Vacancy Announcement: Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, P2- TA, Muscat- Oman, For International Only) (365 days-extendable

Contract

This is a P-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 80,552 USD and 109,410 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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 fulfil 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.

For every child, support.

The fundamental and primary 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 equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in child survival, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

For every child, support.

The Government of Oman – UNICEF Country Programme is centered around two priority outcome areas, one of them is Enhancing Children’s Potential: Children of all ages have more equitable access to quality services in protection, education and health, and enhanced opportunities to realize their full potential. Under this goal area, UNICEF together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) built an investment case for a national coalition engaging the government, the private sector, the civil society, and young people to promote 4 strategic priorities related to the Vision 2040 of the Government of Oman. These are namely: 1) education and training that build skills for life, civic engagement, and work, 2) employment opportunities; 3) entrepreneurship mindset and 4) equitable access to quality education, training and employment, equipping young people as problem solvers and engaged members of society.

The Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer is to be based in the small-sized Oman Country Office (OCO). Within the High-Income Context of Oman, where the focus of the programme lies on upstream engagement with the government, UNICEF needs to be a credible and strong advocate for children in policy, legislative and other forums, and make children’s voices heard. This requires use of robust evidence to identify the crucial issues, the affected children, where they live, why they are affected, and how the government might address these issues. The Country Programme Document for the period 2022 – 2025 is made up of two outcomes:

• Outcome 1. Strengthened evidence-based policies for children: By 2025, improved public finance analysis, data and evidence are used to inform social policies and programmes for children, adolescents and young people, and to progress towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Outcome 2. Enhanced systems and services for children, adolescents and young people: All children, adolescents and young people in Oman, including those with disabilities, benefit from improved social service systems and services

How can you make a difference?

The Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Officer provides technical support throughout the planning, monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure that the UNICEF OCO has useful, valid and reliable information on the situation of children’s and women’s rights; the performance of UNICEF-supported programmes, including their relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.

The incumbent will provide technical support to ensure that monitoring and evaluations are carried out according to agreed schedules and that results, and recommendations are implemented and followed up.

In addition, the Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Officer will be expected to support programme coordination and implementation in close coordination with the Programme Management Group (PMG) co-chaired by UNICEF and the Government of Oman as well as other implementation partners.

The Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Officer will be expected to perform Key functions and accountabilities as given below:

1. Programme performance planning and monitoring:

• Provide technical support as necessary to the process of developing and monitoring Annual Work Plans in line with the programme frameworks (i.e. CPD), including reporting on progress of the equity and gender marker as outlined in the Programme Policy and Procedures Guidance.
• Provide technical support as necessary in organising and managing annual/mid-year/mid-term/end-term country programme reviews ensuring consistency with objectives and goals set out in the CPD and UNICEF Strategic Plan and contribute to the Annual Management Plan.
• Monitor follow-up actions based on management decisions resulting from Country Office performance monitoring and evaluation.
• Effectively monitor and report on the intersectoral programme results and cross-sectoral programme component results to facilitate programme coherence and convergence where appropriate.
• Provide technical support to the programme to effectively monitor and report on the intersectoral programme results.

2. Integrated Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Plan (IMEP):

• In close consultation with management and liaison with partners, 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.
• Make professional contributions to and provide technical assistance for the planning and establishing of 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.
• Identify the M&E objectives, priorities, and activities required for effective CO and partner Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans.

3. Situation Monitoring and Assessment:

• In coordination with other stakeholders, support the collection of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other key social development indicators (through MICS or other surveys) to improve national planning.

• Support management of available baseline information on national statistics and key indicators through established databases for easy access and use. Prepare country level statistical reports on the status of children’s and women’s human rights issues and provide technical support to global reporting obligations including national reports on progress toward the SDGs, toward CRC fulfilment, and toward CEDAW fulfilment.

• Keep monitoring the situation of children’s and women’s rights with national partners and keep updated with the information of the quality research that address issues and challenges affecting children and their families.

• Coordinate with the Country Office and partners and provide assistance in their using up-to-date information in, inter alia, Situation Analysis, Common Country Assessment, Early Warning Monitoring Systems, Annual Reviews, Mid-Term Reviews, and Annual Reports or other progress reports.

4. Programme coordination and implementation:

• Support a rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Collaborate with partners and assist in the strengthening of quality child rights-based programmes through consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Contribute to coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
• Provide professional technical assistance in preparing viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, new initiatives and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women.

5. Programme Performance Monitoring:

• 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.
• Provide technical support to ensure that partner’s monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into programme performance monitoring.
• Drawing on monitoring and analysis of key program performance and management indicators, contribute to management reports, including relevant sections of the annual reports.

6. Programme funds monitoring****:

• Monitors programme implementation progress and compliance. Monitors the allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate recommendations or actions to optimize use of programme funds.

7. Evaluation:

• Provide technical support to 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.
• Provide technical support for monitoring to 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.
• Review and provide technical comments on draft evaluation reports. Contribute to the effective dissemination and sharing of knowledge, findings, conclusions, recommendations and lessons from evaluation to the intended audience as described in the Terms of Reference with a view to improving programme performance and contributing to wider learning. Specifically, assist in feeding evaluation results into key UNICEF programme planning processes including the Annual Reviews and the Mid-Term Reviews, and formulation of the Country Programme Document, and the Annual Work Plans. Support effective participatory feedback.
• Provide assistance in tracking to 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.

8. Communication and Partnerships:

• 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 Advisor to ensure that current and accurate M&E data and results are included in regional reports, multi-country studies, and knowledge sharing networks.
• Facilitate or contribute to integrated planning of research, monitoring and evaluation activities within the Country Office, with national partners, the UN Country Team and the wider international community, in the context of internal office management plans, the country programme process, and sector wide approaches respectively, in consultation with child-right partners.
• Facilitate or contribute to joint monitoring and evaluation activities with national partners, the UN Country Team and the wider international community, wherever possible in the context of the above processes.
• Provide technical support to Country Office staff and national partners on data collection, data management and data analysis for basic monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide synthesis of M&E results to the country office senior management, the Country Management Team and key programme and operations staff.
• Ensure that evaluation recommendations are communicated to the relevant partners for implementation, with advice on the Implementation Plan and follow-up action for future programming.
• Facilitate learning from the results of monitoring and evaluation within the Country Office and more widely within UNICEF in the region and globally, as well as among national partners and other key stakeholders, engaging more expertise from knowledge institutions.

The Planning Monitoring & Evaluation Officer will be expected produce the following Key-ends results:

1. Programme performance planning and monitoring: The Country Office and national partners have a well-prioritised and realistic Annual Work Plans and Country Programme Documents developed collaboratively that provide all the relevant and strategic information needed to manage the Country Programme.
2. Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Planning: Integrated Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Planning (IMEP) is prepared and in place to provide strategic priority and realistic plan of activities for M&E
3. Situation Monitoring and Assessment: Timely monitoring and measurement of changes in conditions due to programme or policies in country or region are conducted with the participation of relevant partners and provided to the Country Office and national partners to facilitate national planning, and assess the impact of the programmes and policies, and report on the progress being made.
4. Programme Performance Monitoring: Country Office Performance are systematically monitored and data for key indicators of the Annual Management Plan and management reports are collected, analysed and made available to management and the Country Management Team.
5. Evaluation. Evaluation is designed and carried out with quality process and products in line with priority and strategy. Evaluation findings, recommendations and reports are used to improve programme performance and are effectively disseminated to the intended audience. Major partners are kept abreast and/or contribute to these exercises as required.
6. M&E Capacity Building: The monitoring and evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners are strengthened, enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead monitoring and evaluation processes.
7. Communication & Partnerships: Effective communication and partnerships are achieved in carrying out integrated planning of research, monitoring and evaluation activities within the Country Office and with the Regional office and with all other stakeholders, including national partners, the UN Country Team and the international community; and the results are shared with all partners to stimulate joint engagement.

To qualify as a champion for every child support****, you will have:

Education: A University Degree (Bachelor’s) in one of the following areas is required:

• Social sciences
• Statistics
• psychology
• Economics
• Education
• Planning development
• Any other related filed of study

Work related experience:

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience is required.
• Experience working in a High-Income Country is required.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Monitoring & Evaluation Process Management, Follow-up on Recommendations and Dissemination of M&E results.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with providing technical support for management of admin data systems strengthening projects preferred.
• Experience working on education and youth-related projects preferred.
• Knowledge of UNICEF’s M&E Policies and Procedures and Data for Children Strategic Framework.
• Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and UNICEF Guiding Principles.
• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in social development analysis and programming at the international and/or in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in program/project monitoring and evaluation in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic language) is an asset.

For every Child support, you are expected to demonstrate UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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

Statement on UNICEF's Zero-Tolerance policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

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.

Remarks:

Shortlisted candidate remark: Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.