Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Under the overall supervision of the Senior Project Manager at the Project Management Unit (PMU) level and working closely with the National M&E Officer, the incumbent will provide M&E leadership and oversight for the Project at the PMU level.

Corporate M&E Responsibilities:

• Provides direction, leadership and relevant technical assistance on all SSSNP M&E needs;

• Provides relevant guidance and technical assistance to the Senior Project Manager and the PMU;

• Assists in knowledge building, documentation and dissemination of evidence and lessons learned to the UNOPS office, World Bank, and SSSNP team.

Programme / Project M&E Responsibilities:

• Review the project’s results framework: hierarchy of objectives, indicators, means of verification, assumptions and risks and advise the PMU for improvement to enhance efficient and comprehensive monitoring and measurement of the project achievement;

• Manages the project M&E system by strengthening its  M&E guidelines, implementation arrangements,  and M&E plan to fully address the project result framework and comply with the Project Financing Agreement, Project Operations Manual, and the project Implementation/work plan;

• Coordinate the collection of M&E data including adaptation and testing of data collection tools, undertaking of enumerator recruitment and training, and development of data quality assurance protocols;

• Ensure standardization of data collection processes, including supervising all field locations to ensure that data is uploaded to the M&E database (Kobo Toolbox) in a timely fashion;

• Analyze data and share findings with  the PMU and project field teams for timely and effective decision making and learning, including monitoring and reporting on key project M&E indicators; 

• Develop strong data management systems and make data available to the project team as needed;

• Periodically review and ensure quality of M&E data on the MIS;

• Synergize the M&E systems for UNOPS and service providers and partners (Ideas 42, TPM agent, cash transfer service provider);

• Capture the project’s lessons learned, good practices and innovations to guide project implementation; 

• In coordination with the Senior Project Manager, strengthen and implement the results assessment framework to measure project outcomes and impact, and subsequently draft a Terms of Reference for the conduct of project assessments as required;

• Lead on strengthening and adapting M&E templates, forms, and questionnaires, conducting survey, data collection, data consolidation, data processing, generalizing and report production, including the review of the current templates and analytical tools developed by the project;

• Ensure that M&E systems, protocols, guidelines, and tools follow international best practice;

• Coordinate studies, pilots and other research or M&E activities implemented within SSSNP in collaboration with the project management, World Bank, and other partners as relevant;

• Effectively communicates program results to project management and stakeholders as required;

• Draft M&E capacity building plan for the project national and field staff at the county level;

• Train and supervise the M&E Officer in the different aspects of M & E;

• Assists in problem solving and the development of remedial actions ensuring that any disparity between planned and actual outputs are addressed;

• Coordinate and consolidate project reports (quarterly, annual and end of project reports).

Knowledge Management

• Actively interact with other Project personnel and groups to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System;

• Provide feedback to Technical Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies;

• Completes lessons learned as per reporting format;

• Incorporates lessons learned from others as per planning format.

 Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Develop and distribute performance reports related to M&E. Regularly reviews project status, evaluating performance criteria (scope, cost, schedule and quality);

• Follow up corrective action plan;

• Evaluates performance and initiates change requests as required.

Final Product

• Prepare and issue regular reports in accordance with supervisor’s guidelines;

• Maintain diaries and progress reports as required by UNOPS standard procedures;

• Keep track of the project’s successes and impacts measured against the performance monitoring plan;

• Develops data management protocols that ensure data quality and replicability of analyses.

• Master’s Degree preferably in International Relations, Statistics, Research methods, Program Assessment,  Public policy, Economics, Development Studies or other Social Science fields is required. 

• A Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Statistics, Research methods, Program Assessment,  Public policy, Economics, Development Studies or other Social Science fields with additional two years relevant experience in leading Monitoring and Evaluation programs can be accepted in lieu of Master’s Degree.

• Minimum of 5 years demonstrated experience in monitoring and evaluation or evaluation methodology or statistical analysis or data collection and analysis, in humanitarian and development programs is required;

• 2 years in supervision is required;

• Field experience in leading research and M&E programs in the region and in a developing country similar to the South Sudan context is an added advantage;

• Experience in designing survey and research tools and organizing and delivering training workshops is an asset;

• Training in rigorous empirical research and evaluation methodologies is an added advantage;
  
  

• Demonstrated experience of working with local counterparts in building their capacity is an asset;

• Experience managing field-based data collection processes is an asset;

• Proficiency in data analysis using Statistical software is required, experience with STATA highly preferred;

• Proficiency in Kobo ToolBox is an added advantage;

• 2 Years experience with data management and the development of data management protocols is required;

• Ability to work closely with field based national staff and experience in various staff training is an asset;

• Experience in development or humanitarian work in remote areas is highly desirable;

• Experience with World Bank M&E frameworks is an asset;

• Experience in social protection projects will be an asset;

• Familiarity with South Sudan will be an asset.

• Fluency in English (writing, reading and speaking) is required.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Contract type:  International Contractor Agreement
Contract level: IICA-2
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.