Programme Specialist at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Job description

Job Summary

The Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (M&E) is located in Country Office (CO) and reports directly to the Representative.

Job Purpose

The M&E Specialist will be responsible for the monitoring of progress of all UNFPA’s programmes in the areas of Reproductive Health, Population and Development, Gender and Youth implemented in Somalia.

• In collaboration with Government counterparts, NGOs, sister UN agencies and other partners, the M&E Specialist supports the formulation and design of the country programme and its component projects in line with Government priorities and according to UNFPA programme policies and procedures using a results-based management approach with clearly defined measurable outputs and outcomes. Oversees achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are applied by programme team, and appropriate monitoring and oversight mechanisms and systems are established and implemented.
• Reviews the political, social and economic environment relevant to Population and Development, Reproductive Health, Youth and Gender, and pursues opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. Assesses implications of new policy developments and strategies on programme execution and ensures appropriate implementation.
• Oversees project implementation, establishing collaborative partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs, and addressing training needs of project personnel.
• Assist UNFPA CO team in designing data collection formats as and when the need arises, e.g. formats to be used for the health facility-based reproductive health needs assessments, youth situation analysis, reproductive health needs in internally displaced camps, etc.
• Ensures the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging population development trends, RH and gender issues, by the programme team through the analysis of programme, projects, strategies, approaches and ongoing experience for lessons learned, best practices, and uses this knowledge for information sharing and planning future strategies.
• Participates in advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of Country Office by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, including results frameworks through the use of an appropriate theory of change.
• Work with other program colleagues to develop project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participate in related donor meetings and public information events as proposed by Senior Management.
• Assist the CO in sourcing and identifying information that would help in initiating evidence-based advocacy and policy dialogue with relevant Somali authorities, line ministries and pertinent institutions and agencies and advance UNFPA’s policy-oriented agenda, including inclusion of issues relating to Population and Development, Reproductive Health, Adolescent
• Reproductive Health (ARH) HIV/AIDS, Youth and Gender.
• Provide technical and substantive support to M&E Analysts in UNFPA sub-offices in Somalia and the M&E and relevant personnel of implementing partners/executing agencies, in particular the Ministries of Planning, Health, Gender and Youth.
• Participate in the UN M&E Working Group and other such data/statistics relevant inter-agency groups, and maintain a solid working relationship and regularly share information with UN partners.
• Contribute towards the preparation of the UNFPA Country Office reports to donors and other reports through availing information and assisting in quality review of draft reports.
• Organize and participate in UNFPA programme review meetings (mid-term review, annual review, and other relevant meetings).
• Analyze and evaluate data to ensure achievement of objectives and recommend corrective actions, when necessary.
• Keep abreast of relevant surveys and assessment reports and advise UNFPA Country Office on the relevance of these reports to UNFPA programmes.
• Assist Somali authorities to plan and organize monitoring and evaluation training programmes; identify training needs for the purpose of capacity building in monitoring and evaluation both internally in the Country Office and externally with Implementing Partners.
• Keep a working relationship and maintain close collaboration with the Regional M&E Adviser of the Arab States Regional Office in Cairo
• Ensure that UNFPA-generated statistics are uploaded in data base system of Somalia to monitor progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, among others;
• Represent UNFPA within the data base-Somalia Taskforces that has been set up to
  • achieve uploading of data from all major UN and other sources 
  • ensure public access to uploaded information 
  • train staff of Somali government units in the utilization of the DevInfo data relevant to reconstruction and development of a wide range of sectors in Somalia;
• Coordinate with all relevant units in the Country Office the timely quarterly submission of the on-line Strategic Information System (SIS) platform data, as well as the annual submission of the Country Office Annual Report.
• Perform other functions as may be requested by the UNFPA Representative and Deputy Representative.

Education:

Advanced university degree in health, population, demography and/or other related social science field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of five years of relevant and increasingly responsible professional experience in evaluation of development, health and/or social programmes;
• Recognized expertise in monitoring and evaluation;
• Track record in managing evaluations and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;
• Experience in project design, management, and monitoring;
• Familiarity with UN development programmes and working procedures, especially UNFPA policies and programming procedures, an asset;
• Field experience is a strong asset;
• Strong presentation, communication, and writing skills in English required.