Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist - RCO

Organizational Context

Since 2012, a genuine transition towards lasting peace and recovery has been underway in Somalia. The international community has been supporting the Federal Government of Somalia through the framework of the New Deal Compact and the National Development Plan 2017-2019 (NDP). The UN recently finalized its Strategic Framework (UNSF) which articulates the UN’s collective contribution to the NDP. The UNSF serves both the UNSOM and the Agencies, and fulfills the role of the UNDAF for the UNCT). The UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UN MPTF) is the UN’s pooled funding mechanism to support to Somali National Development Plan (NDP) under the Somalia Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF). The MPTF has a current portfolio of 15 Joint Programmes with a combined budget of $187 million (as of March 2016,) implemented by 13 Agencies, Funds and Programmes (AFPs), UNSOM and three enabling units.

The UNSF and the MPTF have increased UN coherence and enabled innovative joint approaches and strategic partnerships such as the community recovery and extension of state authority/accountability (CRESTA/A), Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) programmes and the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI). The UN in Somalia also recently concluded a Strategic Assessment exercise which recommended to increase outcome level reporting, enhance strategic links across its portfolio and between its programmatic interventions and political objectives.

The management of the UNSF, the MPTF, CRESTA/A, DSI and the PBF programmes is coordinated by the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) which is housed in the Integrated Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC. The RCO supports the SDRF"s Steering Committee, UN agencies and government entities to design, manage and monitor the implementation of these programmes and joint approaches. To ensure robust support to these processes, RCO is seeking the secondment of a Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer is under the direct supervision of the Head of the Integrated Office. The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will also work closely with MPTF secretariat, the National Window/MPTF Risk Manager, the PBF and DSI Coordinators. The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will also fulfill his/her functions in coordination with the CRESTA/A Unit, the Risk Management Unit (RMU), the UNSOM Joint Planning Unit, and other colleagues in UNSOM and the UN agencies. The incumbent will be based in Nairobi with travel as needed throughout Somalia.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Coordinate the implementation of the UN Strategic Framework (UNSF):




• Support implementation of UN Strategic Assessment Recommendations




• Implementation of M&E frameworks for UN system-wide initiatives and other M&E related activities:




• Ensure the quality and timeliness of MPTF quarterly reporting processes:




• Improve knowledge management on UN collective approaches and best practice:

The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will support the RCO in the following tasks:

Coordinate the implementation of the UN Strategic Framework (UNSF):

• Support the establishment and operations of the UNSF implementation and coordination architecture with UNSOM.




• Adapt the UNSF, its results framework, and strategic priority annual work plans in response to shifts in context and/or corporate requirements, including upcoming strategic reviews of the UN system in Somalia.




• Facilitate and coordinate UNCT engagement in UN system wide planning processes with UNSOM and other actors in line with the UNSF implementation.




• Engage with Somali counterparts to ensure UN strategic alignment with national frameworks;




• Design, review and enhance, and support implementation of M&E frameworks for the UNSF.

Support implementation of UN Strategic Assessment Recommendations

• Design a framework for the development and/or reform of the UN system-wide coordination architecture;




• Identify entry points to support UNSOM regional offices as system-wide coordination platforms/mechanisms at sub-national level;




• In collaboration with UNSOM, coordinate the development of integrated UN regional plans to support the operationalization of the UNSF at sub-national level;




• Provide insight and Support the development of new Joint Programming initiatives in line with recommendations of the Strategic Assessment report and in alignment with UNSF Strategic Priorities and the Somalia NDP.

Implementation of M&E frameworks for UN system-wide initiatives and other M&E related activities:

• Design, review and enhance, and support implementation of M&E frameworks for the UNSF, MPTF, DSI, and CRESTA/A programming (including PBF), and any other Integrated Office M&E needs;




• Manage and support all M&E activities and reporting at the portfolio level for the UNSF, the MPTF, DSI, CRESTA/A programming (including PBF) and UNSF, with support from contributing UN entities;




• Provide technical expertise and Support the National Window/MPTF Risk Manager in the design and implementation of M&E frameworks and tools for investments channeled through the National Window;




• Work with donors and UN organizations on developing and enhancing portfolio-level indicators to integrate cross-cutting issues into reporting frameworks;




• Coordinate and support the UN’s M&E Working Group in undertaking its functions in support of UN system-wide M&E initiatives;




• Provide, upon request, technical support to agency/section/government counterparts for their M&E systems.

Ensure the quality and timeliness of MPTF quarterly reporting processes:

• Coordinate reporting processes, remind Recipient UN Organizations of the reporting deadlines, update and share reporting templates with UN and Government implementing partners.




• GuideSupport UN and Government M&E officers to ensure their M&E systems are adequate and capable of delivering quality progress reports.




• Support the Head of the Integrated Office in ensuring the quality of MPTF reports submitted to donors.




• Review Terms of References for MPTF and PBF baselines, mid, and end evaluations as required.

Improve knowledge management on UN collective approaches and best practice:

• Ensure adequate documentation of lessons learned (‘proof of concept) for collective UN initiatives on peace building in Somalia, and CRESTA/A programming (including PBF) and DSI;




• Enhance visibility of identified best practices through reporting to UN country, regional and global platforms and mechanisms, as well as through public communications and advocacy opportunities.

Key Results Expected

To fulfill these tasks, the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will be supported by a UNCT Coordination Officer in Mogadishu. Key results expected include:

• UNSF revised/updated as needed and implementation supported.




• Effective UNCT engagement with UN system wide planning processes




• M&E frameworks developed/upgraded/updated for the UNSF, the MPTF (including the National Window), DSI, and CRESTA/A programming;




• Timely monitoring and reporting for DSI, CRESTA/A, PBF and UNSF, MPTF with results informing decision making, planning and programming;




• Lessons learned (‘proof of concept) of UN collective approaches to peacebuilding in Somalia documented and publicized;




• M&E systems of agency/section/government counterparts supported.

To deliver these results, the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will develop an annual work plan, in consultation with RCO colleagues, with specific deliverables and timetables, in line with these Terms of Reference. Based on the work plan, the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Officer will have bi-annual performance appraisals from the Head of the Integrated Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC.

Competencies and Critical Success Factors

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;




• Promote the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;




• Display cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;




• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Results Based Programme Development and Management:

• Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration




• Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation




• Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals




• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation




• Sets performance standards, monitors progress and intervenes at an early stage to ensure results are in accordance with agreed-upon quality and timeframes and reports on it




• Makes use of a variety of resources based on UN/UNCT priorities to achieve results, such as cross-functional teams, secondments and developmental assignments, and collaborative funding approaches




• Ensures the integration of strategic concern in interagency, other multilateral initiatives and multi-sectoral development frameworks such as PRSPs, SWAPs and SDGs




• Provides programmatic, policy and strategic guidance throughout the programming and implementation processes.

Planning:

• Ability to lead the design and implementation of M&E systems and approaches for peacebuilding projects;




• Knowledge of Results Based Management concepts and tools;




• Experience in monitoring and reporting of peacebuilding projects (including, preferably, with the UN);




• Experience in data collection, analysis, and management (including relevant software’s).

Coordination Effectiveness:

• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships within Government entities, UN Agencies and donors;




• Ability to advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Client Orientation:

• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion




• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines




• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients




• Responds to client needs promptly




• Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly




• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives




• Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services

Knowledge and Learning Management:

• Shares knowledge and experience across partners;




• Encourages colleagues to share knowledge;




• Understanding of national and UN planning tools (including, preferably, UNSF) and the National Development Plan.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;




• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;




• Self-development, initiative-taking;




• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;




• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;




• Creating synergies through self-control;




• Managing conflict;




• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;




• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;




• Informed and transparent decision making.

Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

• Master degree in project management, international affairs, politics, economics, management and other social science or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of monitoring and evaluation, planning, and programming related work experience,




• Proven experience in conducting M&E, analyzing data and preparing high quality reports and evidence based notes;




• Strong knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools is required, in particular results based management and impact evaluations;




• Substantive knowledge of development issues, local governance, peacebuilding, and durable solutions is desirable;




• Experience in the development and implementation of quantitative and qualitative methodologies would be considered an asset;




• Experience in developing and facilitating participatory, competency based trainings would be considered an asset.




• Field experience in crisis or post conflict environments is desirable;




• Experience is usage of office software packages and in handling web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.