Impact Measurement, Verification and Learning Specialist (IPSA-10) at United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

The Impact Measurement Verification and Learning Specialist will help lead the Impact Measurement Verification and Learning (IMVL) Unit at UNCDF, with a focus on strengthening the organization’s measurement, evaluation, and learning systems. The role covers the development and implementation of robust frameworks for impact verification, data collection, and reporting, as well as the facilitation of organizational learning and accountability. The Specialist will ensure that UNCDF’s results and impact assessments are credible, transparent, and aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives, supporting both internal decision-making and external communications.

Ensure delivery of strategic impact measurement, verification and learning services

• Support the management of IMVL contract holders and day to day functions of the team, including ensuring IMVL workflow is on track, milestones are met, and progress is reported to the Executive Secretary.
• Provide strategic direction and capacity development support to IMVL Team members and quality assurance for the Unit’s delivery.
• Verify and benchmark UNCDF project level impacts based on UNCDF Project Management Support Unit (PMSU) quality assured project level indicators and monitored results via remote means or site visits.
• Coordinate field-level independent third-party validation of data, results and impact and verification of results from UNCDF projects.
• Consolidate evidence to strengthen organizational learning and accountability to the Executive Board.

Ensure Data Systems, Standards and Tools

• Establish and periodically update (in coordination with PMSU) a repository of impact indicators for UNCDF front office teams to consider as they design and plan new projects and investments.
• Design the field data collection systems (digital platform with AI capability) that will replace excel based formats at the country and regional level for results and impact reporting, in coordination with the UNCDF Digital and PMSU teams, and others as relevant.
• Define and review UNCDF standards for procedures to collect field data, review the measurement and evaluation plans of programmes and projects that are used to report on impacts.
• Provide quality assurance for guidance notes, templates, and toolkits to standardize data collection and impact reporting.

Ensure effective Evaluation and Learning in Africa and LAC regions

• Guide and support the management of project and program-level evaluations in Africa and LAC regions.
• Oversee the Unit’s evaluation function to ensure evaluations are on track and evaluation results are used to guide management decisions and business planning.
• Reviews evaluation plans, mid-term and final evaluation findings to inform organization-wide learning.
• Institutionalize learning loops and work with Strategic Intelligence and Foresight to demonstrate impacts and learning to donors and partners.
• Guide and support impact learning and dissemination within UNCDF in Africa and LAC in coordination with the UNCDF Directorate (Strategic Engagement and Strategic Communications).
• Facilitate internal cross-regional knowledge exchanges, such as After-Action Reviews, workshops and reflection sessions to strengthen UNCDF organizational learning and IMVL system for continuous improvement.
• Based on lessons learnt on impacts and results, advise and guide the Front office and PMSU on optimal indicators to use that will enable UNCDF to effectively report on its Strategic Framework.
• Support the consolidation of evidence to strengthen corporate results validation and learning feedback, organizational learning and accountability to the Executive Board.
• Engage in Project Appraisal Committee Reviews and Investment Committee meetings to ensure that impact reporting requirements are adequately designed into programmes/projects and transactions seeking approval for implementation.
• Undertake regular spot checks including via stakeholder engagement on programmes/projects and transactions under implementation to determine whether impact achievement is on track, and if not, suggest with PMSU to the UNCDF Front Office, remedial actions.
• Produce regular Field Notes of Impacts (at least 5 per year) and/or other learning products based on the results from the UNCDF portfolio of transactions, working closely with the Front and Middle Office and

Facilitate Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Coordinate learning and evidence integration into PMSU and Strategic Intelligence and Foresight functions.
• Develop and present, in coordination with PMSU, joint training modules and webinars to instruct UNCDF staff on the use of project and investment impact indicators.
• Lead the facilitation of training workshops and webinars to ensure UNCDF personnel are equipped to work with IMVL systems and use IMVL tools, as per UNCDF standards.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3

• Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Development and Strategy: Strategic Thinking    

• Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.

Business Direction and Strategy: Systems Thinking     

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Direction and Strategy: Effective Decision Making     

• Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential
  wider implications.

Business Management: Monitoring and Evaluation   

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented
  effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between
  planned activities and programme management and results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Data: Data Analysis

• Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making.

Business Development: Knowledge Generation

• Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Digital: Collective Intelligence Design

• Ability to design, lead or manage processes that help a collective to become smarter together by bringing together diverse groups of people, data, and technology.
• Ability to define and articulate why and how collective intelligence can add value to development programming (understanding problems; finding solutions; decision making and mobilizing action; monitoring progress in realtime, learning and adapting) Being able to integrate different types of data (real- time, ‘groundtruth’ and novel data) to unlock fresh insights. Understand guidelines and principles around data privacy, ethics and protection. Increase diversity of inputs – and look beyond the 'usual suspects', ability to navigate and manage a variety of actors, appreciate the diversity in perspectives, opinions, expertise.
• Ability to facilitate platforms or sessions where people can contribute by providing their views and ideas independently and freely. Being people-centred: ensure people understand and can determine how their data is used. Feed back inputs and insights to empower people, don't extract data.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education:

• An Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Affairs and Development, Public Policy, Economics, or related fields is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in monitoring and evaluation, project and programme management or impact measurement, preferably in international development.