Capacity Assessment and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

In 2013, the Administration of the Government of Georgia (AoG) adopted the “Public Administration Reform (PAR) Roadmap 2020,” which outlines six major policy areas in its public administration reform efforts. With funding from the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) and in close cooperation with national partners, UNDP launched the multi-year initiative, “Supporting Public Administration Reform in Georgia” in order to sustain and build upon key institutions and processes in advancing PAR reform. Through this initiative, the UNDP supports the Government of Georgia (GoG) in critical policy areas, such as Policy Planning and Coordination, Human Resources Management and Civil Service Reform and Public Service Delivery.

Through its Governance Reform Fund (GRF) project, the UNDP offers additional support to Georgia’s efforts to reform its public administration. Supported by the Government of Sweden, the GRF has assisted the GoG in a series of successful public administration reforms in tackling corruption and building public sector capacity. Initiated more than a decade ago, the GRF has become indispensable to the government’s efforts due to the flexibility of its funding mechanisms and its ability to respond rapidly to urgent needs. GRF Interventions are focused on addressing emergent public sector strategic reform needs on a rolling basis using two well-tested on-demand mechanisms: 1) the Capacity Development Fund (CDF) and 2) On-Demand [Consultancy] Services (ODS). The GRF will continue to support initiatives under these mechanisms throughout the 2015-2020 project period. 

The incumbent will be responsible for undertaking capacity assessment and M&E activities in support of both of the abovementioned projects with the following division of his/her time: 50% PAR project, 50% GRF project, and will work under the direct supervision of both project managers.

Develop GRF/PAR Monitoring and Evaluation system for optimal progress and impact reporting:

• Develop and maintain functional M&E framework for GRF/PAR project to track the progress and measure the impact of ongoing project interventions, and provide feedback to fine-tune strategies and activities of the projects and supported initiatives;
• Develop evaluation tools and processes, innovative approaches in evaluation that meet the requirements of UNDP;
• Design and maintain a data capture system (database);
• Design and carry out data collection methodologies, instruments and tools to gather critical information that monitor and evaluate the projects’ progress against targeted outcomes and impact;
• Monitor data collection, storage, analysis and reporting ensuring that data is audit worthy;
• Guide the regular sharing of M&E findings with projects staff, implementing partners and primary stakeholders;
• Manage the timely and regular development of program success stories;
• Provide periodic reports to the GRF/PAR team on activities, outputs and relevant outcome indicators;
• Analyze initiatives to capture impact of projects’ initiatives on poverty and sustainable development goals;
• Contribute to progress reports to the donors.

Ensure the overall quality of analysis as well as M&E and lessons learned products:

• Based on the UNDP Capacity Development Framework design a toolkit for undertaking quick capacity assessments for public institutions and provide input for capacity development needs and approaches;
• Using the developed toolkit, undertake capacity assessment of selected public institutions, which should include assessment of institutional, organizational or human resource capacities and set the basis for appropriate capacity development response strategy under ODS and CDF mechanisms;
• Provide analysis and technical advice at the design stage of requests for support development of the sub-project documents, such as: result framework, risk log and M&E plan and facilitate monitoring during the implementation phase;
• Mainstream gender in M&E frameworks;
• Monitor and Evaluate the project/sub-project implementation process/results;
• Evaluate all initiatives within 6-month period after their completion;
• Maintain, coordinate and ensure compliance of the programmes and projects setup in Atlas and other corporate systems (such as Integrated Workplan, Results-oriented Annual Reporting, Executive Snapshot) and provide accurate and timely input information into these systems as required;
• Manage and monitor the Atlas project management module and related tools;
• Promotion of evaluation standards, quality assurance/control and capacity development in the Country Office

Facilitate knowledge building, knowledge sharing and guidance to all stakeholders on M&E matters:

• Develop and implement training modules for the projects’ team/beneficiary agencies in principles of M&E and its application in the projects setting;
• Lead training of the projects’ M&E methodologies and tools for staff and partners;
• Provide monitoring, reporting and evaluation systematic guidance/coaching to GRF/PAR government stakeholders and other partners;
• Guide staff and implementing partners in preparing their progress reports to include important M&E information;
• Develop strategies for involving the projects’ local partners and community stakeholders in collecting data and learning from projects’ findings;
• Conduct field visits to program sites for monitoring and tracking of projects’ activities. Develop site check lists;
• Produce synthesis of lessons learned and best practices in M&E;
• Perform any other duties and responsibilities required within the project.

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional competencies:

• Knowledge management and learning: Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Proven skills in data collection and statistical analysis;
• Knowledge of methodologies, assessment tools, systems and apply practical experience in planning, monitoring, evaluating and reporting and ability to apply to practical situations; 
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals
• Advanced technical skills of presentation designs;
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills;
• Ability to prepare quality reports;
• Strong IT/computer skills, particularly with MS Office, databases and statistical applications (such as: SPSS, STATA).

Development and operational effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects

Education:

• Master’s degree in development, social sciences, public policy, business administration, economics, statistics, public administration, international relations, political science or other related field.

Experience:

• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in designing, managing and implementing results-based monitoring & evaluation activities, preferably for international development projects;
• At least three years of experience planning and conducting evaluations, surveys;
• Proven knowledge of and experience in data collection, analysis and reporting, as well as developing and executing M&E plans;
• Solid experience and knowledge in: M&E methods, approaches, tools (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory); data analysis; indicator selection; database management; reporting;
• Experience working with international donors is required;
• Experience conducting gender analyses is an asset;
• Knowledge of UN/UNDP rules and regulations;
• Sound knowledge of good governance principles and approaches;
• Demonstrated understanding of national policy context related to governance, public administration, local self-governance and regional and local development;
• Strong experience working with implementing partners, such as central/local government, non-governmental organizations;
• Experience in conducting gender analysis is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Georgian and English, Excellent written and oral communication skills in both languages.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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