Regional Monitoring Advisor At World Food Programme

Job Title: Regional Monitoring Advisor

Vacancy Number: 167604

Contract type: Regular Consultant level I/II

Duration: 6 Months (with possibility of extension up to 11 months subject to good performance and availability of funding)

Duty Station: Bangkok, Thailand

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is a leading organization delivering food assistance and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. We also support governments of developing countries in their efforts to eliminate hunger and malnutrition by addressing the underlying causes and disparities in access to food and good nutrition to ensure that no one is left behind in line with the Agenda 2030, Sustaining Peace and Agenda for Humanity. WFP is particularly focused on Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 17 (Partnerships).

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prizeawarded to WFP is recognition that ending hunger is a critical first step towards global peace. WFP recognizes that one of the greatest contributions it can make to humanity is to provide a voice to the 690 million hungry people in the world. The Nobel Peace Prize gives us a platform to make their needs heard and to mobilize support for the assistance they need.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

RBB is seeking a Regional Monitoring officer who will lead the regional monitoring agenda and ensure the timely and quality delivery of the evidence value chain approach within the work of the Monitoring/RAM unit and in COs in the region. The consultant will be under the direct supervision of the Regional Head of RAM, will lead the Monitoring team and will work closely with the functional units in programme at RBB and with the relevant units in Headquarters (HQ), communicating with the PD/RAM Division and the Monitoring and Evaluation Liaison (CPPM). The Regional Monitoring Advisor will perform the following responsibilities:

Strategic direction and guidance

• Provide strategic and technical inputs related to monitoring for the regional RAM strategy, help assess its progress and revise it on a regular basis.
• Collaborate with HQ to support the development and enhancement of monitoring guidance, tools and training materials, including those on qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis and use, and monitoring of resilience-building and country capacity strengthening programmes.
• Foster operational and strategic partnerships (e.g., at the regional level and with governments, UN/other partners and universities) including representing WFP at national, local and inter-agency meetings, participating in regional monitoring networks, contributing to technical discussions and information sharing.

Technical support

• Review and support CO systems and tools for research design and data capturing, processing, analysis, dissemination and use. Ensure they are aligned with innovative methodologies and best practice (e.g., real-time remote monitoring technology and machine learning).
• Lead the implementation of the new Corporate Results Framework (CRF) in the region. Provide guidance and support to CO-level M&E staff for conducting monitoring activities and reviews in line with the new CRF. This will be done in close collaboration with the Regional Evaluation Officer.
• Review and provide advice on the design of CSPs and budget revisions to ensure that appropriate output and outcome indicators are selected for the log-frames, that targets are relevant; and ensure country specific monitoring strategies and sufficient budgets for monitoring activities and staff resources are identified and incorporated in CSP documents.
• Provide expert advice to the RB and COs on what lessons learned and evidence exists on effective ways of implementing food security, nutrition, resilience and capacity strengthening programmes in the region.
• Review Annual Country Reports of assigned operations and other corporate reports and provide technical feedback to COs and the RB to enhance the quality of reporting on results.
• Plan and provide guidance to M&E Officers, and other internal and external parties, involved in the conduct of CSP Mid-term Reviews and Thematic Reviews, SDG Contribution assessments and other RB and CO-led Reviews.
• Support COs in the design and implementation of joint monitoring and reporting frameworks and strategies with governments and partner agencies, aligned with nationally-owned Sustainable Development Goals. These include monitoring of joint interventions related to resilience-building, country capacity development and provision of services to the humanitarian community.
• Advise COs on adjustments made in systems (such as COMET) to reflect corporate normative frameworks.

Data analysis and use

• Conduct regional analysis of portfolio-wide and country-specific monitoring data to understand beneficiary needs and preferences, efficiency and effectiveness of operations and measure progress against the WFP Strategic Plan.
• Promote the collection of sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data to ensure programmes are inclusive.
• Develop innovative and user-friendly information products to support operational decision-making and external reporting.
• Advise on evidence-based decision-making for strategies, policies and programme design and implementation, by making monitoring findings accessible to management at CO and RB levels and promoting the uptake and ownership of recommendations and learning from these evidence generation activities.
• Support CO Management and programme technical teams in addressing recommendations from monitoring, reviews, audits and evaluations to ensure that follow-up actions are taken.
• Support the sharing and up-take of lessons learnt from audits, reviews and evaluations at regional level.

Oversight and quality assurance

• Conduct oversight missions to ensure that CO monitoring systems are compliant with corporate standards and a risk-based approach and that there are enough staff with appropriate skill-sets dedicated to M&E activities in COs.
• Support COs using the VAM, Monitoring and Evaluation Planning and Budgeting tool.
• Conduct regular data quality checks on CO monitoring data.
• Provide support to COs on the Country Office Monitoring and Evaluation Tool (COMET), including timely data input and data quality.
• Support COs in ensuring beneficiary data protection and algorithm safety, legality and ethics to prevent unintended consequences such as invasion of privacy, bias and lack of reproducibility.
• Collaborate with the Regional Evaluation Officers to ensure consistency and complementarity in the conduct of evaluations and reviews at regional level.
• Track recommendations and actions resulting from reviews and evaluations in the region.
• Take responsibility for cross-cutting priorities in all areas of work.

Human and financial resources

• Under the overall guidance of the Regional Head of RAM, provide supervision to the regional monitoring team, provide inputs to performance appraisals and provide constructive feedback, as well as support staff learning through capacity development opportunities.
• Coordinate with key programme units in the RB to ensure a coherent approach to evidence generation.
• Support recruitment processes of CO M&E staff.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education:

• At least a Master’s degree in Economics, Food Security, Statistics, Data Science, Public Health/Nutrition, Geography, or other related fields, or First university degree with additional years of related work experience and/or training/courses.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant professional work experience in international development and/or humanitarian work. Candidates having 6 or less years of relevant and demonstrable experience will be considered for CST I level and those with longer experience for CST II level.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in managing complex monitoring and/or evaluation activities spanning a range of policies and programme initiatives.
• Experience in managing diverse teams.

Knowledge & Skills:

Required

• Developing monitoring systems including preparation of data collection and reporting tools.
• Solid knowledge of how to conduct contextual analysis, data analysis, prepare performance reports and ensure data quality and data protection.
• Proven knowledge, abilities and skills in the area of monitoring, including advanced analytical skills and practical knowledge on how monitoring data is collected, compiled, analysed and presented for management decisions, programme adjustment and donor reporting.
• In-depth knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methods, metrics, statistical applications and reporting systems, and practical knowledge of different monitoring systems of partner and government counterparts.
• Proven ability to develop quality reports and analyses.
• Proven ability to network effectively with multiple work units and share knowledge effectively.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

Desirable

• Knowledge of programme design, implementation and operational challenges in food assistance.
• Willingness to build capacity of others through formal and informal training processes, including developing relevant documentation and training materials.
• Ability to deliver results through efficient planning, organizing and prioritization of activities in a fast-changing context.
• Ability to work with relevant technology and procedures (e.g., statistical applications) to collect, organize, share and use corporate information.

Languages:

• Strong written and oral English skills (proficiency/level C), working knowledge in a second UN language desirable.