Technical Adviser, Monitoring and Evaluation, West and Central Africa Regional Office, ICS-12 (P-5), Dakar

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We are pleased to re-announce the following vacancy:

VACANCY NO.: Job ID 234

CLOSING DATE: 6 November 2013 (5.00 p.m. New York time)

POST TITLE: Technical Adviser, Monitoring and Evaluation

CATEGORY: ICS-12 (equivalent to P-5)

POST NUMBER: 56297*

DUTY STATION: Dakar, Senegal

POST TYPE: Non-rotational

DURATION: One year (renewable) 1/

ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT: West and Central Africa Regional Office

BACKGROUND

The Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser (M&E Adviser)) provides leadership to the development of methodologies as well as capacity development and thematic evaluations in support of the implementation of monitoring and evaluation principles and practices to ensure relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, and impact of the work of the Region. S/He works in close collaboration with Country Offices, the Independent Evaluation Office or any HQ unit with the authority for measuring compliance with technical norms, standards, rules and regulations and maintains close links with both the Technical and Programme divisions.

The adviser will work within an integrated, coordinated and systems strengthening approach, which is fundamental to the Regional Office and UNFPA’s overall strategy. The primary roles of the M & E Adviser are:

• Strategic Results Support • Capacity Development • Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination • Quality assurance on evaluation

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING

The Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser reports to the Regional Director. S/He provides overall technical support for monitoring and evaluation across the full range of the work of the Regional Office. In addition, the Adviser provides M & E guidance to all work overseen by the Regional Office, including the technical, operational and programme (TOP) assistance system.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Strategic Results Support

• Contribute to the development of regional substantive/technical methodology and tools for monitoring and evaluation, in concert with HQ development of monitoring and evaluation policies, norms, standards, and guidance as well as oversight compliance of same; • Contribute to the formulation of the Regional Programme, OMPs and AWPs drawing upon the analysis and evaluation of interventions in the regions, and lessons from country programmes; • Provide support for monitoring and evaluation of the regional and country programmes in the region, in collaboration with the CO, the ROs, DOS (or any HQ unit with the authority for measuring compliance with technical norms, standards, rules and regulations), the Programme and Technical Divisions; • Contribute to the development of frameworks, methodologies and databases for monitoring ICPD MDG and other national development frameworks; • Ensure the RO’s participation in multi-agency/donor and inter-governmental evaluations of complex programmes and cross-cutting themes, especially as these relate to PRSPs, SWAps, JAS, etc.; • Support the development and utilization of programme indicators and indicator databases • Work in collaboration with RO advisers and regional programme advisers in the formulation and implementation of oversight plan of regional programme funded initiatives; • Ensure results-based monitoring and evaluation plan developed, implemented, and results acted upon within the COs, and RO; and • Ensure the use of results-based indicators, facilitate and support data collection and analysis for evaluation.

B. Capacity Development

• Identify innovative evaluation methodologies and promote their incorporation into UNFPA operations; • Contribute to the development and adaptation of tools and guidance as well as training materials and manuals in monitoring and evaluation and support their use for capacity development of partner institutions and UNFPA staff in the region; • Contribute to monitoring and analysis of reports on humanitarian, economic, political and social factors in development and management of population and development programmes; • Contribute to identify and validate regional monitoring and evaluation experts and institutions for the Fund’s regional and international rosters; • Help build capacity of ROs and COs in the adoption and use of RBM techniques and tools; • Provide support to country office staff and consultants in organization of evaluations • Support, promote and nurture an evaluation culture within the Regional Office and the region; • Coach junior professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams in order to provide support to programme managers, implementers on monitoring and evaluation.

C. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination

• Contribute to the analysis, synthesis and dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge and new approaches to monitoring and evaluation practice, in particular best practices, and make recommendations for their adoption at regional and sub-regional levels; • Substantively contribute to the identification, documentation and dissemination of best practices / lessons learned; • Support the office of the Director in ensuring the incorporation of evaluation results and lessons learned in the updating of specific substantive strategies, policies, tools and approaches, and ensure their availability in the organizational system for lessons learned; • Monitor, analyze, evaluate and synthesize results of regional and country programme interventions in the regional and regional levels; • Monitor, analyze and evaluate national evaluation reports, synthesize evaluation findings and identify and disseminate lessons learned in monitoring and evaluation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the work of the Office and of the region;
• Contribute to HQ initiatives on results-based programme management by ensuring integration of lessons learned from evaluation; • Co-ordinate with other UN regional evaluation units and professional evaluation bodies for thematic evaluations and other evaluation activities at the country and regional levels; and

D. Quality assurance on evaluation

• Advise on the validity of the monitoring and evaluation of regional strategies and approaches; • Develop and support a substantive quality assurance framework for the work of the Regional Office and assist/advise country offices in implementation of such framework; • Ensure that evaluations meet high professional principles, norms and standards in line with UNFPA Evaluation Policy and UN Evaluation Group; • Conduct a quality assessment review of the draft final evaluation reports of country programme evaluations managed by country offices (using the EQA grid of the Independent Evaluation Office) • Analyze and assess how findings of reviews, assessments and other studies related to UNFPA’s areas of work are analyzed, disseminated and taken into account in ongoing strategic planning and programme development; • Carries out any other duties as may be required by the Regional Director.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

i) Values: Integrity, commitment, embracing diversity, embracing change

ii) Core Competencies: Achieving results, accountability, developing professional expertise, analytical thinking, working in teams, communicating for impact

iii) Managerial Competencies: Provide strategic focus, engage internal/external partners, lead, develop and empower people, create a culture of performance

iv) Required Skillset:

• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness • Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information • Strengthening the programming capacity of country offices • Facilitating quality programming results • Internal and external relations and advocacy for resource mobilization

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced degree (preferably Ph. D.) in public health, medicine, sociology, demography, gender, economics, international relations, international development, public administration, management or other field directly related to monitoring and evaluation. The graduate or postgraduate degree should preferably include credits in the principles and practice of monitoring and evaluation. • 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience, of which five years at the international level, and of which five years in evaluation of development, health and/or social programmes; include periodic updating of technical skills; • Recognized expertise in monitoring and evaluation; • Strong track record of innovative leadership in managing evaluations, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results; • Strong verbal and communications skills in French and English, and in the relevant UN working language in the region; • Extensive network within the academic and development community; • Field experience is a strong asset.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender quality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

We offer an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the position. The package includes a competitive salary plus housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.

1/ No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulation 4.5

How to apply:

How to Apply:

UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.

Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA athttps://erecruit.partneragencies.org/erecruit.html

Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process. Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, are required to renounce such status upon their appointment. Exceptions to this rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization, when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.

*This is a project-funded post.