National Consultant (Monitoring & Evaluation) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: National Consultant (Monitoring & Evaluation)

Location: Abuja
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Additional Category: Gender Equality
Starting Date (date when the selected candidate is expected to start): 17-Apr-2023
Duration of Initial Contract: 3 months
Expected Duration of Assignment : 3 months

Background

• The Spotlight Initiative Project is a partnership between the European Union and the United Nations and is the flagship project on the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria. It brings in a unique approach to addressing social protection intervention from a gender and human rights perspective.
• UNDP Nigeria, in collaboration with other UN Agencies, currently implements the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWGs) with an aim to support a Nigeria where all women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from all forms of violence and harmful practices.
• The initiative involves addressing the linkages between sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices with related aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as a cross-cutting theme.
• The project focuses on prevention efforts, specifically addressing the root causes of SGBV and harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM, as well as poverty, strengthening women's rights coalitions, and ensuring access to inclusive, timely, and high-quality services for victims and survivors, as well as high-quality data for decision-making and programming. The project is implemented in five (6) states, Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Lagos, Sokoto and the FCT.
• The SI in Nigeria applies a comprehensive set of approaches based on social innovation, Human Rights, multi-sectoral inclusive response, and survivor-centered principles to the planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of interventions across the SI’s six Outcome Areas.
• Particular emphasis placed on integrating the voices and experiences and solutions of women and girls who face multiple forms of discrimination, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) principle of ‘Leave No One Behind’. The SI in Nigeria has sought to reflect on current or commonplace models of ‘conducting business in order to propose innovative alternatives aligned with commitments to gender transformative and community-led approaches guided by adaptive leadership and a joint-One UN systems management approach.
• The Spotlight Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) consultant/Specialist will support overall monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the Spotlight Initiative Country Programme. Reporting to and working under the supervision of the UNDP Spotlight Initiative manager, with close working relationship with RUNOs SI Managers/ Spotlight Technical Coherence Specialists.
• The M&E Specialist/consultant is part of a team leading an integrated approach to EVAWG. This position is a core function of the SI Nigeria team and as such, it is a member of the SI’s Programme Implementation team working under a One UN frame and mindset without agency affiliation irrespective of where it is hosted.

Purpose of the Assignment

• The purpose of the Spotlight Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) consultant/Specialist is to support overall monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the Spotlight Initiative Country Programme.
• Under the leadership of the UNDP Spotlight Initiative Programme manager, the selected consultant for the project will work closely with the Resident Coordinators Office (RCO), National Steering Committee (composed of government stakeholders and the EU), National Civil Society Reference Group, all Recipient UN Organizations (RUNOs), and implementing partners.

Duties and Responsibilities
Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant:

The consultant will take a leading substantive role to carry-out the following task:

• The M&E consultant/ specialist will lead the implementation of the M&E plans for the Programme; coordinate monitoring, data collection, evaluations, research, and reporting on SI Nigeria.
• Produce a report at the end of the activity on the main outcomes
• Responsible fors all Spotlight Initiative reports, including the mid-term assessment report, annual report, and project end reports

Expected Tangible and Measurable Output(s):

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion and/or submission of outputs/deliverables monthly.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The selected consultant shall work under the overall leadership/oversight of the UNDP Spotlight Initiative Programme Manager with close working relationships with the Spotlight Initiative project managers of the five (5) implementing RUNOs.

Dates and details as to how the work must be delivered and remuneration:

• The position is located at the UNDP Country Office in Nigeria. Under the general guidance of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative (Programmes) and the consultant will work under the substantive supervision of the UNDP SI Project Manager.
• The consultant is required to perform the functions with physical presence in Abuja, Nigeria, subject to public health considerations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in consultation with and as agreed to by the UNDP project manager, part of the substantive preparatory and follow-up work may be performed from home to the extent that it does not negatively affect timely output delivery, especially the provision of on-the-ground services.
• The consultant will be required to undertake official travels inside Nigeria to the Spotlight States, for which travel costs, daily subsistence allowance and terminals in accordance with UN rules and regulations will be paid in addition to the consultancy fee by UNDP.

Indicators to evaluate the consultant’s performance:

• All the outputs should meet the satisfaction of the UNDP Spotlight Initiative Programme Manager according to the following criteria: substantive quality and quantity of contributions provided and timely completion of assigned tasks; assessment of performance as at least fully satisfactory by the supervising staff; effectiveness of planning and coordination, as well as efficiency of inputs provided; quality and timely completion of outputs and submissions.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• An Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Evaluation or relevant Social Science or other related field is required.

Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, including hands-on experience in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of development projects.
• Experience working on gender equality and human rights, preferably in the area of elimination of violence against women and girls with CSO reference groups, will be a strong asset.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of joint UN projects would be a strong asset.
• Evidence of a credible published work in the area of M&E is a requirement.
• Experience in the usage of Spotlight Activity info and SMART database is mandatory. based management and knowledge management/M&E systems.
• Experience preparing M&E advisory notes for program improvement is an asset.
• Experience conducting Joint stakeholders M&E assessments is an asset.
• Experience in reviewing Spotlight indicators and annual reports is a requirement.
• Strong writing and analytical skills

Language Requirements:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English i.e., oral, and written proficiency, is required. Knowledge of other United Nations official languages is an advantage.
• Fluency in any two Nigerian languages would be a strong asset.

Competencies:
Technical / Functional Competencies:

Results-Orientation and Development Effectiveness:

• Plans, prioritizes, and produces quality results on time.
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management, and reporting.
• Ability to lead implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programs and projects.
• Ability to lead joint stakeholders M&E assessment and preparation of advisory notes.

Innovation and Judgment:

• Conceptualizes and analyses problems to identify key issues, underlying problems and how they relate.
• Contributes creative, practical ideas and approaches to deal with challenging situation.
• Strives for quality and result-based management (internal/external) when making decisions and taking action.

Job Knowledge and Expertise:

• Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence.
• Proven knowledge of M&E, reporting on gender with technical expertise

Application Closing Date
4th April, 2023 (Midnight New York, USA).