Job Description:

The International MEAL Specialist works under the overall guidance of the Assistant Director General/Regional Representative, and under the direct supervision of the RAP Programme Officer (M&E) and the Senior Field Programme Officer. He/she maintains lines of coordination with other officers from the Country Support and Field Programme Stream (CFP) and the Climate Change and Resilience Module, as well as other relevant technical officers and units in HQs working on improving FAO’s M&E.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Guide and strengthen M&E of RAP Field Programmes

• Provide training and guidance for RAP technical officers and SAP/Country Offices on the development of results frameworks and indicators of RAP regular fund activities and field programmes.
• Develop action plan and liaise with SAP and Country Offices to improve M&E of field programmes, including the implementation of the recommendations of RAP review of M&E and KM for improved systems to track project results and reporting.
• Support the development of Management Information System (MIS) to collate and track project results at the regional level, building on knowledge management system (KMS) being developed for the RAP GEF portfolio.
• Collate information and prepare reports on RAP field programme performance, particularly with regard to their contribution to major donor results frameworks (such GEF and GCF), Country Programme Frameworks, national targets and the SDGs.
• Develop baseline and impact assessment methodologies and provide necessary guidance to relevant teams and RAP Modules in the context of regional programmes.
• Provide guidance on design and conducting surveys and analysis to support M&E, including impact evaluation.
• Design and deliver capacity building programmes on M&E and KM, and support Programme Officer to develop and coordinate with an emerging regional Community of Practice on M&E/MEAL/KM.
• Implement practical measures to improve M&E systems and approaches for RAP.

Develop M&E and KM system for the adoption of a programmatic approach

• Support identification of indicators and systems to align and monitor the contributions of field programmes and regional activities to the achievement of the FAO Strategic Framework, Regional Priorities, Country Programme Frameworks and SDGs.
• Consolidate all results under the Four Betters and relevant Programme Priority Areas for the region to support programmatic approach
• Lead the further development and application of the Management Information System/KM system.

Provide M&E oversight and support to selected projects, especially GEF and GCF projects

• Provide guidance on implementing M&E, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) work for GEF and possibly other large- scale projects at the design phase.
• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance of M&E-related workplan design and related key deliverables of project teams for specific high-profile projects, e.g. by contributing M&E expertise on request of Lead Technical Officer (LTO) to Project Task Forces.
• Perform other related duties as required.

General Duties and Responsibilities

• To ensure mandatory coherence of all outputs, the incumbent shall familiarize himself/herself with FAO’s corporate practices and guidelines on programme/project monitoring, especially regarding M&E and reporting on FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and Sustainable Development Goals.
• In all aspects of the work, the incumbent should support RAP to make linkages and engage in information-sharing and cross-learning with other M&E initiatives being developed or implemented corporately, including by FAO Headquarters units or other regions.
• The incumbent will keep the dual supervisors informed of his/her work and findings, incorporating the feedback of supervisors and other relevant coordinating colleagues into the outputs to be submitted below.

Education Requirement:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Environmental Sciences, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Statistics, or related field.

Experience Requirement:

• Minimum 5 years (of which at least 3 years international) of progressively relevant experience in monitoring and evaluation, information and knowledge management systems in international context.

Language Requirement:

• Working knowledge (level C) of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge (level B) of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian. For PSA, working knowledge of English is required.

Technical/Functional Skills:

• Knowledge of results-based management principles and practices as well as corporate accountability frameworks, preferably in the United Nations;
• Proven knowledge, abilities and skills in the areas of Monitoring and Evaluation, including experience in preparing logframes and defining indicators;
• Familiarity with programming design, implementation and operational challenges in climate, environment, disasters, and agriculture; familiarity with GEF and GCF programming policies would be an asset;
• Practical knowledge on how monitoring data is collected, compiled, analysed and presented for management decisions, programme adjustment and donor reporting;
• Practical experience working with a technology platform/data repository; use of FAO’s systems is an asset but not a requirement;
• Good reporting skills;
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills;
• Ability to communicate effectively;
• Experience in developing M&E systems including preparation of data collection tools, logframe development and development of performance indicators; analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data, and reporting as well as developing training materials and training facilitation experience.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2202290