Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) Subregional Office for the Pacific (SAP) covers Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. FAO SAP is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional agriculture, food, nutrition and rural development priorities. FAO SAP develops and maintains relations with subregional institutions including the Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP). The Subregional Office is an office falling under the purview of FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in Bangkok, Thailand.

This position is based in the SAP Office, in Apia, Samoa.

Reporting Lines

The Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Programme Officer (Head of Programme and Operations). As a team member of the Programme Support work stream in SAP, the specialist works closely with the International Operations Specialists, as well as with the SAP Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).

Technical Focus

The technical focus of the tasks identified in this position primarily revolve around Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) activities within the context of project management and reporting. The responsibilities encompass gathering, organizing, and analyzing data from diverse sources to support project monitoring and reporting. This includes contributing to the development of monitoring and evaluation plans for effective progress tracking, managing project-related information, and advising on best practices. Additionally, the role involves preparing various reports, including those for frameworks and indicators, and coordinating inputs for work plans, budgets, and communication with stakeholders. Ensuring timely submission of project reports according to schedules is essential, along with providing information for visibility and presentations to donors and stakeholders. Assisting in establishing results matrices, and serving as a focal point for preparing reports through relevant systems are also crucial aspects of the role. Finally, continuous monitoring of compliance with project cycle requirements, including closure and reporting, is essential for effective project management. Overall, these tasks require a strong understanding of M&E principles, data management, reporting systems, and project cycle management to support effective program implementation and monitoring.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Supports the Programme Officer to ensure timely and quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the United Nations Pacific Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and derived Multi-Country Programming Framework for the Pacific Islands (CPF). • Supports the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects and relevant activities; review of relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, problems, and issues to be addressed and propose corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and initiates follow-up actions. • Prepares various written outputs to support yearly and quarterly monitoring and reporting requirements. • Ensures monitoring and reporting tools such as the FAO Representations Country Annual Reports, UN Info, PAID, as well as other corporate tools are adequately and timely inputted. • Ensures that new project logical frameworks and indicators are using the SMART principles and are aligned with the FAO Strategic Framework and other relevant frameworks. • Supports the Programme Officer with the implementation of the FAO SAP Resource Mobilization and Partnership Strategy, providing timely intelligence and linkages for the resource mobilization landscape that technical officers can act upon for technical cooperation and trust fund funding opportunities. • Supports the Programme Officer in acting as focal point for SAP’s cooperation with the Office of Evaluation (OED) and any other internal or external evaluation assessment. • Performs other tasks as will be needed and required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in business administration or public administration, social science, political science or a related field; • At least 5 years of relevant experience in project or programme management, development and/or project planning/formulation/ implementation, and/or programme monitoring, reporting and evaluation; • For consultant: working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and/or Russian; For PSA, working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Programme and project formulation and operationalization. • Programme and project monitoring, evaluation and reporting. • Principles for efficient and effective business processes, work practices, procedures, and applications aimed at managing projects/programmes for compliance of Project Cycle. • Knowledge of the cultural, economic and geopolitical context of the Pacific. • Knowledge of FAO systems such as FPMIS is desirable. • Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency