UN WOMEN Jobs - 3583- Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Ending Viole

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Ending Violence against Women

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

200 Series

Starting Date :

01-Mar-2008

Application Deadline :

04-Feb-08 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

L 4

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 Year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

An unprecedented degree of political commitment, resource mobilization opportunities, UN Member State and inter-agency efforts have culminated to position the issue of violence against women at the highest levels of national, regional and global agendas. At the same time, there is global consensus on the urgency of supporting national capacity development and evaluations in order to effectively and efficiently guide expanding programme work and resource investments to address violence against women and girls.

Worldwide, there is a dearth of expertise on evaluation tailored to programming on violence against women. The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist is responsible for managing relations with both internal and external clients and stakeholders. The Specialist will serve as UNIFEM's lead focal point for roll out of UNIFEM's evaluation strategy on violence against women and related capacity development plans on evidence-based programming, monitoring and evaluation. The Specialist works in close collaboration with the Management Team of the UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to End Violence Against Women; as well as with UNIFEM's Organizational and Business Development Team; the Thematic and Geographic sections; and importantly, the Evaluation Unit.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the Ending Violence Against Women Advisor, the Specialist will be responsible for the following main tasks envisioned for 2008-2009:

Finalize the evaluation strategy of the UN Trust Fund and develop a workplan, in the context of the UN Trust Fund, UNIFEM's Strategic Plan 2008-2011, UNIFEM's corporate evaluation strategy, and the broader global environment, opportunities and needs in this area.
Manage the implementation of the evaluation strategy and plan, and track and report on progress made. Manage the consultation and contractual processes required to achieve the tasks with internal and external stakeholders, and establish close working relationships with leading experts.
Lead in the development of selected evaluation knowledge products, including the development of an evaluation guide and of a training package on evidence-based programming, monitoring and evaluation for UN Trust Fund grantees.
Represent UNIFEM in key policy, programme and expert groups related to monitoring and evaluation on gender-based violence, including serving as UNIFEM co-focal point to the global expert group meetings on indicators development on violence against women.
Develop fundraising proposals on evaluation, including consultations with UN partners and civil society experts.
Provide lead technical peer review and backstopping support to UN Trust Fund grantees in the development of their monitoring and evaluation plans.
Assess quality and methodological issues of UN Trust Fund grantee final evaluation reports and prepare periodic technical assessment updates and recommendations for improvements and future guidance on the development and follow up of monitoring and evaluation plans.
Support the UN Trust Fund Management Team in extracting critical lessons learned and good practices from final evaluation reports, including as relates to monitoring and evaluation.
Track developments in, capture and disseminate findings from evaluations of other leading national programmes on ending violence against women, in close collaboration with the Research and Knowlegement Management Specialist. Form an integral part of a small team to plan and roll out a knowledge management strategy.
Manage other monitoring and evaluation-related events, products, and technical assistance needs, as requested by the supervisor.
Liaise with the Evaluation Unit on a range of evaluation issues, including to promote synergies with the UNIFEM corporate evaluation strategy and support the Unit's work in relation to violence against women vis-…-vis the United Nations Evaluation Group and other global opportunities.
Liaise and consult with relevant UNIFEM thematic advisors, geographic sections and subregional offices, as well as UN sister agencies involved in the UN Trust Fund, in the process of rolling out the evaluation strategy and plans and related materials, and in organizing learning platforms to promote the internal and external sharing of evaluation knowledge.
Serve as facilitator and trainer on evidence-based programming, monitoring and evaluation in the area of violence against women programming annually for UN Trust Fund grantees; and, on a case-by-case and selective basis, for other key stakeholders and counterparts, including for UNIFEM or other UN staff development.
Ensure that evaluation approaches are consistently integrated, aligned, coordinated and mainstreamed into the work on violence against women of UNIFEM headquarters and sub-regional offices with partners, including technical review of UNIFEM monitoring and evaluation plans and logframes attached to proposals.

Competencies

Knowledge of the UN context and the role of the UN and its agencies, funds and programmes.
Substantive knowledge of gender equality and women's empowerment issues

Knowledge of Evaluation

In-depth substantive knowledge of monitoring and evaluation and related development policy and programming issues, including knowledge of results-based management and logframes. Knowledge of evaluation to include

Evaluation design - competency to formulate well focused evaluation terms of reference with minimal supervision; good understanding of evaluation methodologies such as surveys, record reviews, focus group discussions, case studies and sampling techniques.
Data collection and analysis - good understanding of baseline data issues; questionnaire design; interviewing skills.
Evaluation process management - mastery in developing evaluation work plan; task management; ensuring project costs are within approved budget; able to independently assume responsibility for managing complex evaluations and to supervise evaluation team members; skills to negotiate outside the agency on issues related to evaluations and conflict resolution skills.
Familiar with, and practices ethical standards for evaluation.

Knowledge Management and Learning

Promotes learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example.
Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNIFEM.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English: ability to use critical thinking, conceptualize ideas, and articulate relevant subject matter in a clear and concise way.
Has skills as a trainer/facilitator and dynamic interpersonal skills;

Management and Leadership

Ability to manage for results: translate strategy into achievable plans, with established priorities, monitors them, making periodic adjustments as required.
Ability to effectively represent UNIFEM in, and contribute to United Nations inter-agency programming and evaluation initiatives related to violence against women.
Builds strong relationships with, and focuses on results for clients and partners. Responds positively to feedback.
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
Strong management experience in a global multicultural setting respecting gender equality and an ability to contribute to team work.

Networking and Partnering

Outstanding networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.
Capacity to work with diverse partners including governments, donors and civil society.
Ability to support resource mobilization for UNIFEM's evaluation strategy on violence against women.

Required Skills and Experience

Masters degree or above in International Development or in the field of social science or other relevant field.
Minimum of 7 years of relevant national/international working experience in international development especially gender equality and in the area of monitoring and evaluation
Experience related to UNIFEM's mandate and activities an asset. Knowledge and experience working on ending violence against women highly desirable.
Experience of working in the field of monitoring to include experience in developing plans, tracking results, reporting to different constituencies. Monitoring experience in the UN context highly desirable.
Experience of monitoring and evaluating programmes related to violence against women highly desirable.
Experience as a trainer and facilitator on monitoring and evaluation issues, and in developing user-friendly practical guidance and tools conducive to learning.
Experience in results-based management (RBM) is required. RBM experience as specifically applied in the UN context an asset.
Experience in the United Nations, a governmental, other multilateral or civil society organization in a developed or developing country highly desirable.
Prior training and experience as a facilitator highly desirable.
Fluency in English. Working knowledge in Spanish or French or other UN official languages desirable.