Monitoring & Evaluation and Research Coordinator (Home-Based) (IPSA8)

UNDP is on the ground in more than 170 countries provides a global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. Across Asia and the Pacific, UNDP helps countries build and share their own solutions to urgent development challenges, supporting coalitions for change and connecting individuals and institutions so they can share knowledge, experience, and resources.

In the Asia and Pacific region, UNDP drives one of the largest youth movement for empowerment, equality, social inclusion, and social justice (Youth Co:Lab). The programme empowers and invests in youth, so that they can accelerate the implementation of the SDGs through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. Working with partners in government and the private sector, UNDP is co-creating national and regional programmes positioning young people front and center to solve the region’s pressing problems. Through our country offices we are working with young people to build entrepreneurial skills and capacity, help governments increase engagement with young people by creating supportive policy and regulatory environments; and working with private sector, academia and other partners to create an enabling ecosystem for young social entrepreneurs.

Over the last 5 years, Youth Co:Lab has supported young social entrepreneurs in 28 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific. The national dialogues, regional summits and social innovation challenges have reached over 200,000 youth participants. The initiative has benefitted over 11,000 young social entrepreneurs and helped to launch or improve over 1,240 youth-led social enterprises. Youth Co:Lab has also established partnerships with 202 key ecosystem players through a Youth Empowerment Alliance.

Building on this success and the growing context in Asia-Pacific region in relation to climate agenda, skills agenda and governance agenda, Bangkok Regional Hub will develop the next phase of the regional youth programme 2023-2026 which aims to scale the efforts with key private sector, bi-lateral donors and IFIs.

With this context, UNDP is seeking the services of a junior coordinator to support with coordinating M&E and Research activities of the Regional Youth Project.

The M&E and Research Coordinator will report to the Regional Youth and Civil Society Specialist with the close collaboration with BRH Programme Management Unit and with the Global Policy Network, UNDP country offices and other key parties. The success of the project depends on the timely delivery of each component.  The Project Manager should ensure timely identification of potential risks and signal any delays in deliverables. The contract will be effective immediately upon signature by UNDP.

UNDP BRH will have the following responsibilities: (i) Provide relevant documents; (ii) Discuss and agree on the methodologies of the assignment; and (iii) Monitor and evaluate the progress of the assignment. The contract and payments will be performance-based and regularly assessed by UNDP BRH. All travel expenses to and from the target area should be included in the financial proposal.

The present ToR may be subject to modification, without changing the overall objective and the scope of work, on the basis of mutual consultations. UNDP will hold the copyright of the assignment deliverables.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Coordinating development and management of the new Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and reporting system of the Regional Youth Project, in close coordination with the UNDP BRH Regional Youth Team and UNDP country offices.
• Project reporting in accordance with project requirements both internally to UNDP and to project donors.
• Supporting coordination of the grant evaluation of the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform Initiation project, working closely with the Evaluation Consultant.
• Supporting monitoring of management responses of the 2021 Regional Youth Project Evaluation.
• Coordinating delivery and publication of an external facing report disseminating the results and lessons learnt derived from the donor report of the Youth Co:Lab project.
• Providing data and evidence to support the development of necessary project components for the next phase of the Regional Youth Project.
• Providing support and guidance on monitoring and reporting related questions to the Regional Youth Team and UNDP Country Office focal points.

Research Coordination

• Refine the scope, design and methodology of individual research and thought leadership products in order to deliver on Regional Youth Project’s research and thought leadership objectives.
• Support the coordination of the development of research products, including reviewing intermediary outputs and providing regular feedback to research partners.
• Support engagement and management of partners for research, including supporting the development of Terms of Reference where required.
• Manage Regional Youth Project’s partnerships with third party research and thought leadership collaborators.
• Support UNDP country offices under the Youth Co:Lab programme in the development, delivery and review of knowledge products at the national level.
• Support the UNDP review and approval process for knowledge products.
• Support the development of communications materials and other outputs synthesizing and disseminating the findings of research. 

Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Management

• Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context or responsive to a stated need
• Knowledge Facilitation:  Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Direction and Strategy

• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority area of expertise and resources
• Programme and Policy - 2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness    
• Effectiveness: RBM Standards and Practices for Programming, Performance and data analysis and sharing lessons

2030 Agenda: Peace

• Governance: Youth Socio Economic Empowerment

• Minimum 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) or 0 years (with Master’s degree) (Prior experience in development agencies is an asset)
• Minimum 2 years of experience of project monitoring and reporting
• Minimum 1 year of experience in planning and coordinating research related to youth socio-economic empowerment and entrepreneurship, preferably in the Asia-Pacific region
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate data collection and reporting processes, preferably at the regional level
• Previous experience of coordinating project evaluations with a UN agency
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of youth socio-economic empowerment and Leaving No One Behind principles, including in the Asia-Pacific context
• Experience of planning communication campaigns and writing content to disseminate research findings and project results
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse teams across different countries and offices
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to work independently
• Strong presentation skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet targets in a tight deadline

Required Language(s):

• Fluent in spoken and written English