Monitoring and Evaluation (Research and Learning) Specialist

UNOPS -Somalia Country Office (SOCO) is recruiting this position to be based in Mogadishu-Somalia and qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to help shape UNOPS’ efforts to support the expansion of affordable, accountable and effective policing in Somalia.

Background on Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya

Working with the SSJP II Technical Lead, the Monitoring & Evaluation (Research and Learning)- MERL  Specialist will set the overall strategic and technical direction for Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya's adaptive MERL approach. They will lead regular reviews of the programme’s theory of change, and ensure that evidence and learning from monitoring, evaluation and research informs the programme’s understanding of causal pathways, and is reflected in the adaptations to the programme’s approach. The MERL Specialist will additionally be responsible for assuring the quality of Implementing Partners’ own monitoring systems and data, and ensuring that monitoring and research conducted by various partners within the programme is shared freely and contributes coherently to the overall programme MERL approach. The MERL Specialist will support the development of an integrated learning agenda, and ensure that monitoring, learning and research activities are directed in such a way that addresses the programme’s learning priorities. They will support the identification of capacity and learning requirements among partners, and work with the Technical Lead and Programme Delivery Lead to deliver appropriate responses that build partners’ long-term technical and organizational capacity. Finally, s/he will have a critical role in helping to establish and foster an enabling and authorizing environment in which the programme as a whole actively reflects on learning and evidence from monitoring, evaluation and research and adapts its planning, design and delivery approach in response. 

• Review the available programme documentation and evidence to inform facilitated ToC workshops and engagements.
• Recommend an approach through consultation with the Director of Security and Justice, and UNOPS’ GESI and Social Norms Advisor.
• During the programme design phase, prepare and facilitate virtual ToC engagements with UNOPS’ SSJP core team members to refine and complete the ToC. Complete a draft narrative ToC and recommend changes to the ToC visual diagramme to reflect discussions. This process should include refined impact, outcome, and output statements; clear articulation of assumptions, risks and timelines; and interrogation of the available evidence and interdependencies for pathways to change.
• Support and facilitate ongoing interrogation and refinement of Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya’s ToC with UNOPS’ core team and programme partners to reflect learning and evidence and to inform programme design.

• Set and maintain the strategic and technical direction for Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya’s overall MERL approach; 
• Provide technical oversight for the development and implementation of the programme’s MERL framework, and the tools and processes that support it; 
• Provide technical quality assurance and advice for Implementing Partners’ own monitoring systems and data, and ensure that monitoring and research conducted by various partners contributes coherently to the overall programme MERL approach;
• Identify capacity and learning opportunities with Implementing partners, and support Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya’s Senior Management Team define Terms of Reference for technical assistance to meet those requirements;
• Support capacity development of Implementing partners in their ability to design, implement and meaningfully use adaptive MERL systems and tools, including to measure progress towards transformational change in gender and social inclusion; and
• Advise the programme on how monitoring data should be managed, stored and analysed in a manner that allows for continual assessment of intervention effectiveness, efficiency and relevance throughout the life of the programme.

• Support identification of programme-wide learning priorities and a strategy to address those; 
• Ensure data and analysis derived from monitoring, evaluation and research across the programme supports evidence-based adaptation and contributes to an expanded evidence base for security and justice programming; 
• Support programme partners to access and utilise evidence from the programme MERL approach to inform decisions on programme design and delivery;
• Advise the SMT on the development of processes, which enable technical team members to make use of MERL data generated by the programme to inform the development and evolution of programme’s implementation approaches; and
• Contribute to the external communication of learning and evidence generated by Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya. 

• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance of work plans submitted by the MERL Supplier and support the Team Leader in their review and approval; 
• Work with the Technical Lead to ensure appropriate integration of international best practice and expected levels of quality and rigour in all aspects relating to MERL;
• Contribute to Risk Management and Safeguarding Frameworks; and 
• Contribute to Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya reporting to donors including by supporting Nabadgelinta Soomaaliya team members to make appropriate use of MERL data.

• Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science/Security Management/Development Studies, Education, Information Technology (ICT), Law or other relevant discipline is required.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science/Security Management/Development Studies, Education, Information Technology (ICT), Law in combination with additional two (2) years is acceptable in lieu of the advance degree. 

 B. Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years’ or more experience in  designing, delivering or advising on Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) for development programmes in fragile and conflict-affected environments is required. 
• At least two (2) years of experience on adaptive programming approaches and tools to support evidence-based adaptation is required; 
• Experience in development monitoring and evaluation tools and systems to measure transformative change in gender and social inclusion is an asset; 
• Experience in leading the development, testing and refining of programme theories of change for complex programmes involving multiple partners is a significant advantage; 
• Experience working for/with international development agencies overseas, engaging and managing multiple stakeholders is a significant advantage.
• Technical expertise in the areas of security and justice reform; gender and social inclusion; gender-based violence; and/or women, peace and security is a significant advantage; 
• Experience working with programmes engaged with security and justice reform, including both state and non-state/customary systems is a significant advantage.
• Experience/knowledge of Google Suite products, especially google forms, sheets, docs and slides is an asset.

• Fluency in English Language (i.e.writing, reading  and speaking) is required.

• 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 the Desk Review process 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.
• Mogadishu is not a Family Duty Station. However, the duty station will be temporily be based in Nairobi due the security challenges in Mogadishu until we are able to officially mobilize.
• 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.

1. Contract type: International Individual Contract Agreement (IICA)
2. Contract level: IICA 2 /ICS 10
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA / Open-ended contract subject to organizational requirement, availability of funds and or satisfactory performance. 

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.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.

Somalia Country Office:

UNOPS Somalia Country Office (SOCO) has had a solid and continuous in-country expert presence successfully implementing programs since the mid-1990s, where it is currently undertaking various projects and initiatives in close collaboration with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Federal Member States (FMS) and partners from the global donor community. UNOPS’ projects in Somalia focus on several key sectors that include infrastructure development, institutional capacity building, project management, advisory services, and procurement services. These projects cut across multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, national security, law enforcement, immigration services, justice, transport, and public works among others. UNOPS work in Somalia is geared towards driving growth and development in the country, a process that requires developing a close relationship with the FGS and the other development partners.   
Through its involvement in Somalia’s development process, UNOPS is providing transparent and accountable solutions in the country’s state and nation-building process. In addition, UNOPS is also committed to implementing the United Nations Strategic Framework Somalia 2017 – 2020, with the aim of helping Somalia achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. UNOPS work within the context of these commitments means that the projects it implements in Somalia are specifically designed to provide long-term solutions in the country, leading to sustainable and inclusive growth.

What drives us is a passion to fight inequalities and to provide opportunities to those most vulnerable. This means we often work in the most challenging environments, building foundations for communities to function and people to live with dignity and respect.

To succeed here, he/she need to be able to combine creativity with the organizational skills to manage numerous different projects to tight deadlines simultaneously, as well as working with the different units to meet their expectations.