Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant

Introduction

The International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) aimed to implement a project entitled “Promoting Employment and Employability among Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Host Communities focusing on Women, PWDs, and Youths in Northern Iraq” with the overarching objective to support transition of refugees, internally displaced persons, and host communities focusing on youth and women into decent jobs. This will be achieved through the intermediate objective of improving the evidence-base for stronger capacities of national stakeholders and policy dialogue, strengthening employment services, technical and business management skills development, financial inclusion and enhancing opportunities for work-based learning. The project also aspires to achieve the following specific outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Capacities of government stakeholders and social partners to develop comprehensive, equitable and evidence-based policy frameworks for productive inclusion of young internally displaced persons and refugees, particularly young women and persons with disabilities, in the labour market are strengthened.
• Outcome 2. Access to labour market-relevant skills, apprenticeship, and intermediation services to support young people’s transition to employment are improved.
• Outcome 3: Improved capacity of emerging and existing MSMEs to establish and expand their businesses.

Reporting lines:

The Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant will mainly work on the aforementioned project and directly reports to the Project Manager. However, she/he will be tasked to carry out and assist project planning, monitoring and reporting activities on other Development Cooperation projects as deemed necessary as assigned by the functional lead, Planning, Monitoring and Reporting (PMR) Officer, who is based in Baghdad. 

Description of Duties

• The Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant will be responsible to develop comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan in consultation with the Project Manager and PMR Officer. This plan will include project performance indicator measurement plan, data collection plan, frequency of data collection, data collection instrument considering gender, governorate and vulnerability disaggregation, and indicator tracking table at all levels of results including impact, outcome, and output. She/he will also be responsible to implement the M&E plan in close consultation with the PMR Officer and reports to the Project Manager, track project performance indicators,
• Prepare direct beneficiaries monitoring tool and activity implementation log in accordance with the project logical framework to track project performance indicators at output and outcome level.
• Compile and prepare background information and tables for briefing and review sessions by identifying and consolidating data and relevant information on project activities.
• Conduct periodic data collection across all governorates. Assist in daily activity implementation, monitoring and reporting. 
• Assist the Project Teams in preparation of semi-annual technical progress reports and a final technical report for the submission to the donor and ILO (i.e., PARDEV).

Description of Duties (continued)

• Assist in the Development and implementation of quantitative and qualitative baseline and endline outcome studies as requested.
• Train the project team and local implementation partners in the implementation of the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan as a management, learning and reporting tool.
• Capture most significant change stories, extract key findings, recommendations, best practices, and lessons learned to ensure accountability and inform future programming.
• Assist the project team in midterm (self or internal evaluation) and final independent evaluations.
• Assist the Project team in managing the resource allocated for M&E to be utilized in as efficiently and effectively manner.
• Perform other M&E duties for other Development Cooperation Projects as assigned by the PMR Officer.

Required qualifications

Education

Completion of secondary school education

Experience

At least five years of relevant work experience. Additional experience in implementing M&E activities for international development projects would be an advantage.

Languages

Excellent command of Kurdish, Arabic and English.

Competencies

• Experience in planning and managing various studies; for example, performance evaluations, baseline studies, case studies, and gender/diversity-related studies.
• Experience in strategic planning and performance measurement, including indicator design, target setting, reporting, database management, and developing M&E and performance monitoring plans.
• Experience designing and managing multiple disaggregation variables for participant monitoring and database systems, including gender and age.
• Experience in designing and administering data collection tools, conducting data entry, data cleaning, data processing, and analysis.
• Knowledge of the major evaluation methodologies (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, mixed method, and impact) and data collection and analysis methodologies.
• Experience managing and providing ongoing training to M&E field officers and/or subrecipients.
• Experience with data quality assessments and oversight.
• Ability to organize own work.

Competencies (continued)

• Ability to prioritize work assignments, organize own schedule, perform routine work independently, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands and multitask.
• Proficient in computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other statistical software packages required such as SPSS.
• Ability to obtain services from other work units inside or outside the office for completion of tasks.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and manage a heavy workload under time pressure.
• Ability to respond to requests from officials from government offices, ministries, ILO constituents and NGOs.
• Accuracy and ability to pay attention to detail.
• Ability to search and retrieve information from databases and compile reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and gender-sensitive behaviour and attitudes are also required. 

optional section (if needed)

Candidates assessed by the Panel and considered to be eligible for appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same or lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.