Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Background

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization in fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in more than 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.

Development challenges in Papua New Guinea are as diverse and complex as the country itself. To respond to these challenges, UNDP in Papua New Guinea concentrates its efforts on building the country’s capacity to promote inclusive, green, and pro-poor growth, effective governance, and sustainable and resilient development. We help our partners in identifying relevant solutions to complex development challenges and offer policy and implementation services to address these challenges. The Country Office’s policy, advisory, programmatic, and implementation services focuses on the following areas:

• Peace: promoting inclusive governance, justice, and peace
• Prosperity: inclusive, greed and sustainable growth
• Planet: sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation, strengthened   climate and disaster resilience and management.

In addition to these areas of focus which reflect country’s developmental priorities, UNDP emphasizes gender, climate change, social protection and inclusive growth, in all aspects of our work.

The country office is located in the capital city Port Moresby and hosts approximately 80 personnel. UNDP also maintains project office presence in Buka (Autonomous Region of Bougainville), Mendi (Southern Highlands Province), Wewak (East Sepik Province) and Wabag (Enga Province).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), supported the “Sustainable Financing of Papua New Guinea’s Protected Area Network” (SFPNGPAN) project, which aims to strengthen the Government of Papua New Guinea’s ability to fulfil its protected area mandate and implement the Protected Area Policy and law. The key objectives are to: (i) secure stable and long-term financial resources for the management of protected areas across the country; (ii) ensure that these financial resources are allocated for the management of protected areas across the country; (iii) ensure that they are managed cost-effectively and efficiently with respect to their conservation and other complementary development objectiveness.

In recognition of this need, the project included a component focused on the establishment, operationalization and mobilization of funding for a Biodiversity and Climate Fund to primarily support funding of PNG’s Protected Area Network to ensure the protection of biodiversity, while working to provide nature-based solutions to support climate mitigation and resilience.

Work under the project resulted in the creation of the Papua New Guinea Biodiversity and Climate Fund (BCF) in 2022. The BCF is designed to be a well-governed, transparent, national-level funding institution that can catalyze resources from a variety of sources-from donors to private sector entities-and deploy them successfully where they are needed most while ensuring their effective use and impact. The Fund will provide greater transparency and accountability for donors and private sector supporting the implementation of the identified finance solutions. During its start-up phase the Fund will be incubated over four years (2022 to 2026) within the SFPNGPAN project at UNDP to ensure that the Secretariat receives support to successfully implement its governance systems, mobilize resources, and deliver a pipeline of successfully funded conservation projects. Part of this support involves the opportunity to also build the capacity of not only the secretariat but also of the fund’s key beneficiaries who lay at the heart of this initiative. The initial funding from the UNDP GEF 6 Project, will be used to assist the BCF in carrying out its secretariat operations, grants and financial management, monitoring &evaluation and reporting.

The support from the Fund will support PNG’s approach to conservation, which is based on the premise of ‘doing conservation differently’ and placing people at the heart of conservation, incentivising business models that have a net benefit to the environment, are transformative and demonstrate that conservation and economic development are not conflicting but complementary. The Fund will also support the implementation of the country’s climate strategies, by funding nature-based solutions to mitigation and adaptation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager (Head of BCF) under the GEF-6 project. The officer will be based within the BCF secretariat working closely with the secretariat team.

Design and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks, systems, and tools, and as applicable, conduct programme quality assurance in keeping with corporate policies.

• Develop and provide advice on the formulation of integrated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and results-based management (RBM) frameworks, systems, and plans in line with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) for the programme, and initiatives to inform programme implementation, ensure programme effectiveness and compliance with corporate programming and reporting requirements, and support in decision making. Assist in ensuring application of UNDP social and environmental safeguards as applicable.
• Provide technical, innovative and policy advice on M&E and RBM requirements and activities to BCF programme manager and UNDP CO staff concerned with monitoring and evaluation, and consultants and/or members of the evaluation team.
• Provide advice, tools, and approaches to the formulation of thematic/sectoral programme strategy documents; and provide support, as applicable, in ensuring projects are designed, implemented, and completed in line with UNDP RBM and quality standards and programme and project management policies and procedures.
• Support the elaboration and mapping of business processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in programme and project oversight that includes providing input to establishment of quality assurance processes, guidance notes, protocols, tools, checklists, and sharing best practices.

Lead coordination of and support to monitoring, reporting, evaluation and results-based management of the BCF programme.

• Oversee implementation and application of efficient and evidence-based results monitoring, and as applicable, quality assurance work for programme development and delivery using integrated portfolio management approach.
• Ensure timely identification of potential implementation problems and bottlenecks and advise the programme and CO teams on strategies/corrective measures to address the
• Organize M&E monthly meetings and regularly update BCF M&E Framework
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for Executive Director and/or BCF’s Board
• Responsible for updating BCF’s annual performance measurement tools for its Annual Reports.
• Responsible for data collection and monitoring including information management throughout the Project, inclusive of baseline and end-line surveys (to be designed), feedback surveys, etc.

Provide substantive contributions to capacity building and facilitate knowledge building and sharing on monitoring.

• Contribute to the assessment of capacity needs and elaboration of capacity development plans, tools, and methodologies. Design, organize and lead training activities; and participate in preparing knowledge packages on RBM, monitoring and evaluation, data collection/survey methods, gender mainstreaming and portfolio approach for programme and project teams as well as national partners and key stakeholders.
• Collecting qualitative and quantitative data to assist BCF Technical Committees progress on a monthly basis.
• Work closely with the BCF Executive Director and other team members to develop and strengthen organizations efficiency and activities.
• Support Program Manager with identifying and running of BCF’s Learning and Networking Events.
• Other relevant tasks assigned by the BCF Executive Director.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business direction and strategy

• System Thinking – Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Development

• Knowledge facilitation – Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Business Management

• Partnership Management – Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Monitoring and Evaluation – Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make a judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Event planning and execution

• General (across the functions) – Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP’s overall brand and mandate

CSO Engagement

• Partnership management – Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs

Relationship management

• Partnership management – Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advance university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, International Relations, Management, Economics or related discipline is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in monitoring and interpreting data for reporting and performing an M&E role in either (i) NGO or (ii) international organization (compulsory).
• Microsoft Office, Windows-based applications, integrated web-based management systems, spreadsheets and databases
• Professional working experience on internationally funded projects
• Professional experience working with a range of different stakeholders to support their engagement and awareness of development programmes or private sector initiatives.
• Excellent knowledge of MEL and challenges within the PNG context.
• Experience working with Government counterparts as well as representatives from development agencies.
• Familiarity with UNDP policies and procedures is an advantage
• Experience in UN organization or international organization

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Tok Pisin is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.