Planning and Monitoring Specialist Jobs Description

UNICEF works in some of the world toughest places, to reach the world most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among other things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives — being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
• Under the guidance and general supervision of the Education Manager (Level 4), the PM Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Education programmes/projects, with a specific focus on programme design, planning, monitoring and documentation including large donor-funded grants. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the monitoring and reporting of progress and results on education programmes/projects to improve learning outcomes and equitable and inclusive education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.
• To make a difference, the incumbent shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks;

Support to programme development and planning

•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the education programmes to ensure that current and comprehensive data on education issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy, advocacy, intervention and development efforts on education programmes.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Help supervisor set priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme design, planning, monitoring and reporting in support of programme management, efficiency and delivery.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Participate in strategic programme discussion on the planning of education programmes, with a focus on design, planning and monitoring. Formulate, design and prepare monitoring and assessment frameworks for the education programme, with a specific focus on the provincial GPE funded Education Sector Implementation Programme Grants (ESPIGs), an EU-funded programmes. Ensure alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with the UN Sustainable Development Country Framework (UNSDCF). , regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies and implementation plans for the sector using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues and partners, in particular in support of provincial Field Offices, to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine provincial priorities to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

 Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector on education programmes, with a focus on provincial ESPIGs and EU-funded education programmes.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Support design and participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and weaknesses in programme management.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Identify lessons learned and use the knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits and surveys, and exchange information with stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
•  Planning and Monitoring Specialist Prepare regular and mandated programme reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to UNICEF Field Office education teams, government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners and donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on education planning and monitoring and related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process.
• Participate in education programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice and support related to planning and monitoring
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national and provincial stakeholders, global partners, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on education programmes.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fundraising for education programmes.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency discussions on education design, planning, monitoring and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues (including provincial Local Education Groups, technical working groups, UNSDCF) on planning and preparation of programmes/projects ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated into the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda-setting.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the design, planning and monitoring of programmes to ensure implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in education management. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders, including Field Office teams, on programme monitoring and reporting, to promote sustainable results on education and related programmes/projects.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or above) in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• A first University Degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Experience with education program design, planning, and monitoring is required.
• Experience with education programme reporting is an advantage.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or local languages is an asset.

Source:https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/547285

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