Officer, Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The Harare Cluster Office based in Zimbabwe (Harare) covers 3 countries (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe). 

Job Purpose

The PMER officer is responsible for ensuring planning, monitoring and evaluation and reporting (PMER) for the programmes covered by the cluster office and provides technical assistance and support to IFRC project managers and Red Cross-National Societies (NS) in PMER. 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The PMER officer will have the following responsibilities:

Planning

• Provide technical assistance in program planning and annual reviews and the review of all relevant documents such as the logic model, performance measurement framework, which includes indicators as well as monitoring and evaluation plan, annual work plans and project implementation plans.
• Develop capacity in these areas within the IFRC and NS teams.
• Coordinate the effective implementation of needs assessments, gap analysis or baseline survey where required.
• Enforce the implementation of IFRC policies and tools for planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Develop processes/procedures and tools that support the data collection and analysis in a quality and credible manner.
• Ensure that cross cutting issues (gender equality, governance and environmental sustainability) are properly mainstreamed when required.
• Promote that lessons learned, and best practices are being integrated into projects and plans, promoting a learning culture within the IFRC cluster and the Red Cross NS.

Monitoring

• Support IFRC and NS staff in the development or enhancement of monitoring plans and systems.
• Support the design/development and maintaining of project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems to ensure smooth measurement of the indicators according to the needs of the project, the IFRC policies and the requirements of donors.
• Support the design/review and implementation of data collection systems to measure the indicators; the design and maintenance of an electronic data management system; and lead data analysis.
• Provide the necessary training and coaching to staff on how to use the data collection tools.
• Inform the project managers on the progress based on the findings of data analysis and recommend necessary adjustments to implementation plans.
• Support IFRC staff and NS in the execution of mid-project surveys.
• Develop knowledge management and learning mechanisms among IFRC and NS staff, promoting a learning culture within the IFRC cluster and the Red Cross NS.

Evaluation

• Participate in the design and management of evaluations activities for the Harare cluster, including hiring and management of consultants where required.
• Participate in mid- term and final project evaluations including operational audits of project/program activities when required.
• Contribute to the development of terms of references, inception reports and data collection tools.
• Review and provide feedback to draft evaluation reports.
• Ensure effective and concrete participation of NS staff in the evaluations, promoting a participatory approach.
• Monitor and support the implementation of the recommendations from the evaluations and report the status on a regular basis.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Reporting

• Develop and maintain a calendar and tracking tool for all IFRC and NS reports, ensuring that project managers are aware of their reporting obligations.
• Provide technical assistance to IFRC program teams and NS in results-based reporting.
• Lead the preparation of projects narrative reports and consolidate inputs from different stakeholders when required.
• Support the cluster office in the development of monthly regular reports about all activities in the cluster.

Capacity building

• In collaboration with NS PMER counterparts, identify M&E training needs of project staff and volunteers.
• Contribute to increasing the technical capacity of NS staff in the area of planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Organize and conduct refresher trainings on PMER for project and NS staff as needed.
• Provide technical support and advice to NS PMER counterparts on an ad hoc basis.

Pledge Management

• Develop a cluster database of pledges to follow up on deadlines, reporting requirements and deadlines, key correspondence with partners, etc.
• In coordination with project managers and PRD in Harare, follow up on overdue pledges aiming for minimal and acceptable overdue pledge balances and preparing a monthly report of the same. 

Education

• University degree, or equivalent, in relevant discipline (International Relations, Humanitarian Affairs, etc.)
• Relevant post-graduate degree or MBA (or equivalent)
• Relevant professional training or relevant experience in monitoring, performance-based management, planning and evaluation

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years work experience in reporting and planning.
• Minimum of 3 years work experience in a non-profit organisation.
• Experience developing, communicating and implementing information management tools.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Superior writing and editing skills.
• Excellent communication and inter-personal skills.
• Excellent relationship building skills; ability to build and strengthen internal Networks.
• Expertise in planning processes.
• Conducting and/or supervising needs assessments and surveys, data analysis.
• Fluently spoken and written English

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Communication
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Judgement and Decision Making
• National Society and Customer Relations
• Creativity and Innovation
• Building Trust