Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Specialist

The Strengthening Capacity and Effectiveness of the People’s Assemblies System in Laos (STEPS) Project is a five-year initiative (2022-2026) implemented by UNDP, together with the National and Provincial People’s Assemblies, with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The overall goal of STEPS is to strengthen capacity of the legislature in Laos to effectively represent, engage and respond to citizen’s needs. The project will support the national and provincial assemblies (members, technical committees and staff) in enhancing their mandates and ability to revise and approve legislation, monitor implementation of the country socio-economic development plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), better analyse societal concerns and communicate with citizens, and enhance the overall accountability and transparency system.

The MEL Specialist has overall responsibility for monitoring, evaluation, learning and results reporting activities for the project.  Key tasks include:

• Lead on development and completion of the project M&E framework based on the final approved project work plan, to include:
  • Results and indicators table
  • Results monitoring tool
  • Periodic results reporting tool
  • M&E Tools developed by USAID
• Set up and maintain a database for the management of the indicator framework.  In collaboration with data providers, identify data sourcing methods and agree on all aspects of budget, frequency, reporting, etc.
• Collect and document baseline information and provide monitoring data to key project management processes.
• Support project staff and staff in the National Assembly Secretariat in the reporting of project activities and undertake quality assurance of project activities.
• As required, support the development by each assembly of their own performance management/monitoring systems in accordance with their strategic and operational plans.
• Systematically document and disseminate project lessons.
• Support the reporting and communications officer.

Development of STEPS Project M&E framework:

• Produce the project M&E framework in accordance with the project’s MEL Plan.
• Guide and coordinate the review of the project results table including: 
• Provide technical advice for the revision of performance indicators. 
• Ensure realistic intermediate and end-of-project targets are defined.
• Identify sources of data, collection methods, who collects data, how often, cost of collection and who analyzes it. 
• Ensure gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) is integrated in the MEL framework and in results reporting
• Identify the requirements for collecting baseline data, prepare terms of reference, support contracting of a baseline survey/ies, and monitor progress.
• Contribute to the development of Annual Work Plans, setting of annual targets and prepare a detailed MEL budget and calendar of MEL activities. 

Implementation of STEPS Project M&E framework:

• Oversee and execute MEL activities as per the Annual Work Plan, with particular focus on results and impacts as well as on lesson learning. 
• Prepare a quarterly results tracker with key activities, indicators, baseline and targets under four result areas to obtain quarterly progress towards attainment of the annual results 
• Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of MEL and to identify where adaptations might be needed. 
• Prepare draft TORs and evaluation questions for reviews and evaluations in accordance with UNDP guidance.
• Ensure that project’s results are well captured in the UNDP’s corporate platforms:  Integrated Work Plan, ROAR, Annual Business Plan, Strategic Plan reporting etc.

Capacity development:

• Provide advice, support and recommend assistance to project management in regard to monitoring and evaluation, performance management/ monitoring and results reporting.
• Organize and provide training in MEL for reporting officer and project and counterpart staff and primary stakeholders with view to developing local MEL capacity.
• Recommend and develop strategies to measure the performance of the Assemblies and support them to implement mechanisms for the collection and verification of performance data.

Lesson learning:

• Working with the Chief Technical Advisor and Project Manager, support the design and implementation of a system to identify, analyse, document and disseminate lessons learned. 
• Document lessons learned by the project with a focus on results, impact and outcomes, and present these at least every 6 months.
• In coordination with the STEPS Reporting and Communications Officer, collect case studies to illustrate challenges, progress and innovation in the project’s work with the Assemblies.  These should include a GESI perspective.