Website UNDP
Monitoring and Reporting Specialist
Location : Kathmandu, NEPAL
Application Deadline : 05-Sep-23 (Midnight New York, USA)
Additional Category : Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding
Type of Contract : Other
Post Level : Other
Languages Required : English
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 15-Oct-2023
Duration of Initial Contract : One year with possibility of extension
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Background
The Provincial and Local Governance Support Programme (PLGSP) is the national flagship programme of the Government of Nepal (GoN) to build institutional, organizational and individual capacity at all levels of government, with special focus on the provincial and local levels. The ultimate goal of the programme is to attain functional, sustainable, inclusive and accountable provincial and local governance. The Programme aims to contribute to the delivery of quality services at provincial and local levels, promote better local infrastructure and enhance economic prosperity. The Programme will achieve 14 outputs under the following three outcomes:
- Government institutions and inter-governmental mechanisms at all levels are fully functioning in support of federal governance as per the Constitution.
- Provincial and local governments have efficient, effective, inclusive and accountable institutions; and
- Elected representatives and civil servants in provincial and local governments have the capacity and serve citizens to their satisfaction.
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) is the executive agency of the Programme. The seven provincial governments, the 753 local governments, the restructured Local Development Training Academy (LDTA) and seven provincial-level training centres (Provincial Center for Good Governance) are the implementing agencies of the Programme. The Programme is supported by four international development partners, namely, the Department for International Development (DfID) of the United Kingdom, the European Union (EU), the Government of Norway, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the United Nations.
Context
MoFAGA is partnering with UNDP for services of Technical Assistance (TA) for the implementation of the Programme. The key priority of the TA is the recruitment of TA personnel, their capacity building and knowledge enhancement, including orientation and continuous backstopping support in coordination with the Programme Management so that they deliver on the intended outputs.
The Provincial governments have a major role to facilitate and implement the programme, benefitting both the province and local governments. All the province governments have entered the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MoFAGA to be a part of the Programme implementation. There is a Program Coordination Unit (PCU), seven Provincial Program Implementation Units (PPIUs), one in each province and seven Provincial Good Governance Centers (PCGGs), one in each province.
The Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) headed by the National Programme Director (NPD) functions as the secretariat to the governing bodies of the Programme at the federal level namely, the National Executive Committee, chaired by the MOFAGA secretary, and the National Steering Committee, chaired by the Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration. Regarding the Programme implementation, the PCU will have dual tasks: (i) provide technical support to federal agencies on a demand basis, ii. serve as a federal anchor point to guide, backstop, and mentor the Provincial Programme Implementation Units (PPIUs). Additionally, the PCU under the leadership of the NPD and NPM will be responsible for the overall results of the Programme, meaning that the PCU has an important role in ensuring that the activities carried out by the federal agencies and the provincial governments are within the scope of the Programme and are properly coordinated and monitored. The PCU is also responsible for facilitating the implementation and preparing consolidated progress reports to be submitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC), and National Steering Committee (NSC).
It is realized a requirement for a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist position at the PCU to coordinate the overall PLGSP monitoring, evaluation, and reporting functions in the interim and support PPIUS and PCGGs to prepare their M&E plan. The specialist is supposed to contribute to all outputs of the PLGSP as the position functions as a key player for overall monitoring and evaluation of the PLGSP activities. In this connection, PLGSP TA is looking to recruit and deploy individual consultants to support the overall monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the program activities
Duties and Responsibilities
The overall objective of this assignment is to support PLGSP in preparing its monitoring and evaluation plan for the transitional year following the Annual Strategic Implementation Plan (ASIP). The specific objective of the assignment includes:
1. Monitor the Programme implementation at all levels and report the progress
2. Support to prepare Monthly, Trimester, and Annual Reports of PLGSP ensuring the necessary level of quality
3. Serve as the focal person of the Monitoring and Reporting Experts based in PPIU
4. Serve as focal person of PLGSP for knowledge management
5. Ensure strengthening gender and social inclusion work throughout programme interventions
1. Monitor the Programme implementation at all levels and report the progress
- Follow the implementation of the Programme at all levels;
- Provide necessary guidance to the Monitoring and Reporting Experts based in the PPIUs in monitoring the programme implementation at the provincial and local levels;
- Develop an annual monitoring plan and ensure the effective accomplishment of the deliverables set in the results frameworks;
- Prepare consolidated progress reports of the Programme, in coordination with the PCU-based specialists and UNDP Program Coordination and Quality Assurance Analyst, to be submitted to the Transitional Annual Strategic Implementation Plan (TASC), NEC, NSC and the development partners;
- Update the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework of the Programme and provide necessary support to the local implementation units;
- Take the lead in organizing joint monitoring visits of the Government of Nepal and development partners;
- Monitor the risk and update the risk log of the Programme and suggest the mitigation measures;
- Serve as resource person of the Programme in relation to Programme scope and results of the Programme including, outputs and their indicators;
- Periodically monitor the progress made in the joint financing arrangement of the Programme and brief to the NPD/NPM, and DP Coordinator;
- Work with PCU-based specialists to facilitate the coordination between Joint Financing Arrangements (JFA) and TA activities and help identify the issues that need GoN and UNDP’s attention; and
- Assist in carrying out the program evaluation and third-party monitoring activities as appropriate.
2. Support to prepare Monthly, Trimester, and Annual Reports of PLGSP ensuring the necessary level of quality
- Collate and compile PLGSP progress reports on activities, outputs, and outcomes from the implementing partners and team members;
- Analyze the data and information, prepare monthly progress reports on the major activities and submit to NPM, and others as per the necessity of the Programme;
- Producing monthly, quarterly, and annual reports including other relevant sectoral reports as the need of the Programme under the guidance of NPM and NPD;
- Accuracy and timely submission of reports.
3. Serve as the focal person of the Monitoring and Reporting Experts based in PPIUs
- Coordinate the functions of the Monitoring and Reporting Experts working at the PPIUs. Also coordinate the functions of other experts as appropriate;
- Provide needed guidance and support to them on a regular basis;
- Coordinate with NPM/NPD and UNDP to provide training and other capacity development activities to the Experts and facilitate learning and experience sharing among the Experts; and
- Play the role of a technical specialist, assuring sound implementation of the M&E requirements of the programme.
4. Serve as focal person for PLGSP knowledge management
- Contribute to the shaping, producing, and disseminating of briefs and papers and contribute to organising dialogues, conferences, and use of information technologies;
- Support the capacity development of key public and private sector officials in planning, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation framework for the institutionalization of federalism;
- Lead periodic review of progress and ensure problem-solving through remedial actions including its documentation;
- Coordinate with IT and e-Governance Specialist/Expert as well as all tiers of the governments to collect the information to produce knowledge products of PLGS – lessons learnt documents, success stories, articles for websites, infographics, study reports and others as appropriate;
- Prepare meeting minutes of TASC, NEC and NSC and other key meetings in coordination with the PCU-based specialists.
5. Ensure strengthening gender and social inclusion work throughout programme interventions
- Provide advice and direction on strategic and policy issues to strengthen gender & social inclusion initiatives in the programme plan and implementation strategy;
- Facilitate in creating an environment to address GESI issues;
- Ensure gender and inclusion issues are substantially incorporated in policy notes and briefs wherever possible;
- Liaise with CO Gender Specialist as per the need for effective implementation of the GESI strategy and other guiding tools.
Impact of Result:
- Prepared PLGSP M&E framework and M&E plan for ASIPs;
- The PLGSP successfully coordinated and monitored;
- Monitoring systems are in place and results are well-tracked;
- The PLGSP outputs delivered, and outcomes achieved are in line with the result framework;
- PLGSP is well documented in as its knowledge products produced.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the Government of Nepal and UN’s values and ethical standards.
- Serves and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of GoN and UNDP.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Clear and upfront communication skills.
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
- Display cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability.
- Collaborates effectively in a team environment.
- Organized and good with following up on pending issues; meets deadlines.
- Promote learning and knowledge management/sharing.
- Focused on delivering results by taking calculated risks and problem-solving approach.
- Fair and transparent decision-making; regularly shares information with team members.
- Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development.
Functional Competencies:
- Demonstrate ability to identify and anticipate bottlenecks, as well as seek guidance.
- Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy, and confidentiality concerning financial and employee files; (for admin and finance, project management positions).
- Ability to organize and complete assignments within deadlines.
- Integrity and impartiality, ability to work with external partners e.g., suppliers, vendors, service providers.
- Ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials proactively seek guidance and make clear recommendations to line managers.
- Dynamic and results-oriented.
- Strong verbal and written skills; ability to draft short memos and conduct presentations.
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
- Remains calm, in control and good-humored even under pressure.
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities; can multitask.
- Willing to work long hours.
- Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.
- Solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behavior and highest standards of integrity, discretion, and loyalty.
- Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to the Government of Nepal and UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda.
- Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work.
- Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation.
- Oversees and documents the process of strategy formulation for programmes at Project level.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s degree in Economics, Development Management, Social Science, and related other disciplines.
Experience:
- Master’s Degree with 7 years experience;
- At least five years of practical experience working in monitoring and evaluation;
- Sound understanding of the ongoing federalization process in Nepal;
- Solid, demonstrable knowledge of project/programme management;
- Experience in inter-governmental coordination;
- Demonstrated skills in coordinating with different stakeholders and facilitating dialogue;
- Familiar with the concept and dynamics of Gender equality and social inclusion;
- Demonstrated skills in preparing quality reports and other knowledge products;
- Sound interpersonal skills.
Language requirement:
Fluency in English and Nepali, both written and oral, at professional level are essential.