UNDP Jobs - 49528- RCO Monitoring & Evalaution Officer

RCO Monitoring & Evalaution Officer

Location :

Banjul, GAMBIA

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

01-Oct-2014

Application Deadline :

21-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

NO-C

Duration of Initial Contract :

1year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Renewable based on performance

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

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Coordinator (RC) and in collaboration with the Programme Coordination Group (PCG) and the Interagency Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Group, the M&E Officer guides and tracks the performance indicators of the variety of intervention areas and projects undertaken by the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO); supports the RC and the UN Country Team (UNCT) in enhancing system-wide coherence and ensuring the effective utilization of the resources within the framework of results-based management of the programmes and projects; and strengthens the capacity of the UNCT to effectively deliver the United Nations Development Assistance Framework II (UNDAF). She/he will be tasked with providing technical expertise on the establishment of an effective performance M&E system.

Although UN agencies have their own monitoring and evaluation processes, the RCO and UNCT intends for there to be a well-coordinated, focused and coherent means of tracking and documenting how the UN system in The Gambia contributes to national development priorities through the UNDAF; support for the technical development of the M&E framework; monitoring of UNDAF implementation and coordination of any evaluation exercises as per the UNCT’s request.

The M&E Officer will address the data needs of the UN System and partners and in so doing, strengthen the national monitoring, evaluation and statistical capacities. She/he can also ensure that the support provided by each agency is complementary to that of the Interagency M&E Group, rather than duplicative, so as to produce synergistic results.

Successful implementation of UNDAF requires the strengthening of the UNCT’s capacity to manage results through harmonized M&E skills, tools and systems and improved data and knowledge management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure timely availability of disaggregated data for development planning, monitoring and evaluation of national development initiatives with particular reference to the UNDAF:

Conduct regular monitoring of the implementation of the programmes/projects, review of progress against annual work plan targets through collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; participate in monthly coordination meetings; and conduct field visits to project sites;
Ensure and assist each outcome coordinating agency in organising monthly review meetings with partners, in order to review progress of their expected results/outputs at the UNDAF project level.

Ensure effective and functional monitoring and evaluation systems among UN agencies and partners working towards the attainment of the objectives of the UNDAF (2012-2017):

Establishment of effective mechanisms for monitoring UNDAF implementation based on the UNDAF Results Matrix and the UNDAF Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. This should be done in consultation with UN Agencies, Government, Civil Societies, multilateral and bilateral institutions;
With the help of the PCG, identification of strengths and weaknesses in UN Agencies programmes in the context of the UNDAF; provision of advice on adjusting strategies and implementation modalities, cost-effective and efficient implementation of joint UN programmes, common services and other UN functions;
Develop necessary user guidelines and templates on M&E for UNCT, partners and stakeholders;
Identification of national monitoring capacities that require strengthening to ensure effective UNDAF implementation and provision of advice to RC/UNCT on the basis of recommendations;
Participate in M&E Group meetings of the UNCT and provide technical inputs.

Develope indicators to monitor UNDAF implementation, evaluate impact, identify means of verification for indicators and design, follow up and report on the M&E plan as necessary:

Provide inputs pertaining to the development of annual work plans so as to support results-based planning and ensure that results-based M&E are well integrated at the planning stage;
Prepare Monitoring plan for the UNDAF and annual work plan of the UNCT in collaboration with the PCG and implementing partners;
Develop in addition, an annual monitoring work plan and budget for effective implementation of the plan.

Provide M&E related technical assistance to the UNDAF related inter-agency groups and lead the preparation of reports for the UNDAF reviews (annual, mid-term & end-term):

Assist in data collection strategies for monitoring and assessment of the programme and projects where appropriate;
Ensure that the final report conducted by the PCG contains high quality decentralized evaluations (e.g. outcome evaluations and project evaluations) by enforcing compliance with the TOR and stipulated UN standards;
Coordinate with UN agencies for collecting, collating and conducting annual, mid-term and end term review of the UNDAF.
Follow up on implementation of evaluation recommendations;
Ensure that all relevant M&E documents and progress reports are properly documented, uploaded and managed in the M&E Section of Share Point and accessible to all staff.

Act as technical resource person for external system wide evaluations by providing guidance and documentation, as appropriate:

Coordinate with evaluation Offices including HQ and the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA Evaluation Office) regarding implementation of the evaluation plan and monitoring system of the UNCT;
Represent RCO at the M&E group meetings/activities of UNCT.

Provide advice to the RC/UNCT on the need for joint M&E capacity-development activities for UN PCG staff:

Provide relevant technical support on M&E to the PCG, implementing partners and enhance the capacities of the PCG;
Conduct training for the PCG in the area of RBM, results-based planning, reporting and M&E;
Assist M&E recruitment process for UN agencies upon request;
Ensure high quality M&E sections and results frameworks of new project documents from PCG before official approval by RC and external partners;
Coordinate with the PCG to ensure effective communication and information sharing and to promote joint M&E activities particularly in areas of joint programming.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

Knowledge and understanding of evaluation, especially developmental evaluation;
Knowledge of current development issues particularly those pertinent to UNDAF;
Ability to conceptualise issues and analyse data;
Ability to coordinate the work of others;
Ability to implement new systems (business side), and affect staff behavioral/attitudinal change;
Good knowledge of Results Management guide and toolkit.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or Post-graduate Diploma in International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Statistics or related social sciences.

Experience:

A minimum of 5 years experience with progressive responsibilities in monitoring and evaluating programme/objects in the field of development, crisis prevention and recovery and or humanitarian settings.

Language:

Fluency in spoken and written English and the ability to write clearly and concisely.