M&E Specialist (Retainer Contract)

Duty Station: Islamabad

Application Deadline: 26-May-2024

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply.

Background Information - Pakistan

UNOPS Pakistan (Project Office) is part of the South Asia Multi-Country Office in the Asia Region. UNOPS commenced operations in Pakistan in 1999 and significantly upscaled activities from 2005 onwards to support populations affected by and vulnerable to earthquakes. In 2010, UNOPS opened a permanent office in Islamabad to support the Government of Pakistan and other partners to undertake humanitarian and reconstruction services, following the most devastating floods in the nation’s history.

UNOPS Pakistan has been implementing projects in the areas of early recovery and reconstruction of community infrastructure, project management, monitoring and evaluation, community development, fund management, human resources management, procurement, and infrastructure design and implementation. Supported strategically by a regional operational hub and UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen and within the overarching framework of the ONE UN Programme, UNOPS Pakistan continues to deliver projects across the country under its core delivery practices of sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement, and sustainable project management.

With a steady growth of the project portfolio in recent years and a new strategic direction, UNOPS Pakistan is looking to strengthen the relationships with existing partners as well as build new alliances and diversify the portfolio of work, in line with UNOPS strategic and Asia regional objectives.

Functional Responsibilities

Under supervision of Partnership Specialist the incumbent is expected to to have following responsibilities Provides support in development of UNOPS Pakistan Country office portfolio document by achieving following results

• Work with UNOPS Pakistan Senior Management to develop the country office program portfolio document, outlining country office strategic objectives and prioritizing thematic areas of focus aligned with the UNOPS mandate.
• Planning, monitoring and evaluation of the country office portfolio performance
• Conduct thorough research and analysis of the social, political, and economic situation. Review and analyze Pakistan Common Country Analysis (CCA), United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), UN Pakistan Results Reports, and available information on partner programs in the UN data portal (UNINFO) to identify potential interventions for UNOPS Pakistan office.
• Proactively conceptualize, design, develop, and formulate projects/initiatives aligned with UNOPS’ programming priorities
• Facilitate brainstorming sessions and initiate discussions for the conceptualization of projects/programmes, presentation of concept notes to Senior Management Team (SMT), and work in close collaboration with SMT to mature concept notes into ready-to-pitch proposals.

Provide Technical support and guidance to ensure quality control, monitoring, evaluation, oversight and compliance of ongoing projects

• Support UNOPS Pakistan multiple project teams throughout project management life cycle including quarterly and yearly work planning, budgeting to execution, monitoring, evaluation, documenting lesson learns, identifying bottlenecks in project implementation, documenting success stories, and status on achievement of intended results.
• Ensure provision of advisory services on M&E, quality control and compliance for each of the ongoing UNOPS projects. Including the development of results-based Monitoring and Evaluation tools, mechanisms, and standard operating procedures
• Contributes to the achievement of individual project objectives and their corresponding outcomes by assessing reliability, integrity, and completeness of data provided in the project reports and validation of Means of Verifications and supporting documents.
• Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of individual project performance and monitor and evaluate the contribution of individual project results to UNOPS Pakistan\s overall portfolio targets
• Provide regular support to the senior management team on early indication of problems, work and propose adaptive solutions and measures identifying and tracking implementation risks and appropriate mitigation measures.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• With the support of project teams provide leadership in conducting a review of current UNOPS projects, analyze the scalability potential of each project, and report the findings to the senior management team.
• Work with project managers and each project team to develop project context-specific project monitoring systems including results-based M&E tools, methodologies, and monitoring mechanisms tailored to each project\s specific requirements.
• Analyze and document project-specific training needs assessment, especially on project-specific results-based management, monitoring and evaluation, work planning
• Design and develop UNOPS Pakistan portfolio Dashboard and project performance dashboards for each of the ongoing projects
• Support project teams in data and information for reporting to donors and other stakeholders

Information and Knowledge Management

• Provide substantial support in the preparation of knowledge products including but not limited to information and knowledge management system, factsheets, and reports for informed decision-making of the Senior Management Team
• Develop a database of Who is doing what, where, and when with regards to UNOPS prioritized areas of intervention both in terms of thematic areas and geographic outreach
• Analyze and present information on donors, preparation of briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, actively contribute to the overall office effort in resource mobilization

Capacity Building and Training

• Develop and conduct project-specific training calendars and capacity-building initiatives for project teams to develop project staff in-house capacities in Information Management, and M&E system of each of their corresponding projects
• Develop project-specific training and capacity-building initiatives for the project teams on the project management best practices and lesson learns

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• In collaboration with UNOPS senior management develop country office portfolio documents including but not limited to clearly defined strategic objectives, prioritize thematic areas and new potential areas of intervention aligned with UNOPS mandate.
• Develop project-specific M&E system, quality control, compliance, and oversight mechanisms for all ongoing and pipeline projects of UNOPS Pakistan
• Provide substantial support in data analysis and reporting especially analyzing scalability potential of each of UNOPS\s ongoing and pipeline project.s
• Develop information and knowledge management system including procedures and mechanisms for effective and efficient decision-making for UNOPS senior management and project teams
• Develop project-specific M&E capacity building plan and conduct capacity building and training sessions with an objective of developing M&E capacities for each UNOPS project

Competencies

Strategic Perspective: Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)

Integrity & Inclusion: Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Partnering: Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Result Orientation: Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Agility: Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Solution Focused: Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Effective Communication: Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

Master degree in Development studies, social science, project management or relevant field OR a Bachelor\s degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience in lieu of a master’s degree.

Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in providing monitoring support in national and/or international public or corporate organizations.
• Experience of the UN system in Pakistan is desirable.
• Previous experience with UNOPS and knowledge of UNOPS policies, procedures and tools is an asset

Language Requirements

• Full professional knowledge of English is essential.
• Fluency in Urdu and one or more Pakistan regional languages (in particular Pashto or Sindhi) is an advantage.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: ICA

Contract level: L-ICA 10 Local ICA Specialist

Contract duration: Retainer contract initially for 50 days until 31 Dec 2024.

Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) Retainer -

A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contract is awarded and issued. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.