Monitoring Specialist, NOC, FT, Amman Outpost, Yemen CO, #122955

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

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Love

In the 1970s UNICEF established presence in Yemen to respond to the urgent needs of children in the poorest country in the Middle East. In 1991, Yemen ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and it was enacted immediately. Since then, the country has been making steady progress for children until it plunged into a brutal conflict in 2015 but even before that, Yemen needed large amounts of humanitarian assistance.

In collaboration with local authorities, non-governmental organizations and community partners, UNICEF is working in all the governorates in Yemen to respond to the needs of children throughout the country with a continuum of services to help children survive and grow to their full potential through the following programmes: Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Basic Education, and Child protection.

For more on our work in Yemen, please visit our website: https://www.unicef.org/yemen/

How can you make a difference?

In Yemen, UNICEF has established a Service Centre (YSC) to deliver direct payment to individuals with additional risk mitigation/assurance measures and expand the Complaints and Feedback Mechanism for the Country Office. These payments include one-off or recurring payments to public sector workers, as well as social assistance projects targeting the most vulnerable children and families. The incumbent will serve as a technical lead for the UNICEF Yemen Service Center to ensure that the UNICEF Yemen Country Office (YCO) YSC has useful, valid, and reliable information on cash-based interventions and to support in developing monitoring capacity of partners and third-party service providers as relevant.

The incumbent will coordinate the development and implementation of monitoring systems for cash-based interventions, including the World Bank funded Unconditional Cash Transfer Project that delivers cash grants to about 1.41 million households per payment cycle, impacting 9 million people across Yemen since 2017. The incumbent will monitor the progress and quality of the implementation process and regularly report the findings to inform corrective actions and quality improvement of the intervention. To achieve this, he/she will be required to be familiar with project operational manuals and technical annexes, as well as Standard Operational Procedures specifically, the protocols and procedures and the deliverables of each service provider in line with the agreed terms of implementation. The incumbent will also ensure compliance and irregularities monitoring as part of the broader programme risk and quality assurance systems.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Ensure that UNICEF YCO YSC and relevant partners/service providers have a well-prioritized monitoring system that will provide the most relevant and timely information to monitor the YSC Cash­ based interventions.
2. Ensure the development of cash payment performance indicators and design of monitoring systems including third-party monitoring (TPM) mechanisms and sampling design, data collection tools, and TPM training materials for third-party process monitoring and post-distribution monitoring.
3. Supervise the process monitoring to assess whether the processes of cash delivery and complaints and feedback mechanism (CFM) are operating according to the YSC procedures and in line with the plan of action. Bring to attention any major issues identified during field monitoring including fraud, mishandling and misappropriation.
4. Conduct analysis of reported challenges, identify trends on issues arising and problematic areas and report back to YSC. Provide a periodic update on the progress (qualitative and quantitative) of the payments and CFM, highlighting the situation, issues, and challenges. Share collected information on activities with the relevant UNICEF colleagues on a continual basis in the agreed platforms.
5. Perform as contract manager for the Third-Party Monitoring Organization (TPMO):

• Develop the ToRs for TPMO and corresponding budget estimates participate in the selection process of the service provider including assessment of technical proposals based on agreed criteria
• Coordinate/liaise with TPMO on the development of monitoring tools and plans that meet the needs of the YSC
• Organize capacity development activities as needed to ensure TPMOs have the basic knowledge and skills in understanding and applying M&E policies, tools and methods to fulfil their responsibilities
• Supervise and provide technical guidance to TPMO, and ensure that all TPM activities are being undertaken as per the plan and in line with the protocols for data confidentiality, exchange, security, and archiving.

1. Work closely with TPMO to prepare routine reports on results of the progress and challenges, providing actionable recommendations.
2. As required, lead conduct field monitoring and analysis of selected cases by the YSC for unusual or atypical results and provide feedback to the YSC.
3. Evaluate TPMO's performance and provide feedback to TPMO, ensure all deliverables are submitted within the agreed timelines and with the desired quality, ensure all invoices are submitted and paid, and contract closed.
4. Disseminate findings of TPM activities and recommendations to the intended audiences in a user­ friendly manner.
5. Organize stock-taking and review exercise to document lessons, identify gaps and provide recommendations to improve project design.
6. Ensure that the latest programme monitoring theory, methodology, technology and tools are applied for the cash-based intervention implemented by the YSC.
7. Spearhead and develop research and impact assessments. Also collaborate with Regional M&E Advisers and UNICEF relevant Office for overall coordination of priority research, monitoring activities, especially those of regional scope requiring the coordinated effort of multiple countries.

The role of the Monitoring Specialist is essential to contribute to the overall quality of the implementation by ensuring that the YSC cash interventions and CFM activities are effectively monitored, documented, and lessons learnt. The incumbent will ensure that emerging issues are brought to the attention of the YSC to be addressed in an appropriate time.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

Advanced university degree in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Experience:

• At least five years of relevant professional work experience. Professional work experience in programme development and implementation specifically monitoring and evaluation activities and components.
• At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning.
• Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred.
• Statistical knowledge, particularly on sampling methodologies, and their implementation.
• Experience in developing and managing third-party monitoring mechanisms.
• knowledge of Statistical Software such as SPSS, STATA is an asset.

Language: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Technical Knowledge:

1. Specific Technical Knowledge & Competencies Required.

• Conditional and Unconditional Cash transfer experience in a complex emergency environment
• Experience with third-party monitoring and supervision in a complex emergency environment
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in evaluation process management, Follow-up on recommendations and dissemination of monitoring results.
• Emerging international good practice in monitoring and evaluation partnerships.

1. Common Technical Knowledge Required.

• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in demography, statistics, and data management.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in the methodology of M&E, including theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods.
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Evaluation Design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

1. Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced.

• Professional/technical knowledge/expertise in Team Management, Coaching and Training.
• Mastery of UNICEF's M&E policies and procedures.
• Latest programme monitoring and evaluation theory, methodology, technology, and tools.
• Understanding of UN Mission and system, current key UN topics; and International Code of Conduct.
• Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and UNICEF Guiding Principles.

UNICEF strategic framework for partnerships and collaborative relationships

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter Here

Competencies required for this post are…

1. Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
2. Works Collaboratively with others (2)
3. Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
4. Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
5. Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
6. Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
7. Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply and please take a look at some of our entitlements for our female staff members: Female Entitlements Edited2.jpg

While UNICEF seeks to recruit the best talent in the Jordanian labor market to be able to deliver the best possible services for the children in Yemen, we would like to make it clear that we never use any third party in any of the recruitment processes for all junior and senior positions advertised. All received applications are treated with high level of transparency and professionalism. Only applicants whose profiles meet the advertised job requirements will be considered and only within the announced deadline.

في حين تسعى اليونيسف لإستقطاب أفضل الكوادر في السوق الاردني لتتمكن من تقديم أفضل خدمة للأطفال في اليمن، تود التنويه إلى أنها لا تستعين بأي شخص أو جهة (قد يقدم نفسهـ/ـا) كوسيط أو طرف ثالث في أي من عمليات التوظيف وفيما يخص جميع الوظائف، باستثناء الإعلان عبر وسائل الإعلام والمواقع الإليكترونية. إن اليونيسف، منظمة الطفولة، تعمل بمستوى عال من الشفافية والمهنية. ولا يتم التواصل إلا مع المتقدمين الذين توافقت مؤهلاتهم وخبراتهم مع الوظائف المعلن عنها والتي تقدموا لها في الموعد المعلن..

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. A diverse and inclusive workforce is part of UNICEF’s DNA | UNICEF Careers, irrespective of their raceethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a Compensation, benefits and wellbeing | UNICEF Careers including parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation for job candidates and personnel with disabilities | UNICEF Careers, UNCIEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

“UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles”.

Remarks:

This VA is open to all internal staff and other UNICEF personnel (including consultants, UNVs, TAs etc.)

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted in advance to the next stage of the selection process.

The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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