaluation units in other Country Offices with a view to harmonizing evaluation approaches and agendas.
• Responsibility for promotion of evaluation standards, quality assurance/control and capacity development in the Country Office.
• Organization and coordination of evaluation missions for development projects, sectoral and thematic evaluations and desk evaluations/studies on selected sectors/themes.

2. Ensures effective management of the evaluation process in the Country Office, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Substantive inputs into Terms of Reference (TOR), consultant and evaluation team selection, technical feedback on evaluations and budget oversight.
• Guidance on UNDP evaluation policies, procedures and practices to programme managers, UNJO staff concerned with evaluation, consultants and/or members of the evaluation team.
• Provision of the technical advice at the design stage of programme/project goals and objectives, setting up a framework with defined indicators at the design stage to facilitate the evaluation at the later stages, planning of the implementation of programme/project strategies.
• Provision of evaluation feedback into policy/project/programme design, including comments on various documents, field visits to monitor and evaluate programme implementation, as well as support to periodic programme reviews with government counterparts and other partners. Identifies..
• Timely preparation of sound analytical documents with well-reviewed and sound positions on areas evaluated, identifying problems or alternative courses of action to accelerate/improve programme delivery, assessment of the impact and effectiveness of UNJO programme.
• 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.

3. Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the area of monitoring and evaluation, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification and formulation of evaluation findings, lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader EO knowledge management efforts.
• Contribution to the implementation of Evaluation Knowledge Management and Learning Strategy.
• Collaboration and coordination with other UN agencies, government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations on monitoring and evaluation issues.
• Organization and conduct of results-oriented monitoring and evaluation trainings in the Country Office.
• Participation in evaluation community remaining abreast of latest development and professional norms, standards, tools and methodologies;

4. Ensures overall compliance of programme and operational design as well as implementation of projects in accordance with POPP requirements, focusing on achievement of the following results

• Coherence of overall programme/projects formulation and design and its related reflection in Atlas (links to programme tree, monitoring of Atlas programme review tools, review of processes: awarding and submission of projects, budget revisions, compliance of projects implemented in Atlas with projects’ lifecycle …etc …)
• Contributes to the achievement of corporate balanced scorecard card indicators
• Verification of proper implementation of RBM tools in order to ensure adequate M&E activities, as part of the CO CEDAR project
• Supervision of the annual compulsory audit of HACT partners in collaboration with operations colleagues, with specific responsibilities for the follow up on recommendations according to an implementation plan. 

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
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism 

• 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 skills

• Ability to organize and manage results-oriented strategic and thematic evaluations. Substantive knowledge and understanding of evaluation and development evaluation in particular.
• Excellent knowledge of current development issues particularly those pertinent to UNDP’s Practice Areas. Ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data.
• Good technical skills in measurement and evaluation, including grasp of methodological and operational dimensions and the ability to link corporate and country level issues.
• Ability to successfully lead multidisciplinary experts and to coordinate the work of others.
• Ability to lead business processes re-engineering, implementation of new systems (business side), and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit

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 openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Leads teams effectively and shows mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills

Prince2 training and certification

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in International Relations, Political Science, Economics or related social sciences
• 5 years of relevant experience at the national and international level in international development issues,.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation with a background and interest in the analysis of socio-economic issues and related policy matters.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.
• Fluent in Portuguese. 
• Good working knowledge of French and  English. written and spoken, is essential.

Note: 

Only nationals of Cape Verde are invited to apply.