Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, NOC, Mbabane, Eswatini, open to Eswatini nationals only

Mid Monitoring & Evaluation Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a NO-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-3 contracts.

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Background and Justification

In Eswatini, there is approximately 33,000 births annually. Access to maternal and newborn health services is high in Eswatini with 99 per cent of pregnant women attending at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit while 76.2 per cent attend the recommended four ANC visits . Further, 88 per cent of women deliver at health facilities and 88.3 per cent of births are attended to by skilled birth attendant (MICS 2014). Despite the high coverage of births by a skilled attendant and institutional delivery, maternal mortality remains high at 593/100,000 live births. In addition, the high HIV rates among pregnant women at 41 per cent increase the risk of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. This has increasing the risk of MTCT during breastfeeding with 6.0 per cent MTCT at 18 months, yet transmission by two months of age is lower at about 2 per cent despite the increased access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV infected pregnant women. Furthermore, neonatal mortality is high at 20/1,000 live births and under five mortality remains high at 67/1,000 live births. This highlights the need for improved Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) and nutrition interventions of HIV positive mothers to reduce HIV infections among children, improve ART adherence, and promote positive infant feeding practices. In addition, in Eswatini, the COVID-19 emergency and the civil unrest have negatively affected health-seeking behaviour among parents and caregivers as evidenced by reduced numbers of visits to healthcare facilities. UNICEF Eswatini 2021 to 2025 Country Programme aims at ensuring that by 2025, parents and children, with a focus on the most vulnerable, have access to equitable, integrated, quality essential health, nutrition and HIV services including during emergencies. This will be achieved through support towards improvement of appropriate policies, strategic plans and budgets for maternal, new-born, child health, WASH and nutrition, increased capacity of key government institutions to provide quality health, HIV, nutrition and birth registration services and strengthening Management information systems (HMIS) capacity to provide timely disaggregated information in the context of monitoring for results for continuum of care especially in the current COVID-19 and civil unrest context. One of the priority areas been addressed is maternal and newborn health taking cognizant of the high maternal and neonatal rates in the country. With support from FCDO, UNICEF Eswatini is supporting the government to implement a project to improve maternal, new born and child health, and nutrition in Eswatini. It is against this background that UNICEF Eswatini is recruiting a Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist to support the Health Specialist, (Maternal and Newborn Specialist) to implement and monitor and evaluate the project with government with a special focus on continuum of care during the current COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest. This project therefore aims at improving the lives of the most vulnerable women and children in Eswatini by ensuring pregnant women and new-borns, and children access a package of quality, integrated maternal, neonatal and child care services, which will promote physical and cognitive development of children. This will be achieved by increasing access to an integrated package of essential services which include the following services: delivery by skilled birth attendants, essential new born care including management of premature babies, nurturing counselling, enhanced post-natal follow up with focus on women living with HIV and their babies, ART adherence, early infant diagnosis and immunization services, infant and young child feeding practices, improved quality data, and improving early stimulation and nurturing of the children for improved cognitive development which is key to socio economic development of the country. Monitoring and reporting of the project is a critical component of the project hence need for a dedicated staff to ensure timely and quality reporting. Purpose of the assignment Under the supervision of the Chief Child Survival and Development, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will work directly with MoH SRH and M & E Unit to undertake planning, development and implementation of the integrated monitoring and evaluation strategies for the MNH project and ensure availability of functional systems and data to inform progress towards achievement of the project results with a special focus on continuum of care during the current COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To ensure that the UNICEF Country Office has useful, valid and reliable information on the situation of children’s and women’s rights, with a special focus on continuum of care during the current COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest. the performance of UNICEF-supported programmes including their relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and in emergency contexts, their coverage, coordination and coherence.

To work within the UN country team to support UNCT goals for delivering valid and reliable information on the attainment of the MDGs and other goals, and on the performance of UN-supported programmes.

To assist in the establishment of a monitoring an evaluation tools which enhance partnership between the UNCT, government and other key players to collectively track progress on MDGs and other international commitment for children.

To assist in the development of national capacities for monitoring, evaluation and research, with special attention to the interest, concern and participation of government, community, and civil society stakeholders.

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Planning. The Country Office and national partners have a well-prioritised and realistic plan of research, monitoring and evaluation activities, developed collaboratively that provides all the relevant and strategic information needed to manage the Country Programme. 2. Situation Monitoring and Assessment. A collectively Situation Monitoring and Assessment system owned by all key partners is in place, through which the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate measurements of change in conditions of children, women, and their families in the country or region; this information is available to facilitate planning and measure program impact. 3. Programme Performance Monitoring. The planning function of the Country Office has quality information collected and disseminated with the participation of all concerned partners to assess progress towards expected annual and multi-year results. 4. Evaluation. UNICEF-supported evaluations attain established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders for improving programme performance and contributing to national and corporate learning. 5. M&E Capacity Building. The monitoring and evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners – government and civil society – enhanced with the contribution of UNICEF knowledge partners meet the expectations and requirements of their positions and responsibilities. 6. Coordination and Networking. The UNICEF office is linked to wider UNICEF M&E developments in way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective M&E management.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

1. Integrated Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Plan (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 and strategic information to manage the Country Programme, including tracking and assessing UNICEF’s distinct contribution.

Duties & Tasks

• Make professional contributions to and provide technical assistance for the planning and establishing the major research, monitoring and evaluation objectives, priorities, and activities in UNICEF’s multi-year and annual IMEPs, in consultation with child-rights and implementing partners. • Likewise, support the development of UNDAF M&E Plans from a sound results-based programming process. • Identify the M&E objectives, priorities, and activities required for effective CO and partner Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans, • In humanitarian response situations, within the first month, draft and recommend a simple one-month data-collection plan to cover key data gaps as required for the initial emergency response, working in close collaboration with the humanitarian clusters partners. • After the initial humanitarian response, support management of the medium-term response with a revised IMEP

2. Situation Monitoring and Assessment

Ensure that the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate 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) and other key social development indicators (through MICS or other surveys) to improve national planning.

• Support partners in the establishment and management of national statistical databases (e.g., DevInfo), ensuring that key indicators are readily accessible by key stakeholders. Potential uses include the Situation Analysis, Common Country Assessment, Early Warning Monitoring Systems, and Mid-Term Reviews.

• Develop a collectively Situation Monitoring and Assessment system owned by all key partners which supports the preparation of country level statistical and analytic reports on the status of children’s and women’s rights issues; and which allow, when opportunities emerge to influence developmental and social policies. To include technical support to global reporting obligations including national reports on progress toward the MDGs, and toward CRC and CEDAW fulfilment.

• In humanitarian response situations, provide professional support for one or more rapid assessments (inter-agency or independently if necessary) to be carried out within the first 48-72 hours, working in close collaboration with the humanitarian clusters partners.

3. Programme Performance Monitoring

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

Duties & Tasks

• Provide technical support to ensure that a set of programme performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, with inputs of all concerned partners 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).

• Coordinate with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardised across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring, with special attention to humanitarian response. • Drawing on monitoring and analysis of key program performance and management indicators, provide professional input to management reports, including relevant sections of the annual reports.

4. Evaluation

Ensure that UNICEF-supported evaluations are designed and implemented to established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders in order to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning.

Duties & Tasks

• Technically support programme partners to formulate Terms of Reference and evaluation designs of high quality, when relevant drawing on the know-how of knowledge institutions, in compliance with the organization’s programme evaluation policies and guidelines.

• Monitor and ensure the quality of the field work and data management during the implementation phase, and the quality of the analysis and ease of understanding during the report writing phase.

• Disseminate evaluation findings and recommendations to the intended audiences in user-friendly methods. In particular, to ensure that effective participatory feedback is provided to community and civil society stakeholders.

• Monitor and ensure that a management response to the findings and recommendations of the evaluation is completed, recorded, and followed up for implementation. Most specifically, ensure that evaluation recommendations are submitted to the Country Management Team and follow-up actions recorded in CMT minutes. Submit electronic copies of all evaluations to NYHQ via the Evaluation Data Base web portal, with full accompanying documentation.

5. 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.

Duties & Tasks

• Promote the awareness and understanding of the shared responsibility of M& E function among all staff members through communication, training, learning and development activities organization wide. • In close collaboration with partners, ensure that an M&E capacity building strategy for UNICEF/UN staff national partners and institutions exists in the context of the IMEP, or UNDAF M&E plan. Pay particular attention so the capacity needs of national partners such as professional evaluation associations will be strengthened by involvement in evaluation processes and possibly through specific capacity building initiatives. • Collaborate to implement capacity building strategies as a joint commitment with other developmental partners. Utilize a range of appropriate skills building strategies including self-learning, seminars and workshops and practical experience in order that UNICEF and UN staff have the basic knowledge and skills in understanding and applying new M&E policies, tools, methods to fulfil their responsibilities. Similarly, design and implement strategies suited to the skills needs of national partners. • Actively seek partnerships with knowledge institutions for the identification of capacity gaps and development of strategies to address them.

6. Coordination and Networking

Ensure that the UNICEF office is effectively linked to wider UNICEF M&E developments in a way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective M&E management.

Duties & Tasks

• Collaborate with Regional M&E Advisers and HQ Evaluation Office for overall coordination of priority research, monitoring and evaluation activities, especially those of regional scope requiring the coordinated effort of multiple countries.

• Partner with the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser to ensure that current and accurate M&E data and results are included in regional reports, multi-country studies, and knowledge sharing networks.

• Undertake lessons-learned reviews on successful and unsuccessful M&E practices and experience at the national level, and ensure they are shared as appropriate. Similarly, pay attention to M&E knowledge networks to identify innovations and lessons learned that may be relevant for the CO and partners to improve their M&E function.

QUALIFICATION AND COMPETENCIES

1. Education: Advanced university degree in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning.

• A first university degree combined with additional years of relevant experience, can in principle be considered in lieu of the advanced degree

2. Work Experience:

• Professional work experience in programme development and implementation including monitoring and evaluation activities as follows: Level 3 - Five years of relevant professional work experience. field work experience (for NO) • At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning. Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred.

3. Language Proficiency

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

4. UNICEF values and competency Required

i) Core Values

• Care • Respect • Integrity • Trust • Accountability

ii) Core Competencies

 Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)  Works Collaboratively with others (1)  Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)  Innovates and Embraces Change (1)  Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)  Drive to achieve impactful results (1)  Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

4. Technical Knowledge

a) Specific Technical Knowledge & Competencies Required (for the job) • Knowledge of Project Evaluation. • Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Evaluation Process Management, Follow-up on Recommendations and Dissemination of M&E results. • Emerging international good practice in monitoring and evaluation partnerships. b) Common Technical Knowledge Required (for the job group) • Professional technical knowledge/expertise in demography, statistics, and data management. • Professional technical knowledge/expertise in methodology of M&E, including theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods. • Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Evaluation Design, data analysis, and reporting. • Gender equality and diversity awareness c) Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced (for the Job) • Professional/technical knowledge/expertise in Team Management, Coaching & Training. • Mastery of UNICEF’s M&E policies and procedures. • Latest programme monitoring and evaluation theory, methodology, technology and tools. • Understanding of UN Mission and system, current key UN topics; and International Code of Conduct. • Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and UNICEF Guiding Principles. • UNICEF strategic framework for partnerships and collaborative relationships.

Interested and qualified candidates are requested to submit their application by 20 November 2021

This notice will also appear on http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/, UN Job List, UN Jobs. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

We invite you to watch a short video on the system on how to apply: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePgDIQ9RVYs&feature=youtu.be

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at: http://www.whed.net

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UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org