The Partnership Management Support Unit (PMSU) where the position of Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist is located, was created in the UNDP Country Office in recognition of the scale and complexity of UNDP programme in South Sudan.  PMSU provides quality assurance and corporate compliance advice to senior management, programme, and operations units in; programme oversight and quality control, partnerships, and resource mobilisation, deepening of results-based management and enterprise risk management and knowledge management.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programmes), the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist works to enhance the development effectiveness of UNDP by strengthening accountability and oversight.  Specifically, the M&E Specialist will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of UNDP programme in South Sudan through the implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems, policies and strategies across programmes and projects; management of risk through designing and implementing risk management mechanism, support effective management of audits (planning, implementation and follow up) and quality assurance of project management processes.  The Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will work in close collaboration with the Programme and Partnership Support Team, Program Units, Project teams and Operations Unit.  She/he will also work with implementing partners and counterparts about the management of evaluations and audit exercises

Summary of key functions

• Ensure implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems, policies and strategies.
• Ensures effective management of audits and risks.
• Lead quality assurance

Ensure the implementation of Planning, monitoring and evaluation systems, policies, and strategies:

• Revise implementation guidelines, monitoring and evaluation procedures etc.
• Work closely with the senior economics, Programme Management Support Unit for office level M&E functions and identify project/programme risk areas and advise the management.
• Support and take the lead in the design and implementation of programmes/projects framework with defined indicators in line with 2019-2021 South Sudan CPD to facilitate monitoring and evaluation at later stages.
• Support the CO in Annual (AWP) and Integrated work planning (IWP) and reporting (ROAR) processes.
•  Based on the Programme/Project M&E Framework, monitor UNDP programme/projects to ensure: programmes are on track to achieve  the  strategic objectives per the Country Programme Document; contributing to overall goal of the Country Programme; is coherent and the different portfolios are integrated and are contributing to overall objective;
• Update Evaluation Resources Center (ERC) and follow up on implementation of evaluation recommendations, ensuring the optimal use of evaluations by providing guidance in the preparation and updating of timely management responses to all evaluations.
• Guide the documentation processes for best practices and lessons learnt based on programme approaches pertinent to the implementation of development interventions.
• Provide inputs to the technical progress reports and Annual Progress Report.
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing on monitoring and evaluation.
• Undertake any other relevant activities as required in relation to executing the unit plans.Assess

Ensures effective management of audits and risks:

• Assess risk areas and work with project staff to minimize risk exposure levels.
• Prepare annual audit plan for projects and CO. Coordinate with Office of Audit and Investigation (OAI), partners and counterparts regarding audit exercises.
• Coordinate and facilitate internal and external audits by liaising with headquarters and the national audit office as well as prepare requests for proposals (RFP) including the terms of reference (ToR) for audit.
• Monitor the implementation of previous audit recommendations.   Develop a follow-up system which will provide assurance that all audit recommendations, and the outcomes of performance and management review recommendations are complied with and that the CARDS is updated in a timely manner.

Support quality assurance:

• Support the development of systems to foster improvements in the application of internal control systems and in the maintenance of compliance standards.
• Advise project staff and implementing partners regarding control systems, assess their effectiveness and general operational compliance with UNDP rules, regulations, and policies.
• Regularly monitor the Business Intelligence Dashboard and STREAM, identify gaps if any and follow up with remedial action.
• Provide quality assurance support on partner agreements, project reports and office publications.
• Conduct project quality assessment (Design, implementation, and closure) as per UNDP corporate requirement
• Facilitate Knowledge building/sharing on RBM, monitoring and evaluation, amongst others Support projects and units in ensuring compliance in accountability (IATI requirement) and Transparency (Transparency dashboard) requirement

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in monitoring and evaluation, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification and formulation of evaluation findings, lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader Evaluation Office knowledge management efforts.
• Contribution to the implementation of Evaluation Knowledge Management and Learning Strategy.
• Collaboration and coordination with other UN agencies, government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations on monitoring and evaluation issues.
• Organization and conduct of results-oriented monitoring and evaluation trainings in the Country Office.
• Participation in evaluation community, remaining abreast of latest development and professional norms, standards, tools, and methodologies.
• Ensure that project lessons learned, and best practices are captured, documented, and periodically shared to inform wider policies and programmes.
• Initiate innovative ways of project data management in line with CPD and Project indicators and track the changes to support evidence-based planning, implementation, reporting and learning.
• Maintain regular communication and coordination with relevant partners, including CSOs and UN agencies, to ensure M&E activities are conducted in a timely manner.
• Capacity building of UNDP and partners’ staff in RBM
• Participate in UNCT M&E working group, HACT taskforce meeting and other relevant events and networks related to the specific scope of work to build/share knowledge related to peacebuilding.
• Carry out other related duties as required by the PMSU Team Leaders.