Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst (NPSA-9)

Based on the requirements of its Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures, as well as the Monitoring and Evaluation strategy of its Country Programme Document 2022 – 2026, the UNDP Country Office in Albania is looking to recruit a Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative, the Analyst provides leadership in the planning and execution of programme assurance services, supports the design, planning and management of the country programme by managing data and facilitating programme implementation. The analyst further ensures the effective implementation of the monitoring and evaluation policy, sets minimum monitoring and evaluation requirements for the Country Programme and its sectors, ensures alignment of new programmes/projects with the programme monitoring framework, facilitates the introduction of innovative monitoring and evaluation tools to enable data collection and analysis, maintains monitoring databases as relevant and performs regular data analysis, and provides support to annual or programme-specific planning and reporting from the viewpoint of monitoring benchmarks and results.

The Analyst supports programme, thematic and crosscutting evaluations as per the Country Office Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, in close interaction with the relevant sectors/programme teams; provides support to sectors and projects in conducting evaluation processes. S/he also ensures that evaluation lessons and recommendations are followed up, as well as used for programme design and contribute to implementation of SDCF and UNDP Country Programme Document priorities and results.

The Analyst will liaise closely with the Evaluation Resource Centre at Headquarters regarding evaluation approaches and methodologies, ensuring that UNDP meets the minimum requirements for monitoring and evaluation, including regular upload of required information, documents and inputs into the system, as well as conduct of mandatory project evaluations and reporting.

The Analyst can supervise and lead support or project staff in matrix management. S/he will work in close collaboration with the country office’s four programmatic areas, the Operations Unit, the Communication Specialist and UNDP HQs staff for resolving complex programme-related issues, as well as with relevant governmental, private and non-governmental partners to ensure that thematic, programme and project evaluations are carried out according to schedules and that findings and recommendations are implemented and followed up. 

The key results of the Analyst´s work have an impact on the overall effectiveness and success of UNDP’s interventions and activities in achieving the implementation of the Country Programme. Effective implementation of evaluation policies and strategies, as well as efficient management of the evaluation process displaying tangible results, enhance the organization’s capacity and credibility to provide leadership and high-quality technical advice on the formulation of innovative and tailored programme strategies and projects. In addition, monitoring and evaluation supports UNDP to manage for results by assessing the extent to which UNDP’s processes, products and services contribute effectively to development results affecting people’s lives.

Ensures the implementation of monitoring policies and strategies:

• Ensures proper implementation of M&E framework and acts as M&E focal point.
• Provides support and inputs for setting up indicators, baseline and targets.
• Ensures that high quality periodic progress reports for programme and projects are prepared and submitted to the office management.
• Follow up on performance analysis of the situation in programme, identification of operational and financial problems and development of solutions.
• Acts as Focal point for Corporate Planning System, including baseline, target and milestone setting and reporting against the Strategic Plan
• Acts as Focal point for Programme Quality Assurance and data transparency (IATI) to enhance the quality of data and evaluability of results.
• Sets minimum monitoring and evaluation requirements for the Country Programme and its sectors, as per the Country Programme Document and SDCF, and as required by the UNDP Strategic Plan monitoring framework.
• Provides support and guidance to sectors/thematic teams at the design stage of programmes/projects, so as to align the intervention with the country office monitoring framework and facilitate follow-up monitoring.
• Facilitates the introduction of innovative, simple, gender-sensitive and systemic monitoring and evaluation tools to enable data collection and analysis of programme results, including across work areas.
• Updates and maintains relevant Country Office monitoring databases and performs regular data analysis.
• Provides support to annual or programme-specific planning and reporting from the viewpoint of monitoring benchmarks and results.
• Maintains close dialogue with Programme Specialist, the Operations Unit, the RC Office Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and the Evaluation Resource Centre at Headquarters with a view of harmonizing evaluation approaches and agendas.
• Quality assurance to donor reporting and project closing (final financial report and project financial closure).
• Performs periodic field visits to project sites.
• Provides inputs and participates in Local Project Appraisal Committees.

Ensures overall coordination of evaluation processes in the Country Office:

• Prepares and maintains the evaluation plan.
• Responsibility for planning, preparation, budgeting, reporting and oversight of thematic, country programme/project evaluations and other types of evaluations conducted in the Country Office.
• Responsibility for promotion of evaluation standards, quality assurance/control and capacity development in the Country Office.
• Organization and coordination of evaluation missions for development projects, sectoral and thematic evaluations and desk evaluations/studies on selected sectors/themes.
• Supports programme, thematic and crosscutting evaluations as per the Country Office Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, in close interaction with the relevant sectors/programme teams.
• Provides support to sectors and projects in conducting evaluation processes and ensures that evaluations are designed and managed to assess the country programme relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of results, in line with standard guidelines.
• Initiates and coordinates external evaluation missions for CO evaluations as per the UNDAF and Country Programme Document monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Prepares Terms of Reference, engages in selection of consultant and evaluation teams, performs budget oversight with regard to monitoring and evaluation.
• Follows up on implementation of evaluation recommendations and ensures the optimal use of evaluations by providing guidance in preparation of timely management response to all mandatory evaluations.
• Ensures that evaluation lessons and recommendations are captured and used for programme design.
• Keeps record of independent evaluations carried out for the CO and provides.

Facilitates knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the area of monitoring and evaluation:

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Identifies and formulates lessons learned and best practices from evaluations and studies to be integrated into broader the knowledge management system of the Country Office.
• Promotes a results-based approach to monitoring and evaluation, emphasizing results and impacts.
• Collaborates and coordinates with other UN agencies, governments, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders on monitoring and evaluation issues.
• Provides inputs to the Communications Unit to formulate and communicate with the broader public tangible and measurable results of the UNDP programme delivery.
• Cooperates with the Communications Officer in maintaining and preparing web site contents and various ad hoc reports.
• Organises results-oriented and tailored monitoring and evaluation trainings in the Country Office.

Contributes to all relevant UNDP Country Office corporate exercises:

• Contributes to the formulation of the UNDP Country Programme Document monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Participates in annual monitoring and reporting related to the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SDCF) and the UNDP Country Programme Document (ROAR).
• Contributes to the update, analysis and reporting related to the Integrated Results and Resources Framework (IRRF) of the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026.
• Contributes to the preparation of the annual integrated work plans, from the viewpoint of monitoring and evaluation framework and in the annual programme reporting.
• Prepares and provides inputs as requested by the Evaluation Resource Centre at Headquarters, including regular maintenance and upload of documents and CO/project evaluations for the Evaluation Resource Centre database.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, or related field.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, or related field with two additional years of qualifying experience might be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree. 

• Minimum 2 years (with Master's degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor's degree) of qualifying experience at the national or international level in design, monitoring, evaluation, performance management and reporting in development projects or programmes.
• Proven previous experience in data and information analysis and management advisory services.
• Expertise in mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment in development projects, is an asset. 

Languages:

• Fluency in Albanian and English.

Required Skills:

• Proven practical skills and familiarity with monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools.
• Excellent understanding of the overall political, administrative and institutional context in Albania.
• Experience in the usage of computers and software packages and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.