Gender and Monitoring & Evaluation Officer (Open to Mauritius Nationality only)

In partnership with the Government of Mauritius and the support of International Donor community, UNDP is implementing a number of programmes and projects under the Country Programme Document (CPD), 2017-2020. The ongoing programme focuses on women’s economic empowerment, socio-economic development, gender equality, democratic governance, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and energy and environment.

Gender Equality is one of the core objectives of UNDP and is implemented throughout the organization in a two-pronged approach: mainstreaming gender in all core practices; and dedicated interventions that empower women and promote gender equality. UNDP’s work on gender is guided by the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework, UNDP’s Signature Solution 6 on Gender Equality, and country specific gender priorities.

Gender equality, centered in human rights, is both a development goal on its own and a critical cross-cutting factor for achieving sustainable development. It underlies one of the guiding principles of the 2030 Agenda for Development – the concept of 'leaving no one behind'. UNDP supports partners to eliminate gender inequalities through targeted, gender-focused programmes and by working to ensure that all development efforts consider the experiences, needs, and contributions of women. To promote the achievement of SDGs, UNDP Mauritius is making efforts to ensure gender is an integral and gender considerations are fully mainstreamed into agenda at all levels of its operations and programmes.

In this context, the UNDP Country Office is seeking the services of a Gender and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Officer who will be in charge of efficiently implementing the above-mentioned initiatives. Within gender aspects, the incumbent will be responsible to ensure that gender considerations are fully mainstreamed into the projects’ results frameworks, project activities and outputs, in line with available guidance, and to produce a participatory gender analysis and action plan for the project’s life cycle and assist in preparation of the baseline, activities, terms of reference, workplan, implementation and reporting of the project. The objective of the work is to identify entry points for mainstreaming gender considerations, make recommendations to maximize the project’s contribution to women’s empowerment and promote gender equality.

Within M&E aspects, the incumbent will be responsible to ensure the effective implementation of the CO’s M&E Strategy that is in line with the measures set by the Executive Board for the resumption of UNDP operations, development of M&E plan and activities sets appropriate monitoring and evaluation requirements for UNDP projects and programme, and assumes overall responsibility for M&E related data collection, collation, analysis and reporting (internal and external). The objective of the work is to manage to assess the country programme and project relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of results; evaluations are carried out in a credible and systematic manner; evaluation lessons and recommendations are used for programme and project design, contribute to implementation of UN Strategic Framework (UNSF) priorities and results.

The position will be co-funded from Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund and other funded projects and therefore the incumbent will have to provide services to all Environment portfolio projects primarily and to the Environment programme specifically as well.

In this context, the role of the Gender and M&E Officer will be to ensure that gender considerations are fully mainstreamed into all relevant components throughout the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of the UNDP country programme and projects  as in line with achievement efforts of SDGs.

Summary of Key Functions

• Ensure gender concerns are mainstreamed in macro, micro economic policies, national development frameworks and sectorial policies and programs;
• Ensure implementation of the monitoring and evaluation system for the portfolio;
• Provide substantive contributions on capacity building and knowledge management.

Ensure gender concerns are mainstreamed in macro, micro economic policies, national development frameworks and sectorial policies and programs

• Review available national laws and policy document(s) in Mauritius to assess gender responsiveness thereof;
• Conduct a situation analysis on the status of gender equality in Mauritius in identified areas;
• Design and when required review gender strategies of other approved climate change adaptation and mitigation projects which are funded by GEF, GCF and various donors; 
• Carry out a participatory gender analysis to fully consider the different needs, roles, benefits, impacts, risks and access to/control over resources of women and men (including considerations of intersecting categories of identity such as age, social status, ethnicity, marital status, etc.) in the given programmes and projects under the Country Programme and collect gender responsive baseline data relevant to projects planning and monitoring, identify the share of female and male direct beneficiaries;
• Design and when required review programmes and projects results framework and theory of change: suggest gender-responsive improvements, as needed, to outcomes, baselines, targets, and indicators for the project results framework and ensure that all applicable indicators are disaggregated by sex and other relevant, intersecting forms of identity;
• Provide appropriate measures and solutions taken to address barriers in decision making, capacity building and climate change adaptation and mitigation planning to promote gender equality; 
• Develop a Gender Action Plan for the projects with annual outputs to facilitate implementation of activities that promote gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Assist in identifying opportunities and developing partnerships to promote UNDP Strategy and UNDP Gender Equality Policy with gender equality/women’s governmental institutions, local women’s NGOs/CSOs, relevant national stakeholders, various donor institutions and other Developing Partners, especially African Development Bank;
• Support the Country Office to implement the Gender Equality Strategy, and Gender Equality Seal and contribute to country level, sub-regional, regional and inter-agency initiatives related to gender issues.

Ensure implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation system for the portfolio

• Facilitate and substantively contribute to the incorporation of monitoring and evaluation activities into project implementation, ensuring Result Based Management (RBM) standards are integrated in project activities and contributing knowledge building and capacity building on RBM for CPD;
• Lead on and ensure quality contributions to the Results Oriented Annual Report (ROAR), various annual and progress reports, including provision of quality Programme data according to a predefined set of indicators and other requirements, for the donors as GEF, GCF, AF and amongst other donors;
• Evaluate results achieved by the projects against their targets and track overall progress in achieving objectives in accordance with UNDP Evaluation Policy, UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures and UN Evaluation Norms and Standards;
• Contribute to the development of annual workplans and M&E plans with gender perspective;
• Identify appropriate gender sensitive indicators, targets and activities in the implementation of the project;
• Evaluate and assess gender sensitiveness of the project results framework, outcomes, objectives, project indicators and targets and track overall progress and results in gender mainstreaming;
• Conduct gender analysis and gender impact assessment by liaising with the relevant authorities for the collection of gender related information, especially with regard to intersection areas of women headed household and environment related issues e.g. PV installation;
• Identify gaps and needs for collecting age and sex disaggregated data and provide strategies to ensure quality assurance in data collection;
• Promote a results-based approach for monitoring and evaluation on gender, providing road maps, emphasizing results and impact with genders aspects;
• Conduct consultation meetings with the relevant public and private sectors, line ministries, women’s groups and NGOs, including development partners population;
• Assist in developing of annual reports on M&E progress of the portfolio on gender equality and mainstreaming against tracking M&E activities included in the Quarterly Annual Work Plan and the M&E plan, with focus on results and impacts.

Provide substantive contribution on capacity building and knowledge management

• Substantively contribute to capacity building and knowledge building on gender perspective of existing lessons and best practices;
• Identify and disseminate good practices, lessons and knowledge of gender mainstreaming as identified through project implementation, monitoring and evaluation activities;
• Contribute to the development of capacity development plans, tools, including training materials and knowledge packages for national partners and key stakeholders, related to gender mainstreaming through M&E activities;
• Promote the awareness and understanding of the shared responsibility of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) among all project staff members through communication, training, learning and development activities;
• Provision of high-quality analysis and substantive inputs to SPF, CPD and other strategic documents, including  gender sensitive aspects;
• Overview and reviewing the legislative structures, policies and regulations already in place in Mauritius, enhance understanding of legislation on the governance of gender in general and the capacities of the key institutions;
• Develop and disseminate the best practices on adaptation of gender mainstreaming in the international agenda to the Mauritian context;
• Support the programme unit with mainstreaming of gender in related perspectives within UNDP programmes and project as required;
• Provide hands-on training and capacity building support for UNDP staff and Government officials, public institutions, civil society organizations on sectorial gender issues.

Corporate Competencies

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate sound judgment and transparent decision making;
• Demonstrate self-development, initiative, and team player spirit;
• Communicate effectively and constructively;
• Creating synergies through self-control; and
• Learn and share knowledge with others.

Functional Competencies
Building Strategic Partnerships

• Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things informed by evidence-based analysis from a gender perspective.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

• Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

• Uses information/databases/other management systems.

Client Orientation

• Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
• Responds to client needs promptly.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

• Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Informed and transparent decision making;
• Strong expertise in data collection and management;
• Proven and extensive experience in institutional analysis.

Education

• Master’s degree in gender studies, gender development, social sciences, economics, international development, or a related discipline.

Experience       

• A minimum of five years of working experience;
• Experience in designing participatory gender analysis, experience in collecting and formulating gender responsive indicators and sex-disaggregated data and preparing gender responsive project analysis and implementing gender-related activities;
• Experience in developing gender action plans;
• Proven experience in analysis of gender issues in Mauritius;
• Understanding of links between issues of gender, environment and climate change;
• Experience working on policy and programmatic issues with national and local governments and civil society organizations including community organizations;
• •Experience in facilitating gender responsive stakeholder meetings is highly desired;
• Experience with project development and results-based management methodologies is highly desired;
• Experience in implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities using the results-based management methodology;
• Good knowledge of best practices in gender mainstreaming would be desirable;
• Demonstrated excellent knowledge of data collection methodologies;
• Excellent IT and analytical skills especially proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in spoken and written English and French;
• Creole is desirable.

Other

• Non-Smoking environment;
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Important applicant information

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

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UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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