PMU Monitoring Officer, Level NO-2, Fixed Term Appointment, Central Region (Kabul), Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, Herat, and Jalalabad (Afghanistan)

Contract

This is a NO-2 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-2 contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Working for UNICEF: https://youtu.be/43aiG4w2q_M?t=2

UNICEF in Afghanistan: https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/

For every child, a fair chance

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The past two decades have seen important progress on child rights, yet while much has been achieved, sharp disparities remain. In most countries, inequality is higher today than a generation ago, including in middle income countries where a majority of the world’s poor children now live. The rapid pace of urbanization and the growing youth bulge in Africa and parts of Asia will require significant expansion of the provision of essential services for children. These challenges are compounded by the scale and complexity of crises triggered by conflict, natural disasters or epidemics. The global community faces these challenges when the political and economic environments pose challenges of their own, testing the world’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. In this environment, strong and consistent leadership of UNICEF is critical to enable the achievement of results for children.

Job organizational context

The situation in Afghanistan remains exceptionally complex, with a protracted emergency situation, characterized by recurrent natural disasters, an increased number of people living in poverty, continued internal displacement, unprecedented levels of food insecurity, further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This complexity has greatly impacted the situation of children and women in the country. The withdrawal of United States military forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the establishment of a de-facto government by the Taliban has exacerbated the complexity and uncertainty of the situation. UNICEF is required to rapidly adapt our ways of working to address the multiple operational constraints present in the highly volatile and unpredictable context. This includes the need to establish a Programme Management Unit that will provide operational and transactional capacity to the Afghanistan Country Office to ensure urgent lifesaving and resilience building programmes can continue.

The Afghanistan Programme Management Unit’s (APMU) Monitoring Officer will report to the PMU Field Coordinator. He/she will be based in Field Offices (either Mazar I Sharif, Herat or Kandahar) and will be responsible to provide technical oversight to the work of implementing partners including third party monitors.

Purpose for the job:

In anticipation of agreements with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other major donors to implement programme interventions in the context of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Country Office (ACO) is looking for a PMU Monitoring Officer to ensure that all downstream activities (monitoring surveys, post distribution monitoring, end line, programmatic visits) are implemented in a timely fashion and according to PMU risk analysis and HACT assurance activities. The incumbent will also oversee the implementing partner work to address grievances and feedbacks in the field.

How can you make a difference?

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Under the direct supervision of the PMU Field Coordinator, the PMU Monitoring Officer, NO2 will perform the following tasks:

1. Cash Transfers Monitoring
   1. Coordinate implementing partners and TPM Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) data collection
   2. Perform spot check on PDM data collection exercise and compile recommendation to partners
   3. Follow up on monitoring quality recommendation implementation
   4. Liaise with GRM Specialist about programme specific PDM requirements to be added on the standards questionnaire
   5. Liaise with IM Officer grievances on priorities to be communicated to partners about grievances redressal
   6. Oversee Payment Verification exercises in its various methodology (SMS, Field Survey) and investigate with partners any mismatch between financial reconciliation provided by FSP and information provided by the beneficiary.
2. HACT Assurance activities monitoring
   1. Conduct HACT programmatic visits (field monitoring visits) in line with the HACT assurance plan for PMU and the partner. Field monitoring visits are typically conducted jointly with programme manager and are focused on verification of activities as per the programme document.
   2. Perform financial spot checks on transaction in the local offices of the implementing partner as directed by the PMU HACT manager. The financial spot check consists of verifying supporting documentation for expenditures reporting by the implementing partner.
   3. Discuss findings and formalize recommendation resulting from HACT assurance activities to the HACT officer
   4. Follow up on findings and recommendations from HACT assurance activities and provide updates to the HACT officers
3. Administrative support for monitoring
   1. Maintain an efficient filing of data and updates on project activities, which includes daily updates and other project documents as required
   2. Develop a weekly field monitoring work plan for all qualitative monitoring mechanisms in cooperation with the PMU Field coordinator
   3. Maintain and regularly updates travel plans in line with the project’s work plan and assist with travel administration including travel arrangements and security clearances

Impact of Results:

The role of the Field monitoring officer is essential to contribute to the overall quality of the implementation by ensuring field work is monitored and documented. Ensure that emerging issues are brought to the attention of the PMU coordinator and addressed in good time. The work of the monitoring officer is essential to ensure that implementation responds to the highest quality standards and reflects the agreed downstream monitoring and HACT assurance activities.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: A university degree in social sciences or related technical field.

Experience: Two years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national and international levels in the area of monitoring. Experience in Cash based intervention is an added asset.

Language: Fluency in English and knowledge of the local language is a requirement. Knowledge of another UN language an asset

Knowledge and skills: Experience in field monitoring assurance activities

• Experience in survey administration and quality assurance techniques
• Familiarity with grievances redressal mechanisms
• Knowledge of the UN HACT Framework is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Values

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability

Core competencies

• Builds and maintains partnerships;
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness;
• Drives to achieve results for impact;
• Innovates and embraces change;
• Nurtures, leads and manages people;
• Works collaboratively with others;
• Thinks and acts strategically;
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.

Functional Competencies:

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [I]
• Analyzing [I]
• Planning and Organizing [II]
• Applying Technical Expertise [II]
• Communicating [II]

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either: a role with direct contact with children, works directly with child, is a safeguarding response role or has been assessed as an elevated risk role for child safeguarding.

Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.