Programme Planning and Monitoring Officer

UNICEF is committed to realising the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential.

We believe that ensuring a child is happy and healthy begins before birth: from ensuring their mother has access to good health care to reaching adulthood as a healthy, empowered and informed young person of the next generation. This journey relies on every child having access to quality health care, good nutrition, education, and growing up in a safe environment free from violence.

UNICEF was established in 1946 and is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to protect children’s rights, help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. The UNICEF South Africa Country Programme for 2026 –2030 supports national priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework through four programme outcomes: investing in children; child survival and adolescent well-being; education; and child protection, enabled by effective programme coordination, planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. The country programme emphasizes stronger government accountability, strategic use of evidence, interdepartmental coordination, effective public finance management, robust data systems and meaningful participation of children and young people. This National UN Volunteer assignment will strengthen the Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation function within the Programme and Programme Effectiveness. Working under the guidance of the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and in close collaboration with the Deputy Representative, programme sections, management, government counterparts, United Nations entities and implementing partners, the UN Volunteer will help address capacity needs in programme planning, results-based monitoring, corporate and donor reporting, knowledge management, evidence use and programme review processes. The assignment will directly support the UNICEF South Africa Office’s 2026–2027 workplan priorities, including quality assurance of workplans and programme documents, mid-year and end-year reviews, corporate reporting, results-based management, donor and corporate reporting, programme monitoring systems, the Data for Children Dashboard, evidence for planning and reporting results.

Working under the guidance of the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and in close collaboration with the Deputy Representative, programme sections, management, government counterparts, United Nations entities and implementing partners, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Programme planning: Provide technical and administrative support for the development, revision and monitoring of annual and rolling workplans, ensuring alignment with the Country Programme Document, UNSDCF and results-based management principles.
• Programme reviews: Support the planning, organization, documentation and follow-up of annual, mid-year, mid-term and end-year programme reviews, including consolidation of inputs and tracking of agreed actions.
• Corporate reporting: Support preparation and quality assurance of mandatory corporate reports, including results reporting, the Country Office Annual Report narrative, Situation Reports and relevant corporate indicators.
• Results-based monitoring: Support implementation of monitoring frameworks aligned with the Country Programme results framework, workplans and the UNICEF Strategic Plan; track output and outcome indicators; and help maintain indicator reference information, targets, data sources and means of verification.
• Data quality and analysis: Facilitate systematic collection, validation, analysis and presentation of programme performance information, including disaggregation where relevant, to support timely management decision-making.
• Programme monitoring and verification: Contribute to standardized programme monitoring tools, programme visits, partner reviews and follow-up processes to assess implementation progress, verify reported results, identify bottlenecks and track corrective actions.
• Data systems and dashboards: Assist in maintaining monitoring databases, trackers, dashboards and information management systems, including support to the institutionalization and use of the Data for Children Dashboard for sub national planning.
• Donor reporting and proposals: Maintain the donor reporting schedule; communicate deadlines and requirements; support drafting, review and quality assurance of donor reports and proposals; track submissions; and maintain complete records in accordance with established procedures.
• Knowledge management: Support day-to-day management of Enterprise Content Management repositories, including document organization, tagging, user guidance, troubleshooting and staff capacity-building; organize learning events and promote exchange of good practices.
• Partnerships and capacity strengthening: Participate in relevant inter-agency monitoring and evaluation processes; support joint UNSDCF planning and reporting; and maintain effective working relationships with government, civil society, academia and other partners.
• Other support: Undertake related planning, monitoring, reporting, evaluation and knowledge-management tasks as assigned by the supervisor, consistent with the assignment’s scope.