Chief Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, P4 at UNICEF

Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative, P5, the Chief Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation is accountable for the accomplishment of the following overall end-results through undertaking programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E), exercising advisory role, providing guidance, coordination and leadership in policy and strategy development, in the oversight of the implementation of M&E recommendations, as well as in the collaboration with the UN country team in support of the attachment of the MDG.

Integrated Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Planning (IMEP)

• Ensure that the Country Office and national partners use a well-prioritized and realistic plan of research, monitoring and evaluation activities that will provide the most relevant gender-specific and strategic information to manage the Country Programme, including tracking and assessing UNICEF’s distinct contribution.

Duties & Tasks

• Identify relevant strategic objectives, priorities and problems for policy and strategy development in the area of situation monitoring and evaluation
• Provide technical guidance and collaboration in the planning and establishing the major research and monitoring and evaluation activities in multi-year and annual IMEPs, that is to be reflected in UNDAF M&E Plans
• In close consultation with management and liaison with partners, make a professional contribution to formulation of the IMEPs from a sound gender-sensitive, results-based programming process and collaborative working relations with partners
• Develop tools to assess and monitor effectiveness of UNICEF communication around the WFFC Commitments and the MDGs, particularly those pertaining to children, to increase the awareness of partners and enhance their engagement
• Contribute to the incorporation of M&E tasks in the IMEPs which were identified within the CO Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, in order to anticipate and prepare for the information needs and operational modalities of an emergency

Situation Monitoring and Assessment

• Ensure that the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate and gender-specific measurement of change in conditions in the country or region, including monitoring of socio-economic trends and the country’s wider policy, economic or institutional context, to facilitate planning and to draw conclusions about the impact of programmes or policies.

Duties & Tasks

• In coordination with other stakeholders, support the collection of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicators (through MICS or other surveys) to improve integrated national planning
• Manage available baseline information on national statistics and key indicators through established databases (e.g., DevInfo) for easy access and use ensuring that indicators are gender-specific and equity focused
• Prepare country level statistical reports on the status of children’s and women’s human rights issues when opportunities emerge to influence developmental gender and social policies, and provide a technical support to global reporting obligations including national reports on progress toward the MDGs, toward CRC fulfilment, and toward CEDAW fulfilment
• Coordinate with the Country Office and partners and provide assistance in their using up-to-date information in, inter alia, Situation Analysis, Common Country Assessment, Early Warning Monitoring Systems, Annual Reviews, Mid-Term Reviews, and Annual Reports or other progress reports. Seek the feedback of the partners to improve the assistance accordingly
• Support the CO in collecting and interpreting existing early warning data effectively to guide the adjustment of programmes and operational approaches when and as country contexts deteriorates

Programme Performance Monitoring

• Ensure that the Country Office has quality information to assess progress towards expected results established in annual work plans.

Duties & Tasks

• In close coordination with partners, ensure that a set of gender–specific programme performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, in the context of the multi-year and annual IMEPs, the Annual Management Plan and Annual Work Plans, as outlined in the Programme Policy and Procedures Manual (especially, Chapter 6, section 6: IMEP)
• Provide technical support to Senior Programme Officer to ensure that key annual programme indicators are tracked and analyzed with the contribution of implementing partners, and provided regularly to the Country Management Team/ Senior Management Team for effective programme and management decisions
• Oversee to ensure that data collection and analysis from field visits is coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring and gender mainstreaming. Ensure optimum use of staff resources
• Provide technical support to Senior Programme Officer for the implementation of evaluation recommendations and the appropriate integration of lessons learned in programme activities, especially those in the reduction of gender inequalities, is shared and used to improve gender mainstreaming results. Provide advice in order that management decisions based on Country Office performance monitoring are properly tracked and followed up
• Provide technical advice in order that management reports including relevant sections of the annual reports are prepared drawing on monitoring and analysis of key management indicators

Evaluation

• Ensure that a well-prioritized and strategic selection of evaluations at programme or Country Office strategy level is managed in order that each evaluation is designed and carried out with quality process and products and that evaluation results are useful to the intended audience.

Duties & Tasks

• Carry out basic research and formulate proposals for evaluation strategies, policies, objectives and methodologies
• Guide, supervise and participate in the joint evaluations with developmental partners, including joint evaluation of UNICEF or of multi-partner programs
• Formulate Evaluation Terms of Reference and design of high quality in compliance with the organization’s programme evaluation policies, guidelines and methodology while satisfying stakeholders’ requirements
• Provide technical advice and guidance to regional and country offices, management teams, programme managers and staff to ensure that Evaluation design and management meet quality standards as outlined in UNICEF Programme Policies and Procedures and related stand-alone Evaluation Technical Notes, ensuring that UNICEF’s most recent policies, including especially those on gender inequality, highlighted
• Coordinate and ensure effective dissemination of findings, including especially those on interventions that reduce gender inequalities, conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned from evaluation to the intended audience as described in the Terms of Reference with a view to improving programme design, policy, strategy and performance and contributing to wider learning. 

M&E Capacity Building

• Ensure that the monitoring and evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners – government and civil society – are strengthened enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead monitoring and evaluation processes, including those that address gender inequality.

Duties & Tasks

• In close collaboration with partners, ensure that an M&E capacity building strategy for national partners and institutions exists and corresponding activities are identified and implemented in the context of the IMEP or UNDAF M&E plan. Collaborate to implement capacity building strategies as a joint commitment with other developmental partners, highlighting gender as a central component
• In coordination with senior managers, develop staff capacity development strategy and plans, and exercise effective leadership in implementing them, ensuring that Country Office staffs have the basic knowledge and skills to fulfil their monitoring and evaluation responsibilities, and training is planned and carried out to fill identified gaps. 
• Promote knowledge of and build capacity in evaluation practices. Oversee to ensure that Country Office staff and national partners are aware of and have access to UNICEF monitoring and evaluation learning resources.
• Ensure to facilitate that Evaluation capacity of national partner organizations, which may include local institutions such as national professional evaluation associations, is strengthened through their involvement in evaluation processes and possibly through specific capacity building initiatives
• Actively seek partnerships with knowledge institutions for the identification of capacity gaps and develop strategies to address them

Communication and Partnerships

• Ensure that all of the above tasks are carried out and accomplished through effective communication and partnerships within and outside the organization

Duties & Tasks

• Develop and manage key partnerships for the Evaluation Office with internal units and external institutions, including donors, evaluation societies, bilateral evaluation units and the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG).Collaborate with key knowledge partners (universities and think tanks) for their knowledge and their research capacities in order to generate and disseminate relevant data for the identification of child-friendly policies and their effective problem-solving mechanisms
• Facilitate macro level integrated planning of research, monitoring and evaluation activities within the Country Office, with national partners, the UN Country Team and the wider international community, in the context of internal office management plans, the country programme process, the UNDAF and sector wide approaches, incorporating transparency on gender inequalities and using, where applicable, strategies for gender mainstreaming across sectors
• Build partnerships within and outside the organization. Work collaboratively with clients and partners. Facilitate joint monitoring and evaluation activities with national partners, the UN Country Team and the wider international community, wherever possible in the context of the above processes
• Partner with the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser to ensure the availability of current and accurate monitoring and evaluation data and results, highlighting gender. Participate with Regional M & E Adviser and NYHQ in developing indicators and evaluation methodologies essential to tracking gender inequalities and to evaluating the effect of interventions on improving gender equality
• Collaborate with Regional M&E Advisers and HQ Officers for overall coordination of priority research, monitoring and evaluation activities

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree in social sciences or other relevant disciplines. Practical training in programme management and evaluation, survey and research analysis, or applied statistical data analysis in social sciences an asset
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in programme development and implementation including monitoring and evaluation activities
• At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning. Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset