Background

The Egyptian Red Sea Initiative (ERSI) is a national flagship programme directly implemented by UNDP in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). 

It aims to protect and enhance the ecological and economic value of the Red Sea’s globally renowned, climate-resilient coral reef systems. Its core objective is to achieve financial and operational sustainability for coral reef conservation in the Red Sea, recognising the reefs as a critical biological and economic asset for Egypt – underpinning tourism, fisheries, coastal livelihoods and local value chains.

ERSI is structured as a “portfolio of solutions” that works along interconnected outcomes and outputs tracks. These tracks include:

• A dedicated financing vehicle – the Egyptian Fund for Coral Reefs (EFCR) – designed as a blended-finance conservation fund to channel and combine public, private and philanthropic capital. By using concessional and development finance to de-risk investments, EFCR aims to crowd in private capital for projects that protect coral reefs while generating local economic benefits.
• A Coral Reef Business Incubator (CRBI) that supports “reef-positive” micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the blue and coastal economy, helping them become investment-ready through technical assistance, incubation and early-stage support. This creates a pipeline of investable projects for EFCR and other impact investors.
• Direct support to community-based solutions in key reef-linked sectors – such as responsible and eco-tourism, circular and sustainable waste management (including organic waste recycling into urban agricultural inputs), and restorative aquaculture and mariculture that contribute to ecosystem recovery.
• Strengthening conservation management and environmental monitoring systems for coral reefs and associated ecosystems, including ecological assessments, building on tools like Green Fins Egypt, and supporting effective protected area management and business plans.
• Policy and institutional support to create an enabling environment for reef-positive action, including improved regulatory frameworks, incentive mechanisms and governance models that support sustainable use of coastal and marine resources.

The project has defined set of outputs, outcomes and indicators that require robust monitoring, adaptive management and learning to ensure quality delivery and long-term sustainability. As a UNDP project, ERSI explicitly embraces results-based management, adaptive implementation and learning.

To support this, ERSI seeks to engage a Results-Based Analyst to lead on strengthening and operationalizing the project’s results framework, monitoring system, and learning processes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the ERSI Project Manager, the RBM Analyst will ensure that the project is implemented and monitored against a robust results framework that responds to both programme-level indicators and GFCR outcome-level indicators, and that monitoring requirements are embedded in all relevant partner agreements and consultancy ToRs.

The main areas of responsibility are:

3.1 Ensure the implementation of monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies

• Lead the design and continuous refinement of the ERSI Monitoring and Evaluation strategy from the outset, ensuring alignment with ERSI programme-level outputs, and GFCR outcome-level indicators and reporting requirements.
• Ensure that the agreed M&E framework is embedded in all agreements with partners and consultants (e.g. inclusion of indicators, targets, reporting formats and data responsibilities in MoUs, contracts, ToRs, and partner workplans).
• Ensure implementation of the ERSI monitoring and evaluation framework in compliance with UNDP RBM standards, GFCR requirements and national policies, as applicable.
• Regularly review and update (as necessary) the ERSI results framework and performance indicators, in coordination with national partners, technical advisors (financing, policy, conservation, incubator) and implementing partners.
• Lead the development and refinement of M&E tools and processes that can accommodate a diverse set of activities, including:
• Ecological monitoring and conservation management (e.g. GFRPA, Green Fins).
• Financial and fund-related monitoring (e.g. EFCR capitalization, blended finance instruments, parametric insurance).
• Policy and institutional changes.
• Enterprise and community-based economic activities (incubator, ecotourism, waste management, aquaculture).
• Ensure and support regular monitoring of programmatic activities in the field, including frequent presence in Red Sea governorates and close engagement with implementing partners.
• Identify potential results gaps and implementation bottlenecks (e.g. underperforming indicators, missing data, misaligned activities) and proactively recommend and follow up on corrective actions with the PMU and partners.

3.2 Support effective management and coordination of the monitoring and evaluation process

• Support the planning and coordination of monitoring activities for the PMU and implementing partners, including joint field missions and review meetings.
• Participate in internal planning meetings and provide real-time feedback on results implications of proposed activities.
• Provide technical support to national programmes and implementing partners for the implementation of monitoring and evaluation plans, tools and reporting schedules.
• Work closely with government counterparts, technical advisors and implementing partners to receive and verify programmatic and results reports, providing feedback on performance, data gaps and quality issues.
• Collect, validate and analyze aggregated data from implementing partners and advisory services, ensuring coherence, comparability and timely updates of the ERSI indicator tracking system.
• Support the development or review of data collection tools, templates and the project database, ensuring data quality, timeliness and disaggregation.
• Assess the M&E and RBM capacities of implementing partners, technical counterparts and PMU staff, and propose and implement targeted capacity development plans to strengthen them.
• Monitor progress against performance indicators, milestones and GFCR outcome indicators and prepare concise analytical notes, dashboards and presentations for Steering Committee meetings, internal reviews, donor briefings, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports as needed. 
• Feed monitoring insights directly into project coordination and decision-making, helping the PMU adjust activities, timelines and resource allocations based on evidence.

    3.3 Ensure facilitation of knowledge generation, learning and sharing

• Work with the PMU and communications/knowledge colleagues to translate M&E findings lessons learnt, good practices and innovative models into user-friendly knowledge products (e.g. briefs, success stories, case studies, learning notes, slide decks).

Perform other RBM/M&E-related tasks within the incumbent’s functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the ERSI PMU and UNDP Country Office.

Institutional Arrangement 

The RBM Analyst will work under the overall supervision of the ERSI Project Manager and in close coordination with the Chief Programme Advisor and UNDP Country Office Programme Team. The Analyst will work day-to-day with the PMU staff, technical advisors (financing, policy, conservation, incubator) and implementing partners, including government counterparts and NGOs operating in the Red Sea governorates. The position will be based in Cairo with regular travel to the field as required, and will participate in internal coordination meetings, Steering Committee preparations and relevant UNDP corporate RBM/M&E processes.

Competencies:

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies :

Required Skills and Experience:

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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