Intern: Monitoring & Evaluation (Qualitative Analysis)

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WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.  In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas.

We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year. WFP has operations in Twelve countries across the Southern Africa region (Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, DR Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and Angola). The operations in each country are carried out within the framework of 4 or 5 year Country Strategic Plan. WFP is implementing food security and nutrition activities relevant for each country context, aligned to appropriate national development priorities as well as to the WFP Strategic plan and associated corporate strategic objectives.[1] The total needs based budget for WFP across the southern Africa region was about US$ 700 million in 2018.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Within the framework of the corporate evaluation policy, the WFP Southern Africa Region Bureau (RB) has developed a Regional Evaluation Strategy (RES 2018-2021) to guide the Regional Bureau and Country Offices (COs) in making better use of evaluation as a tool to:

a)           demonstrate WFP results and contributions towards achieving agenda 2030;

b)           generate and manage knowledge to learn and keep improving results for the people we serve;

c)           enhance partnerships and collaborations with stakeholders including UN agencies, Government institutions, NGOs and other civil society actors;

d)           be accountable to the people we serve and to the people that provide us resources.

The RES has two goals namely:

Goal 1: Evidence from evaluations is used to inform design and implementation decisions and development of future strategies, leading to institutional effectiveness and efficiency on one hand, and to better results for the people WFP serves on the other;

Goal 2: Donors, Governments, private sector and other key stakeholders support WFP’s work because they see evidence of WFP contribution to national priorities and agenda 2030.

These goals will be achieved through achievement of two objectives:

(a) Delivering credible Decentralised evaluations that adequately cover WFP programme of work across the region,

(b) Making evidence from evaluations visible to and easily accessible by internal and external stakeholders.

The purpose of this assignment is to support achievement of the goals of the RES by supporting rigorous evaluation designs that sufficiently combines evaluation methods, making proper use of qualitative methods to put data into context, explain findings, conclusions and recommendations and present these in a credible and useful manner. To do so, the assignment involves supporting review of the context within which existing quantatitive data has been collected and analyzed and how such data has been explained, presented and qualified in baseline reports, monitoring reports, annual performance reports and other sources. This understanding will inform design of evaluations with qualitative components that enhance credibility and usefulness of evaluations; and once such evaluations are completed, inform communication and dissemination of evaluation findings since they can be put into context.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING LINES

Under the overall guidance of the Regional Evaluation Officer (REO), and day-to-day supervision of the evaluation officer, the intern will perform the following duties:

1            Support the evaluation officer in reviewing results of analysis of existing quantitative data and identifying outcomes and results that would benefit from qualitative data collection to enable a more comprehensive evaluation that sufficiently answers specific evaluation questions (i.e. what qualitative data should be collected to explain results as presented in quantitative data in baseline reports, monitoring reports and other data sources?)

2            Review draft inception reports focusing on proposed qualitative methods and associated data collection tools in line with analysis done in #1 above, and provide comments on how these elements may be improved

3            Support review of completed evaluations to present key findings, conclusions and recommendations in summary reports, 2-pager briefs, posters, short stories and other medium to enhance dissemination of evaluation findings internally as well as externally

4            Support qualitative analysis of evaluation recommendations along various dimensions including strategic versus operational, programme cycle phases, sector/theme to enhance understanding of intended impact of evaluation on the work of WFP in various country contexts

5            Support in the development of the “intended” theories of change of evaluation recommendations for recently completed evaluations to enable future assessment of impact of evaluation work on WFP work

6            Support qualitative analysis of actions taken to implement evaluation recommendations as reported by WFP country offices, supporting verification of evidence for such implementation to enhance organisation learning as well as testing of the theories of change developed in #4 above

7            Support coordination of WFP engagement with the South Africa Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) including for the October 2019 bi-annual conference, post-conference activities and other aspects covered in the MOU between WFP and SAMEA that is under development

8            Coordination and team work: As part of the RBJ evaluation team, attend team meetings and provide update on ongoing pieces of work. Prepare weekly progress reports bringing out any issues affecting progress. Shares ideas/suggestions regarding work by other team members

9            Knowledge Sharing: After completion of a significant piece of work as part of the team working on quantitative aspects of evaluation work, contribute to preparation of a knowledge assets which is a “how to” 2-pager that can be used in future in performing similar or related tasks

10          Perform any other tasks that are allocated

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT

1.           Summary report on analysis of existing data and suggestions on qualitative elements

2.           Summary of comments on draft inception reports

3.           Draft summary communication and dissemination products

4.           Summary of evaluation recommendations by different dimensions

5.           Inputs to the theories of change

6.           Analysis of actions and documentation of evidence of implementation of recommendations

7.           Schedules of meetings with SAMEA and other M&E actors in South Africa

8.           Minutes of meetings with SAMEA and other M&E actors in South Africa

9.           Documentation of feedback from WFP sessions at the SAMEA conference

10.         Meetings attended

11.         Weekly progress report

12.         Inputs to knowledge assets

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Education          

Post-graduate level (Diploma or Masters) in Monitoring and Evaluation and/or project management either in the final year of study working on a study project as a requirement for completion of the course OR completed the studies not more than 12 months ago. The study must have included a strong qualitative element including qualitative research methods, research design and data analysis.

Knowledge & Skills:                 

Must be conversant with qualitative designs i.e. data collection and data analysis methods as well as systems/software such as ATLAS.it, NVIVO, STATA, Computer Assisted/Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) etc;

•            Comfortable handling large amounts of qualitative information

•            Quick to learn, able to take initiative with minimal supervision;

•            Confidence in trying new things, not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them;

•            Analytical, with ability to review large amounts of information and convert it into useful summaries transparently, with ability to document data analysis processes and explain to others the processes used in such analysis;

•            Ability to read and assimilate a large amount of information within a short time;

•            Ability to draft clear and succinct reports and other products based on data analysis  and transparent analysis and interpretation data, putting them into specific contexts

•            Strong communication skills (oral and written) including ability to present ideas and generate feedback from a variety of audience;

•            Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, respecting and upholding core values of the organisation;

•            Self-confidence and creative.

Languages:        

Fluency in English is a requirement. Any knowledge of another United Nations language particularly French and Portuguese would be an added advantage.

4Ps CORE ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITIES

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Interns receive a monthly stipend from WFP up to the maximum amount of US$1000 per month depending on the duty station of assignment. 
• WFP is not responsible for living expenses, arrangements for accommodation, necessary visas and related costs.
• Depending on the duty station of assignment, WFP will reimburse travel ticket for candidates who are nationals of developing countries and are pursuing their studies in their home country.
• WFP will recognize candidates’ educational credentials from recognised institutions that have been certified by competent international or national authorities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) or Ministries of Education;

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

31 May 2019

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Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.