Planning & Monitoring Specialist, NOC at the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Planning & Monitoring Specialist, NOC

Job no: 560202
Location: Kano
Level: NO-3
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Categories: Social Policy
Categories: Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

Overview
For every child, an advocate:

• The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action.
• For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries.
• This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job Description
How can you make a difference?

• Under the direct supervision of the Chief of  Kano Field office, the incumbent is accountable for the management and implementation of areas of responsibility under this post.
• The primary function of this post is to improve the innovative monitoring, collation and analysis of UNICEF programme results, with particular focus on convergence and through use of technology, towards achievement of UNICEF's organizational priorities and strategies at community, LGA, and state levels.
• The post will improve the relevance, quality, availability and use of data and contextual information on children and women throughout UNICEF and externally.
• The post will support with coordination and dissemination of data on key social indicators, including through presentations, MICS, data dissemination platforms and report summaries, and promote its use in corporate planning, policy formulation, programme design, advocacy and flagship publications, and on the progress in realizing their rights as well as on the reduction of equity gaps within the states under the Kano Field Office.

Major Responsibilities
Monitoring and tracking of programme results:

• Monitor and track results at the field level through innovative processes and tools including the use of new technologies.
• Develop and implement innovative tools and methodologies for tracking results.
• Coordinate with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into  programme performance monitoring.
• Build capacities within the field office on the use of innovative structures, mechanisms, and tools to track results at the field level. Ensure that field monitoring approaches and associated tools capably support advancing the results agenda for children in Nigeria.
• Collect data, monitor and analyze data, and support internal and external dissemination of results to inform Field Office and NCO collaboration around key programme results, including inputs to management reports.
• Contribute to analysis of results in the context of UNICEF Nigeria CPD 2023-2027, UN coherence efforts, and readily ascertain UNICEF's contributions to supporting Nigeria achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Development of innovative ways to manage and disseminate data:

• Work with ITD/UNICEF, UN agencies, private sector, NGOs to develop and implement new and innovative ways to collect, analyze and disseminate data and results, including the use of a scorecard system at LGA and/or State level.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of innovative systems for efficient processes.
• Build capacities within the office and partners as appropriate for collection, analysis and dissemination of data related to children and women and programme results.

Programme Development and Management

• Identify critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyze country level sociopolitical-
• economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.
• Draft changes to/or prepare programme work plans as required. Prepare program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices.
• Establishes programme workplans, monitors compliance and provides training, support and guidance to the programme team in order to meet objectives. Identifies human resources requirements and on-going staff development needs.
• Reviews and evaluates the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of programme/projects in collaboration with Government and other partners.
• Prepares relevant programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis,  annual reports, and other reports.

Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach:

• Adopt rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks.
• Formulate consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects.
• Bring coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
• Prepare and submit viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on programme, new initiatives and management issues to ensure achievement of stated objectives.

Capacity Building/Sustainability

• Provide government authorities with technical supports and guidance to plan and organize training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.
• Ensure the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the state partners starting with taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.

Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels

• Conduct policy analysis from a children's and women's rights perspective and advocacy at the government, community and family levels for elevating credibility in national and international policy debates.
• Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through active advocacy and communication.

Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration:

• Develop partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies.
• Linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers for effective overall coordination on programmes.
• Plans, develops and implements sectoral programme(s) by collaborating with the government and other partners.
• Provide leadership in provision of technical advice, negotiation, advocacy and promotion of area/country level goals, leading to agreement on practicable and priority actions to be supported by UNICEF programme and country level cooperation.

Management and supervision of programme assurance activities, HACT processes, and client-oriented programme support functions:

• Oversees the activities of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) and programme assurance activities and supervises the HACT programme officer to ensure that the field office HACT activities are implemented, and the risks related to cash transfers are effectively and efficiently managed in support of programme implementation and accountability of results and resources.
• Oversees the cross-sectoral programme support functions and supervises the programme associates to ensure client-oriented efficient and effective financial, operational, and administrative assistance are provided to programme sections and the front office throughout the programming process in support of programmes implementation and achievement of results

Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

Education:

• An advanced University Degree in a Social Sciences, Statistics, Public Policy, Development Planning, Development Economics, is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of experience at national or international levels in programme/project planning and monitoring required; with significant experience in data dissemination/interpretation and data analysis in the sectors of concern to UNICEF and knowledge of new technical developments and software in data dissemination; and some experience in other areas of applied statistics.
• Professional technical expertise in data analysis and dissemination specifically related to UNICEF related indicators.
• Well-developed computer skills including proficiency in data dissemination software (e.g. Devinfo).
• Proficiency in displaying data for use by government policy makers, partner organizations and general public.
• Developing country work experience is required.
• Exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads and manages people for supervisory role

Application Closing Date
26th March, 2023. West Central Africa Standard Time