Monitoring Officer (Data), P-2, Post No. 101490, Yangon, Myanmar (TA for 10 months)

Vacancy for Monitoring Officer (Data), P-2, based in Yangon, Myanmar - TA for 10 months duration

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Background and Purpose of the Position

In Myanmar, after decades with very limited information on children, several large data sources are now becoming available. However, the capacity to coordinate data collection efforts, and to analyze and disseminate the information they reveal, is still low. Moreover, administrative data systems in social sectors cannot provide timely and updated information on the situation of children to effectively monitor it between surveys. As a result, information is inconsistently used for decision-making in policies and programmes. Alongside an emerging national evaluation context, these factors hamper the government's ability to consistently and effectively monitor and report on the situation on children that could better inform policies.

Key Expected Results

1. Timely monitoring and measurement of changes in the condition of children at national and sub-national levels.
a. Data analysis is regularly conducted, in collaboration with relevant teams and partners.
b. Information is regularly provided to the Country Office and national partners to inform plans and programmes, to assess the impact of the programmes and policies, and report on the progress being made.
2. 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.
3. Effective communication is achieved and knowledge products are developed, and quality assurance to research, monitoring and evaluation activities is regularly provided, both within the Country Office and with the Regional office, and with all other stakeholders, including national partners and the international community; and the results are shared with all partners to stimulate joint engagement.
4. SPCRM Performance is systematically monitored and data for key indicators are collected, analyzed and made available to country office staff, management, and partners.
 

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

1. Situation Monitoring and Assessment

Provide technical support to ensure that the Country Office and national partners have timely and accurate measurement of change in conditions in the country and in specific states and regions within the country, including monitoring of socio-economic trends and the country's wider policy, economic or institutional context.

Duties & Tasks

• In coordination with other stakeholders, support national counterparts in the collection of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators for children, through analysis of available data and / or by carrying out additional studies and surveys, and ensure that these are incorporated into national / sectoral plans and frameworks.
o Contribute to mapping of child-focused indicators vis-à-vis the commitments made in the New Vision New Results declaration, and other relevant national frameworks
o Support the development of a medium-term action plan to create capacity and support (a) CSO in its coordination role of social statistics, with a specific focus on child-relevant SDG indicators, and (b) MSWRR in its responsibility to setup systems to monitor those.

• Support management and analysis of available baseline information on national statistics and key indicators through established databases for easy access and use. Specifically, support the design and setup of statistical databases for data mining for internal and external uses: help with consultant's contract management, ensuring key indicators are included and accessible by sections, ensuring filter variables are vetted and approved; etc. Potential uses of the tool include Situation Analysis, Common Country Assessment, Early Warning Monitoring Systems, Mid-Term Reviews and any other programmatic decision.

• At the sub-national level, support the design and preparation of Child-Focused Township Profile validation workshops: together with the national Child Rights Monitoring Specialist (NO-C) and in collaboration with the Field services unit, work with planning officials to access and analyse admin data on children, to feed this evidence into local planning processes.
• Provide technical support to ensure that the CO has information necessary for UNICEF to effectively report on and advocate for children's rights through the appropriate channels and to enhance partnerships with key players in monitoring collectively progress on child focused international commitments, with special focus on SDGs.
• Coordinate with the Country Office and partners and provide assistance in their using up-to-date information in the 2017 Situation Analysis, Annual Reviews, Mid-Term Reviews, and Annual Reports or other progress reports.

2. M&E Capacity Building

Provide technical support to ensure that the monitoring and evaluation capacities of the SPCRM section and the Country Office staff and national partners – government and civil society – are strengthened enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead monitoring and evaluation processes.

Duties & Tasks

• Provide technical support for implementation of capacity building strategies as a joint commitment with other developmental partners with special attention to the interest, concern and participation of primary stakeholders.
• In close consultation with the PME unit (office focal point for capacity building initiatives), contribute to the formulation of staff capacity development strategy and plans, and exercise effective leadership in implementing them, ensuring that Country Office staffs have the basic knowledge and skills to fulfil their monitoring and evaluation responsibilities, and training is planned and carried out to fill identified gaps.
• Promote and provide support to ensure that national partners are aware of and have access to UNICEF monitoring and evaluation learning resources.

• Contribute to facilitate that Evaluation capacity of national partner organisations is strengthened through their involvement in evaluation processes and possibly through specific capacity building initiatives. In coordination with the Evaluation specialist, identify opportunities to develop capacity of staff of the Programme Appraisal department (MOPF) on evaluation; support the development of TORs for the department and explore opportunities to create a discussion around evaluation of the SDGs.
• Support to MSWRR to setup an M&E system within the Ministry: support the MSWRR capacity needs assessment process, the performance objective determination, and provide support to setup the newly established M&E department.

3. Communication and Evidence Generation

Provide technical support to ensure that all of the above tasks are carried out and accomplished through effective communication and partnerships, as elaborated below:

Duties & Tasks

● Facilitate or contribute to integrated planning of research, monitoring and evaluation activities within the Country Office, with national partners, and the wider international community, in the context of internal office management plans, the country programme process, the UNDAF 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.

• Facilitate or contribute to transform data and complex analysis into evidence and knowledge products, e.g. by drafting messages, presentations and other content to effectively communicate the situation of children to a broad audience

4. SPCRM Programme Performance Monitoring

Provide technical support to ensure that the Social Policy and Child Rights Monitoring Section has quality information to assess progress towards expected results established in annual work plans.

Duties & Tasks

• Provide technical support as necessary to identifying and adjusting a set of programme performance indicators, 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 monitoring system are in place and that key annual programme indicators are tracked and analysed, including those related to partnerships initiative.
• Compile monitoring and evaluation information/data, and make them available to programme/planning sections. Assist in the preparation of reports on systemic issues, good practices or any other analysis or data related to programme implementation and/or evaluation, including programme's performance, relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability; as well as good practices in partnerships and collaborative relationships.
• Provide professional inputs to management reports and other kinds of studies / reports, and in national and sector-specific surveys (questionnaire design, sampling, etc.).
• Provide SPCRM representation in relevant internal and external M&E, research and statistical committees, sector working groups, meetings and relevant events.
• Provide other technical M&E support and inputs, as required by the SPCRM section

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

Advanced University degree in social sciences, development planning, planning, evaluation, survey implementation, advanced statistical research is essential. First level degree with additional years of relevant experiences may be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

Work Experience:

• Minimum two years of professional work experience involving data analysis, statistical research and monitoring and evaluation activities are required.
• Developing country work experience, or at least significant exposure to development work is required.
• Experience in M&E project management, survey planning / implementation, or other planning / management experience will be considered an asset.

Language Proficiency

Fluency in English and another UN language is required.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results

Functional Competencies

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts 

• Analyzing 

• Applying Technical Expertise

• Planning and Organizing

Technical Knowledge  

a) Specific Technical Knowledge Required for the job

(Technical knowledge requirements specific to the job can be added here as required.)
• Knowledge of Project and Activity Evaluation.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Data Collection
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Evaluation Process Management, Follow-up on Recommendations and Dissemination of M&E results.

b) Common Technical Knowledge Required (for the job group)

• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in demography, statistics, and data management.
• Methodology of M&E, theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Evaluation Design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

c) Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced (for the Job)

• Knowledge/expertise of best practices, lessons learned and communication.
• Understanding of UNICEF's policies and procedures for programming, monitoring and evaluation guidelines.
• Latest programme monitoring and evaluation theory, methodology, technology and tools.
• Understanding of UN Mission and system; and International Code of Conduct.
• Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and observance of UNICEF Guiding Principles.
• UNICEF strategic framework for partnerships and collaborative relationships.

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.