Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

UNOPS Myanmar has been selected by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) to provide “Project Management and Technical Assistance” for the implementation of Eastern States Agri-business Project (ESAP) which is financed by IFAD and implemented by IWUMD. The project’s goal is to improve the economic status of poor rural women and men in selected areas of Kayin and Shan states. Its objective is to increase the incomes of smallholder and agroforestry households in these areas in an environmentally sustainable manner. It will promote commercial smallholder agriculture linked to agribusiness, improve living standards of the rural communities, and reverse the environmental degradation. Economic benefits will be generated for 62,400 households consisting of 315,000 people of Karen, Shan, Pa-oh, Inn and Mon ethnic groups.

The Project components are (1) Strategic Investment (2) Enabling Investment and (3) Project Management. Under the Strategic Investment Component, there are two sub components namely Land Development and Agro-forestry. Under the Enabling Investment Component, there are two sub components namely Investment in Knowledge and Micro Finance Services. The lead project implementing agency is the Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department (IWUMD) of the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) Myanmar. The Project Implementation cooperating agencies are the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Rural Development (DRD), Department of Agriculture Land Management and Statistic (DALMS), Department of Agricultural Mechanization (DAM), Department of the Agriculture Research (DAR) under the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Irrigation. ESAP Project Management Unit (PMU) is located in Naypyitaw while the Project Implementation Offices (PIOs) are located in Taunggyi (Shan State) and Pha-an (Kayin State). The total project cost is USD 65.2 million over a six-year implementation period.

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will be assigned to the Sub-Component 3, Project Management.  He/she will be working with the Investigation Branch under the Irrigation and Water Resource Utilization Management Department (IWUMD) under the guidance of the Project Management Advisor and the Project Director.

Review the Project’s  logical framework: hierarchy of  objectives, indicators, means of verification,  assumptions and risks and advise the project management for improvement to ac efficient and comprehensive monitoring and  measurement of the project achievement.

Set up an  M&E system including  M&E guidelines, implementation arrangements,  and M&E plan which:

• fully address the project logical framework and IFAD Results and Impact Management System (RIMS);

• comply with the Project Financing Agreement, Letter to the Borrower, Project Implementation Plan (PIM);

• collect and provide essential data and information to the project management and project implementing partners for timely and effective decision making and learning; 

• synergize the M&E systems of project implementing partners, i.e. government and non-government implementing partners including service providers;

• capture the project’s lessons learned, good practices and innovations to guide project implementation and for policy dialogue/development;

Develop an evaluation framework/strategy to measure project outcomes and impact, and subsequently draft a Terms of Reference for the conduct of baseline, mid-line and end-line studies which will be conducted by a service provider. 

Lead and guide the project team in developing M&E templates, forms, questionnaires, conducting survey, data collection, data consolidation, data processing, generalizing and report production.  In this respect, the consultant will review the current templates and analytical tools developed by the project, e.g. village profiling.

Draft M&E capacity building plan for the project national and field staff at the state and district level. Train the National M&E Specialist in  the implementation of the capacity building plan. 

Develop a framework for the Project’s database and  Project Management Information System (MIS) which can be set-up by the Project’s M&E hired staff.

Type of Assignment and Duration

The assignment is intermittent for three person months.  The consultant will present its work plan which will be approved by the Project management. At the end of the engagement, the consultant will prepare a report acceptable to the Project. 

• Study Project Design, Loan Agreement, Logical Framework.

• Consult the Government M&E Officials of MOALI and IWUMD.

• Review the data and information, reports produced by PMU.  

• Conduct M&E workshop to present the findings and M&E Guidelines (Manual). 

• Actively interact with other Project personals and groups to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.

• Provide feedback to Practice Leads on policy, supporting guidance with an aim towards continuous improvement of UNOPS policies

• Complete lessons learned as per reporting format

• Incorporate lessons learned from others as per planning format

• Understand and respect UNOPS sustainability principles

• Look for ways to embed UNOPS sustainability principles.

• Seek opportunities to champion gender equality at the workplace.

• Understand and Respect National ownership and capacity

• Understand the principles of the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness and mainstream them into the project plans

• Look for ways to build capacity of local counterparts

Partnerships and Coordination 

• Understand the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and UNOPS, the project’s place in the UN system

• Strive to build strong partnerships and effective coordination among relevant project actors (e.g. United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations or other relevant partners) 

Accountability for results and the use of resources

• Service agreements, contracting, procurement of the works are in line with the role and regulation of the donor and transparent. To report to the project management in case of any doubt arising. 

Excellence

• Contribute to innovation and the adaptation of best practice standards of sustainability and quality.

• Master’s Degree in Management,  development studies or equivalent is required.

• A Bachelor’s degree in the same fields with additional two years relevant experience can be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.

• Minimum 5 years in Monitoring and Evaluation experience with International Organizations.

• Experience working with Loan Projects is preferred.

• Working experience in developing countries, preferably in Southeast Asia.

• Stakeholder relationship management experience is an asset.

• Fluency in both written and spoken English is required.

Contract type: ICA Contract level: I-ICA 2
Contract duration: Short-term ICA – Maximum duration 3 months

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.