Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

In Ghana, UNCDF is managing a portfolio of projects focused on youth empowerment, job creation as well as innovative financing. As example, one of the projects is the “Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn)” Project funded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa. This project contributes to addressing the root causes of irregular migration through green and climate resilient local economic development and improving future prospects of beneficiaries, by creating employment and enterprise opportunities in selected sectors and regions (Ashanti and Western). For overview of the project, refer to: https://www.uncdf.org/green. Under this framework UNCDF team is leading a portfolio of providers (fintech, banks, payment services providers, crowdfunding providers, academia, Ministries and regulators etc) to design and pilot new business models to increase access and usage of digital services for the most vulnerable segments (youth, women, MSMEs in particular). As of Dec 2022, UNCDF has reached 111,423 beneficiaries (47,268 women and 42,005 youth) are actively using financial products supported and has positioned the agency as pioneer of the national financial innovation space: through its technical and funding assistance, as well as convening power and stakeholder engagement, UNCDF is well-recognized by the key stakeholders - public and private alike - as key contributor of the development of the sector to unleash the potential of innovators and digital transformation at the benefit of underserved communities. To this end, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) is key for managing the implementation of portfolio as well as the learning and result measurement strategy to inform implementation and also explore new opportunities. The Technical Specialist based out in Ghana is overall responsible for the MEL strategy.

Under the direct supervision of Technical Specialist and Lead of Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Contribute to UNCDF Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning agenda (50%) • Contribute to the gathering of insights and learnings from UNCDF interventions in-country to identify best practices and inform UNCDF programming to address development challenges such as youth employment • Apply monitoring tools for all UNCDF interventions (results chains, project KPIs, data collection plans) and participate to the roll out of the implementation (field visits, key informant interviews, review and validation of partner reporting, project closing, etc.) to contribute to UNCDF’s country MEL framework • Design and implement quantitative and qualitative research to identify programme learnings, in-form market engagements and capture programme results and impact.
2. Support M&E for selected partners to ensure delivery and achievement of targets (30%) • Ensure timely reporting of results to inform the UNCDF M&E exercise at portfolio level and assist partners in identifying strengths and weaknesses to improve their performance • Contribute to the positioning of UNCDF in leading the financial innovation efforts by supporting partners in building the business case, identify critical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and drive analysis and understanding of customer behavior
   • Support the collection, review and analysis of partner reporting
3. Contribute to the development of the IDE community of practice (CoP) in the country with key stakeholders (20%) • Conduct research on the state of the inclusive digital economy using primary and secondary data sources
   • Contribute to knowledge dissemination for private sector and public sector stakeholders in MEL framework and best practices • Research and analysis on (digital) inclusion and other relevant topics is coordinated and implemented and findings are shared with relevant stakeholders • Contribute to proposals development and ensure that Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks are aligned to UNCDF and donors’ priorities.

Creativity, Ethics and Values, Knowledge Sharing, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Technological Awareness, Working in Teams, Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Communication, Commitment to Continuous Learning

designing and learning and insights development, and/or monitoring, result measurement and evaluation in international organizations or projects with international donors • Excellent knowledge of project management cycle (PMC) principles, from design to evalua-tion • Strong skills in designing and implementing quantitative and qualitative research in the con-text of inclusive development • Excellent skills in communication and writing with proven experience in international set-tings • Good knowledge of MEL tools such as PowerBI • Interest or exposure to innovation, technology and digital financial services, impact investment, SME finance, and/or (digital) inclusion

The country Ghana is peaceful with a lower middle-income status. The security situation in Ghana is calm and is classified by the UN as a family duty station and a category B. The UNV is expected to be based in Accra with frequent missions in the Western Region and in the Ashanti Region with regular field missions across the target MMDAs. Amenities and facilities such as hospitals, running water, electricity are adequately available in the target Regional Capitals where the IUNVs are expected to reside.