Description

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlighting our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

Project Description

At the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) in Madrid (the United Nations Climate Change Conference), the Adaptation Fund launched a new US$10 million pilot grant programme to foster innovation in adaptation in developing countries. The programme targets a broad range of potential finance recipients, including non-governmental organizations, community groups, young innovators and the private sectors. The programme is part of the Adaptation Fund’s innovation facility, providing small grants to developing countries to support innovation for effective, long-term adaptation to climate change. UNDP acts as small grant aggregators for innovation in adaptation, making small grants available to a broad scope of stakeholders on a competitive basis. In January 2021, the European Commission and UNDP signed €10 million in funding for the UNDP-led Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP).

The AF-EU-UNDP Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP) is designed to support the development, diffusion and evidence building of innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies in developing countries. ISGAP programme is intended to provide 20-30 direct small grant fund to local entities (i.e. programme grantees).

The Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will contribute to implement ISGAP´s Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. The specialist will support ISGAP´s PMU to ensure that the programme is appropriately monitored and evaluated against corresponding indicators and targets in the project results framework. S/he will support the PMU to follow-up with grantees, ensuring that they meet the performance targets and indicators from their Low Value Grant Agreements (LVGA), as well as the risk management measures, safeguards and gender commitments. S/he will also coordinate as needed with ISGAP responsible parties (knowledge management; philanthropy and corporate foundations engagement), and other ISGAP consultants (communications, finance and investment, safeguards, website) to ensure obtaining optimal outcomes and results.
Duties and Responsibilities

General responsibilities

1. Overall support to ISGAP´s PMU in programme monitoring and evaluation

Support in monitoring of outputs and results as per the results framework for the project.
Support monitoring project progress and provide inputs to annual and other progress reports ensuring that they meet the necessary reporting requirements and standards (e.g. for ISGAP´s Project Board).
Ensure project’s M&E meets the requirements of the UNDP and the donors (European Union and the Adaptation Fund).
Oversee and ensure the implementation of the project’s M&E plan, including periodic appraisal of the project’s results framework with reference to actual and potential project progress and results.
Support and guide the design of surveys/ assessments commissioned for monitoring and evaluating project results (more generally, for the ISGAP Programme).
Assist the Project Manager in supporting mid-term and terminal evaluations, or audits of the project, including management responses.
Facilitate annual reviews of the project and produce analytical reports from these annual reviews, including learning and other knowledge management products.
Providing inputs to the development of a web-based monitoring and evaluation interface with data query and reporting capability for ISGAP.

2. Support ISGAP´s grantees to meet their performance targets and indicators

Support the PMU to follow-up with grantees, ensuring that they meet the performance targets and indicators from their Low Value Grant Agreements (LVGA), as well as the risk management measures, safeguards and gender commitments. In coordination with the Project Manager, the consultant will engage regularly with ISGAP´s grantees through emails or calls with the objective of accompanying the CSOs/NGOs to meet their workplans´ goals, and to support UNDP identify potential challenges and solutions to problems.
Assist the PMU to review the quarterly and annual substantive reports, and provide feedback to grantees as necessary.
In coordination with the Project Manager, the consultant will support processes that enable UNDP to provide project management or technical assistance to grantees (e.g. contribute to the organization of trainings/consultations, provide inputs to draft works/service specifications, follow up with different UNDP units or external partners to provide technical assistance, as needed).
Analyse and support the design of surveys/ assessments commissioned for monitoring and evaluating project results (to receive feedback from ISGAP´s grantees or other counterparts).
Support the organization and deployment of project site M&E and learning missions, if deemed necessary. This entails coordinating, under the lead of the Project Manager, with certain UNDP´s Country Offices or with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) network.
Visit project sites as and when required to appraise project progress on the ground and validate written progress reports (troubleshooting as needed).

Institutional Arrangement

The specialist will report to the ISGAP Project Manager, under the guidance of the Regional Technical Specialist -Climate Finance and Investment. S/he will work closely with other staff in the UNDP Regional Hubs, HQ staff and counterparts as appropriate (grantees, responsible parties and partners).
Competencies
Core
Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Management Monitoring Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
Business Management Evaluation Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks - Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Management Working with Evidence and Data Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
Business Management Risk Management Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
Business Management Communication Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
Partnership Management CSO engagement Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs
Digital & Innovation

Storytelling

Ability to empathise with people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly.

Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilise resources, talent or action.

Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences.
Required Skills and Experience
Min. Education requirements Master's Degree in Environmental Management/Sciences, Development Studies, International Affairs, Business or Public Administration or other related fields.
Min. years of relevant work experience At least 2 years of professional experience working on monitoring and evaluation in the development sector, preferably with regional or global donor-funded projects and project teams.
Required skills

Demonstrated experience (2 years) in monitoring and evaluation on the development of M&E systems and/or performance-based management of international projects.
Demonstrated experience (at least 2 years) working with environment, sustainable development and/or climate change projects.
Full computer literacy is required: Microsoft Office programmes i.e. MS-Word, MS-Excel and MS-PowerPoint.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience in coordinating and supporting projects providing M&E activities for local NGOs/CSOs is an advantage.
Specific knowledge in climate change adaptation is an advantage.
Previous work experience with UNDP or a related international organization is an advantage.

Required Language(s) Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English language Knowledge of Spanish, French or Portuguese is an advantage.