Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor (Retainer)

Contract

This is a IICA-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-3 contracts.

Background Information - Myanmar

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as fund manager for three of the largest development programmes in the country, namely the Access to Health Fund (A2H), the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) and the Joint Peace Fund (JPF). In addition, UNOPS is Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative targeting drug resistant malaria in the greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure and project management services to a wide range of organizations in the country, including international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Background Information - Job-specific

NRM’s interventions are designed to pilot new ways of working and are aimed at contributing to systemic change. Both its short-term and long-term interventions incorporate rights objectives and pathways for advocacy and policy dialogue, ensuring that programming is accompanied by substantive efforts to address rights and structural challenges in Myanmar. To ensure its projects are holistically designed, the NRM utilizes a three-pillared approach focused on the integration of H-D-P sectors and the incorporation of a rights-based approach, the transformation of power dynamics and imbalances through greater localization and inclusion, and accountability to both donors and communities through adaptive project design and a robust learning agenda.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor will provide ongoing and regular support for the implementation of the NRM’s MEAL functions. He/she/they will work closely with the NRM programme team to ensure that partners’ results are adequately captured and align with the overall NRM framework and support the analysis of those results for NRM reporting. In addition, they will contribute to the development and implementation of the NRM’s evaluation and learning agenda. They will work closely with other members of the MEAL team, including the MEAL Specialist and the MEAL Senior Advisor.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager and in accordance with UNOPS policies, procedures and practices, the M&E Advisor will be responsible for the following activities:

Programme-level MEAL Functions

• Support the continual development, implementation, and updating of an effective NRM MEAL system that promotes learning and accountability to the NRM Steering Committee, team, communities, and beneficiaries.
• Advise the NRM team on ways of improving the NRM MEAL Framework in order to generate evidence for learning.
• Support the periodic review of NRM's MEAL strategy and develop and oversee action plans for the NRM team to implement changes to the MEAL Framework as needed.
• Ensure that MEAL activities and processes are conflict-sensitive and adhere to Do No Harm principles.
• Ensuring/promoting coordination and clear communication across the Secretariat, including the programme, communications, and operations teams.
• Support the capacity strengthening and mentoring of national MEAL and other programme staff, ensuring that MEAL functions are integrated into day-to-day work across the NRM team.
• Support the drafting of programme level results analysis for the NRM annual report.

Project-level MEAL functions

• Support the development of robust and feasible partner-level MEAL Frameworks. This will include development results/measurement frameworks, ensuring the use of high quality indicators, feasible means of measurement and reasonable targets; learning strategies, to ensure formulation of clear and relevant learning objectives and feasible means of generating learning; and alignment of NRM project-level MEAL tables with the programme-level NRM MEAL Framework.
• Promote collaborative efforts between the FMO and partners to generate meaningful knowledge that informs adaptive management.
• Support the MEAL Specialist in managing the NRM’s project-level monitoring missions.
• Support the aggregation of MEAL data from project level as needed.
• Support the MEAL specialist to design and deliver a partner-wise MEAL capacity support plan.
• In collaboration with the MEAL Specialist, provide support to implementing partners in the development and alignment of their MEAL frameworks.

Evaluation and Learning

• In collaboration with the Senior MEAL Advisor and MEAL Specialist, develop, maintain and manage a strategic evaluation framework and plan for conducting midterm and final evaluations.
• Support the recruitment and management of a slate of NRM evaluators.
• Develop evaluation terms of references and oversee the implementation of evaluation missions, including participation in evaluation meetings as needed. Ensure that evaluations are contributing evidence against NRM's results and learning agenda.
• Review evaluation reports and provide feedback to the evaluators as needed.
• Report on the status of evaluations to the NRM team as needed.
• Support the development and implementation of the NRM learning agenda.
• Designing, facilitating and/or participating in learning events and processes for NRM and partners.
• Lead the development of learning products, including reports, analyses and summaries as needed.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education

• Master's Degree in International Development, Humanitarian Studies, Peacebuilding, Social Sciences, Political Economy, or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor’s Degree with additional two years of similar experience is considered as equivalent.

b. Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years professional MEAL experience is required;
• Extensive experience with knowledge management and supporting the development of an institutional culture of learning is required;
• Extensive experience in developing measurement frameworks and identifying appropriate performance indicators is required;
• Excellent skills in quantitative and qualitative research and analysis are required;
• Computer literacy in Google Suite applications, along with data management and visualization applications are highly desirable;

c. Language

• Fluency in both written and spoken English is essential.

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement Contract level: IICA - 3 Contract duration: 150 days/year (Subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance)

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• 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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.