National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of FAO Country Offices, headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO Lao PDR assists the Government in the development and implementation of field projects in the sectors of food security, agriculture, and rural development. This requires the integration within the broader framework of sustainable food and agriculture that aims at increasing production and productivity, addressing climate change, and managing natural resources; and enhance rural livelihoods.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Lao PDR, and direct supervision of AFAOR (Programme), the incumbent will play a primary role in ensuring effective monitoring, evaluation, and programme assurance for the FALAO programme and its key projects.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will be primarily focused to strengthen FAO monitoring and evaluation systems and improve the effectiveness of FAO projects in Laos through technical expertise, capacity building and advocacy.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Develop, establish and update the most relevant standard output and outcome level indicators for measuring progress in each programmatic area linking them to specific projects, making sure appropriate data collection tools and mechanisms are set-up to ensure regular updates in line with reporting requirements of each project
• Coordinate and manage access to country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries including information on external aid in FAO's corporate systems and monitor and communicate changes in national policies affecting the agricultural sector.
• Support the technical, economic and policy studies as required
• Support advocacy on inclusion of global development agenda (such as SDGs) for inclusion in the national development plans in relation to M&E.
• Coordinate and liaise with the country team on the reporting requirements for all the projects, ensuring timely reporting in accordance with the reporting requirements of the various donors.
• Coordinate and liaise with the country team on data collection and analysis, ensuring timely reporting in accordance with the reporting requirements of the UNSDCF outputs and outcomes reports.
• Maintain a database of up-to-date disaggregated indicators and data sources to serve as reference for analysis and reporting on the progress, outcomes and impacts.
• Lead the analysis of the data gathered across the various projects and report and make recommendations to the management on the gaps and prospective focus areas for improvement based on the outcome of analysis.
• Ensure data accuracy and contribute to drafting/ reviewing relevant components of regional and country level progress and achievement notes, briefings and reports, including situation analyses, donor reports, annual and mid-term reviews, UN reporting etc. as appropriate.
• Ensure that data captured are well reflected in the various reporting outputs.
• Liaise with regional and headquarters M&E knowledge networks, to keep abreast of latest developments in the area of planning and M&E, document and share national experiences to capture successful and unsuccessful practices, innovations and lessons learnt.
• Strengthen the M&E process for the ongoing projects and in coordination with RAP including.
o Contribute to the design of studies (quantitative and qualitative) to assess the achievement of the projects’ outcomes and impacts and ensure their implementation.
o Collect, compile, analyze and report on routine data collected and studies implemented in accordance with the projects’ logical framework and as a contribution to the overall logical framework of M&E plan.
• Provide technical assistance to program on evaluation designs as well as aligning implemented program data with country logical framework indicator achievements.
• Deliver training, as necessary, on M&E, impact assessment, data analysis and other related topics to FALAO staff.
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree on Agriculture, Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, or a relevant field.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in project and/or programme monitoring and evaluation.
• Working knowledge of English.
• National of Lao PDR.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Good commence of computer skill such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Power Point) or a relevant application.
• Knowledge of project management, rural development, and business administration.
• Knowledge of the administrative policies and procedures of the United Nations and International Organization.
• Proven capacity to conduct fieldwork and ability to work in teams and establish working relationships central and local government institutions and civil society organization.
• Prior experience with the UN and/or international organizations is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION