Background Information
The Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Adviser reports directly to the Resident Representative and is a member of the country office Senior Leadership Team. The Adviser will be responsible for strategic planning and implementation of results-based monitoring and evaluation activities, and for ensuring high quality and timely inputs and leadership to strengthen results-based programme management to reach results and improve performance.
Job Purpose:
The purpose of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Technical Advisor is to develop and manage plans, systems and mechanisms to support the M&E-related oversight and accountability functions of the CO and facilitate results-based programme management, integrating UNFPA´s priority Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators, UNFPA Strategic Plan indicators, and other relevant indicators; lead the planning and conduct of select decentralized outcome and project evaluations within the framework of the CO Annual Work Plan; and provide technical support to Implementing Partners in strengthening national monitoring and evaluation capacity in partnership with UNFPA East and South African Regional Office (ESARO), UN agencies and other development agencies in Mozambique.
The M&E Technical Specialist will provide support from the M&E and planning perspective to the implementation of the upcoming Country Programme Document (CPD) (2022-2026) to be submitted to the Executive Board (EB) in February 2022. S/he will lead the country office efforts to effectively monitor progress and performance of existing and evolving UNFPA supported programmes in the country with the aim of improving sexual reproductive health and rights outcomes for women and young people in Mozambique.
His/her tasks also include supporting analytical efforts to inform on-going humanitarian crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the displacement situation in Cabo Delgado and northern provinces of Mozambique, among others. Additionally, the M&E Technical Specialist will lead innovative initiatives regarding data collection and use such as developing implementing a Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) tool for Family Planning at community level; interactive voice message surveys; and use of the USSD technology for collecting information, among others.
The M&E Technical Specialist will provide leadership of the provincial/regional teams of UNFPA at sub-national level to ensure adequate planning, monitoring and evaluation capacities are in place. Additionally, the M&E Technical Specialist will work closely with the Assistant Representative (AR) and the Deputy Representative (DR) to ensure programme quality, including compliance and close monitoring against progress.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA's new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
I. Monitoring
- Develop, maintain and update the Country Office's overall Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, and facilitate its implementation by Country Office, Implementing Partners and other relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure compliance of UNFPA CO with UNFPA M&E policies and processes, including timely submission of high-quality reports into DARTS, quarterly reports in SIS and GPS, and annual reports and planning processes.
- Coordinate inputs to the UN M&E system (UNINFO) to ensure adequate financial and programmatic information is in place.
- Oversee the information management of humanitarian programmes, including timely submission of high quality reports in the context of the humanitarian response plans and others.
- Ensure the integration of strategic results targets of SDGs, UNFPA Strategic Plan, and relevant national policies and strategic plans supported by UNFPA into the Country Office M&E systems for tracking progress towards results.
- Provide technical inputs to studies, assessments and other data generation activities in areas relevant to UNFPA´s mandate, produced or facilitated by UNFPA.
- Ensure generation of high quality data from the field, by providing guidance and technical support to UNFPA´s field staff and relevant Implementing Partners.
- Review the indicators of the UNFPA and implementing partners annual work plans to ensure relevant and SMART indicators are in place
- Ensure a system of quality assurance and develop and maintain necessary tools, procedures, methodologies to facilitate data collection and analyses for results monitoring, interpretation, and reporting.
- Facilitate, review and produce high quality evidence and results-based donor and UNFPA corporate reports.
- Coordinate UNFPA CO inputs to the post-Nairobi commitment monitoring processes
- Regularly report to CO senior management and staff, and Implementing Partners on programmatic results for strategic discussions and decision-making
- Support resource mobilization efforts by providing technical inputs to concept notes and proposals.
II. Evaluation and Learning:
- Manage programme/project evaluations implemented by the UNFPA Country Office and ensure adherence to the UNFPA Evaluation Policy.
- Oversee all substantive and process-related aspects of valuations through the formulation with evaluation stakeholders of quality TORs, selection of consultants, and mission organization.
- Establish an evaluation quality assurance system in the CO to assure independence, quality and utility of the evaluations by involving relevant stakeholders in all staged of the evaluation process.
- Manage the development of management response to CO evaluations, and monitor and report to Senior Leadership Team on the implementation of agreed recommendations.
- Facilitate use of evaluation findings to inform programmatic decisions, improve CO performance and achieve planned results.
- Support programme and operations units in incorporating lessons learned and best practices specified in programme/project evaluations for future use. Develop briefs and reports as needed as part of an overall dissemination and use of evaluation findings.
- Provide guidance for the development of the results framework and M&E components of new programmes and transition into second phases of current programmes such as Rapariga as per UNFPA CO-identified new funding opportunities
- Guide the use of evaluation findings to improve the quality of programmes, strategic direction setting and policies and ensure incorporation of lessons learned and adherence to the country programme theory of change including quality assurance
- Ensure the transparency of and public access to evaluation reports.
III. Strategic Planning and Programme Management:
- In collaboration with the Deputy Representative, provide strategic engagement on innovative initiatives with new partners, private sector, youth and innovators to mainstream innovation within the UNFPA portfolio, including scaling-up and expanding current innovative initiatives to achieve UNFPA transformative results
- Provide strategic leadership, technical guidance and oversight to the development, roll-out and scale-up of innovative M&E approaches such as interactive voice message surveys, real-time monitoring tools, use of SMS and USSD technologies, impact evaluation, and others in both development and humanitarian interventions
- Coordinate UNFPA inputs to the monitoring and reporting on the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework annual reporting and evaluation with special attention to strategic priority areas where UNFPA contributes the most and UNFPA´s leadership role in the UN Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group.
- Contribute to UNFPA´s new Country Programme Document with a strong focus on results and facilitate the development of its multi-year implementation plan with results and resources frameworks.
- Develop the programme monitoring and implementation system for Country Programme results.
- Facilitate annual target setting of results in accordance with the country programme multi-year implementation plan and ensure their alignment with UNFPA´s Strategic Information Systems.
- Lead the organization of the annual review of the UNFPA Country Programme with the Government.
- Advise senior management on issues related to the nexus of Programme/Operations.
- Introduce innovative approaches to programme planning, monitoring and reporting including by exploring how UNFPA can expand the use of impact evaluations, complex analysis of data and links with the P&D portfolio and use of big data as a means for accelerating progress on the three zeros.
IV. Leadership, Capacity development and Knowledge Management:
- Lead the promotion of capacity development in M&E and knowledge management among staff and by engaging partners in related activities
- Lead the knowledge management efforts for results-based programme management by ensuring that outcomes of M&E activities are properly documented, distributed, discussed and used for planning, programmatic adjustments and reporting as well by ensuring better use of data and evidence for visibility and resource mobilization purposes
- Support (coaching, mentoring, training) technical officers and other key UNFPA staff to increase
- knowledge and skills of M&E and RBM issues and support Senior Leadership Team to ensure strategic coherence and alignment as well as programmatic and operational coordination between different units and teams in context of the new Country Programme
- Ensure generation of quality data from the field, by providing guidance and technical support to UNFPA´s field staff and relevant Implementing Partners.
- Advise the management on further strengthening programme/project management capacities
- Lead hands-on training for UNFPA staff and Implementing Partners on Programme/Project Results-Based Management (RBM), for the maximum and optimal use of available RBM tools
- Guide Programme Units in preparing Work Plans in the correct formats with narratives and SMART indicators, targets and baselines, in line with the Country Programme Document and Multi-Year Plan. Review for quality assurance all draft UNFPA Work Plans and suggest revisions as needed before senior management approval
- Provide technical and policy guidance to the UNFPA-supported projects to ensure they are managed in accordance with the corporate Policies and Procedures Manual (PPM) related to RBM.
- Contribute to the Operations Team with Project Assurance activities e.g. Spot Checks.
V. Other:
- When appropriate, undertake other job-related duties assigned by the supervisor and/or Assistant Representative, Deputy Representative and Representative.
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, or Programme/Project management, monitoring and evaluation.
Knowledge and Experience:
- 7 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years of relevant work at the national, regional or international level in providing programme/project management advisory services and hands-on experience in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development projects.
- Excellent knowledge of and experience with results-based management methodologies and tools (project and programme management, design, monitoring and evaluation) and research and policy-level analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities.
- Experience working with diverse implementing partners (governments, local NGOs etc.) is required.
- Demonstrated ability in developing capacities of partners and staff.
- Ability to work within a multicultural setting.
- Experience working with the UN system is an asset.
- Initiative, strong conceptual and analytical abilities, sound judgment; liaison, negotiation, administrative, management and organizational skills (including time management).
- Experience supporting the development of innovations to improve the impact of UNFPA field work is desirable
- Proficient in using office software packages and web-based management systems.
- Experience in using computers and office software packages including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google/Gmail, and handling of web- based management systems.
- Developing country field experience is essential, experience in humanitarian contexts is an asset.
Languages:
- Excellent oral and written communications and editing skills in English is required.
- Knowledge of Portuguese or other Romance languages desirable
Required Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Values: Integrity/Commitment to mandate, knowledge sharing/continuous learning, valuing diversity.
- Managing Relationships: Working in teams, communicating information and ideas, conflict and self-management.
- Working with people: Empowerment/developing people/performance management.
- Personal Leadership and Effectiveness: Strategic and analytical thinking, results orientation, commitment to excellence, appropriate and transparent decision making.
Managerial Competencies:
- Providing strategic focus,
- Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
- Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
- Making decisions and exercising judgment
Functional Competencies:
- Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda.
- Results-based programme development and management.
- Innovation and marketing of new approaches.
- Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/Building strategic alliances and partners.
- Resource mobilization.
- Training and facilitation skills.
- Ability to conduct operational/interventional research.
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