Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Consultant

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance

Job Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Consultant

Type of Contract: International Consultant

Division: Nutrition: Nutrition Division

Duty Station (City, Country): HQ, Rome Italy or home based

Duration: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. In 2021, WFP assisted a total of 128.2 million people in over 120 countries and territories received assistance from WFP in 2021 through food or cash distributions in emergencies, nutrition support and diverse programmes, including but not limited to nutrition, general food assistance, school meals, resilience, and capacity strengthening, in both development and humanitarian contexts.

In 2021, WFP provided food and cash to more than 23.5 million people, including women, girls and boys, through wasting treatment and prevention of malnutrition programmes in 51 countries worldwide, 10.9 million people received services for the prevention of malnutrition, including wasting, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies. 12.7 million people suffering from wasting were treated by WFP.

In 2021, WFP nutrition programmes addressed the immediate determinants of malnutrition, such as poor diet and disease, in 51 countries. WFP also integrated nutrition in complementary sectors such as agriculture, social protection, and school-based programming in 69 countries to address the underlying determinants of malnutrition, such as inadequate access to food and care for children and women. WFP focuses on improving access to healthy and adequate diets and concentrates efforts on the most at-risk, targeting young children, pregnant and lactating women and girls (PLWG), and people living with HIV and TB. In 2021, WFP reached 7.4 million PLWG and 14.9 million children under the age of 5.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems depend on appropriately defined indicators, quality data collection, appropriate interpretation, and use of the information generated. The information collected allows WFP to assess progress towards stated objectives, as well as identify whether any aspects of the operation need adjustment. An effective M&E system will ultimately improve the quality of activities; improve management-oriented decision making; improve accountability to donors, partners, host governments and beneficiary communities; and improve WFP and partners' ability to conduct evidence-based advocacy. Lesson learning activities also support programme quality improvement.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision M&E Nutrition Lead, the Nutrition Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist and will take an advisory role for Headquarters, Regional and Country Office in the Nutrition division. This role focuses on designing an improved and continuous M&E of nutrition specific and sensitive programming. This includes representation of nutrition within and beyond the Cooperate Results Framework (2022-2025) and advising Regional and Country offices to establish comprehensive M&E frameworks for improved nutrition programming. This role includes design and implementation of quality nutrition-sensitive programmes including the nutrition integration and the scale up of the demand, availability and access to healthy diets across WFP operations and countries food, health, social protection and education systems.

The Nutrition M&E specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Advisory services and technical support to regional and country offices

• Provide remote and direct field advisory and technical assistance through missions, webinars, remote support etc., in building, understanding, and implementing the Corporate Results Framework in alignment with country specific nutrition programme design and execution. This includes support during the design of country strategical plans, collection, analysis and interpretation of nutrition indicators especially dietary diversity indicators among others.
• Develop theory of change and associated M&E frameworks and tools/guidance for emerging and already implemented programme strategies; with adapted indicators to context and change pathways in Regional and Country offices
• Develop an operational nutrition M&E guidance in in improving the quality of data collection, course-correction, results tracking and reporting.

1. Capacity building, knowledge management and innovation at regional and country offices

• Design an effective M&E mechanism that allows a timely analysis of the situation in the areas where WFP works on nutrition-sensitive interventions
• Develop Theory of Changes including the M&E framework for nutrition-sensitive programming
• Develop key nutrition-sensitive indicators that are well defined, collected and analyzed in the overall M&E system.
• Advisory HQ, RB, CO on nutrition related M&E, assessments, studies, evaluation, analysis including on transfer modalities (in-kind/CBT/rations’ optimization, nutritional adequacy), SBCC formative research and food fortification.
• Contribute to knowledge management around nutrition integrated approach, including the documentation of processes, good practices, and learnings.
• Develop indicator socialization plan for Nutrition Integration as cross-cutting priority
• Create evidence on nutrition-sensitive interventions drawing lessons from research

1. Maintain M&E framework and results globally

• Design and capacity building on nutrition M&E for nutrition, M&E and programme specialists as part of building and strengthening national and WFP nutrition monitoring systems and processes.
• Enhance acquisition of nutrition programme knowledge through systematic collection of country programme M&E experience (lessons learned, best practices, reviews, evaluations)
• Develop learning and practice guidance on nutrition data in the field by disseminating and tracking relevant shifts in nutrition programme design and implementation.
• Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches in M&E for ending all forms of malnutrition at regional and country office levels

1. Advocacy and partnership building at regional and country level

• Design system in linking HQ Nutrition M&E system with regional and country office
• Advise on consolidation, implementation and reporting on a robust nutrition M&E system at regional and country office levels that is aligned with the Corporate Results Framework (2022-2025) and consolidate and ensure quality of corporate nutrition data
• Develop guidance in tracking and documenting developments and trends in nutrition data including the quality, analysis, utilization, visualization and course correction for country offices
• Participate in M&E exercises at regional and country office level to assess progress and engage Regional and Country offices to take required actions to achieve nutrition results

1. Advocacy and partnership building at headquarters, regional and country level

• Develop and maintain Regional and Country offices inter-agency collaborations in nutrition M&E frameworks
• Ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field are coordinated and standardized across programmes with inputs of all concerned partners such as governments, UN agencies and NGOs
• Proactively build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with governments, UN agencies, development partners, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector to achieve results for nutrition
• Advise Regional and Country Offices in participating in forums to advocate for organizational positioning in nutrition and M&E

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Nutrition programme/project results based-management approaches and methodology, standards of performance, theory of change and frameworks according to regional and country office plans developed
• M&E capacity needs of regional and country offices nutrition specialists identified and addressed
• Extrapolated Nutrition M&E data from different countries/contexts and programme strategies to identify trends, learnings and gaps
• Collaborated with key partners at Regional and Country office level for overall coordination of priority nutrition research, monitoring, and evaluation activities.
• Others as needed

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: nutrition, social sciences, statistics, development economics, performance management, monitoring and evaluation or other related fields, or First University degree with additional years of relevant work experience and/or training/courses. M&E experience is required, nutrition an added value.

Experience:

Extensive experience with monitoring and evaluation systems and tools; strong understanding of nutrition programme portfolio. Minimum of eight years of relevant professional work experience including in international development or humanitarian work. Experience with WFP M&E systems is desired.

Knowledge & Skills:

Technical knowledge:

• Developing M&E system including preparation of data collection tools; and conduction of analysis
• Development and maintenance of monitoring database
• Capacity development for staff; analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data;
• Performance reporting of operations; developing training materials and training facilitation methods.

Skills and Abilities:

• In-depth knowledge of results-based management principles and practices, preferable WFP’s corporate accountability frameworks;
• Proven knowledge, abilities and skills in the areas of Monitoring and Evaluation and Nutrition
• In-depth knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methods, metrics, statistical applications and reporting systems;
• Proven ability to network effectively with multiple work units;
• Familiarity with nutrition programing design, implementation and operational challenges;
• Practical knowledge on how monitoring data is collected, compiled, analysed and presented for management decisions, programme adjustment and donor reporting; WFP knowledge preferred
• Proven ability to develop quality reports and analyses with minimal direction;
• Excellent cross-group collaboration skills;
• Good knowledge of UN system policies, rules, regulations and procedures;
• Ability to effectively communicate orally;
• Ability to work with relevant technology and procedures (e.g.: web-based databases and other statistical applications) to collect, organize, share and use corporate information including SPSS

Languages:

Fluency (Level C) in English language, working knowledge of French language (Level B) desirable

Terms and Conditions

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.

http://www.wfp.org Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

Deadline for applications: 29 January 2023

Ref.: VA No. 296293

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

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