onitoring and Evaluation and Risk Management-Team Lead (Open to all applicants).

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

- Tier 0 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.

- Tier 1 : Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments

- Tier 2 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers

- Tier 3 or no tier indicated : All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

Central Africa is home to the second largest tropical rainforest in the world. Forest loss is accelerating despite ongoing efforts, as government action alone has not been sufficient to establish an effective balance between the interests of the forest and of economic development.

On this basis, a coalition of willing donors – Norway, European Union, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, and South Korea – together with Central African partner countries – Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Gabon – have entered in 2015 into a collaborative partnership to establish in partnership with the United Nations, the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). The objective of this initiative is to recognize and preserve the value of the forests in the region to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty, and contribute to sustainable development. This objective will be attained through the implementation of country-led, national scale REDD+ and Low Emissions Development (LED) investment frameworks that include policy reforms and measures to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and promote sustainable development.

The CAFI Trust Fund is the principal means to implement the Central African Forest Initiative. It is administered by the MPTF-Office (http://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/fund/AFI00). As per the updated Fund Terms of Reference and the direct cost Secretariat project document, the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO) is hosting the CAFI Secretariat providing the secretariat administrative services under the oversight of the CAFI Executive Board and other participating UN organizations (UNDP, UNCDF, FAO, UN-Habitat, UNFPA, and UNEP).

Established by the Executive Board, the CAFI Secretariat was created to support the fund management coupled with policy and programmatic dialogue and portfolio administration, strongly based on result-based management and solid reporting methods. With the intensification of CAFI presence in countries and solid increase in investment programmes and related digital innovations, including but not limited to the introduction of Payment for Environmental Services, a Technical Assistance Facility, Private Sector projects, it is fundamental that the Secretariat provides high-efficiency M&E services to support the Trust Fund objectives. This requires an M&E Unit led by an expert Head of M&E that can efficiently work across all CAFI partner countries and portfolio accordingly namely DRC, Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Gabon, embracing and helping to expand CAFI’s digital ecosystem in support of M&E in general and performance-based programming in particular.

Position Purpose

Under the strategic guidance of the Head of Secretariat, the Team Lead f the Monitoring and Evaluation and Risk Management Unit promotes results-based management and a programme effectiveness approach, by leading the design and implementation of innovative and effective monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks, systems and tools, and implements a robust approach to risk management across the investment portfolio of the Trust Fund, serving the Executive Board in risk-based decision making approach. Where relevant, the Team Lead of M&E & Risk Management will also support programme quality assurance and developing relevant systems. The Team Lead of M&E & Risk Management provides technical support on M&E and reporting practices to the business unit`s senior management as well as programme and project teams. The Team Lead of M&E & Risk Management promotes a collaborative, efficient, client-focused, evidence-based, and portfolio management approach.

The Team Lead of M&E and risk leads a team of personnel working on M&E and RBM, and as applicable, quality assurance work; collaborates closely with Programme, Operations and project teams in other branches and across partners and donors, programme staff in other UN agencies, and Government officials, technical advisers and experts, NGOs, and other organizations on programme implementation and monitoring and evaluation issues and practices.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.) Lead in designing and implementing the monitoring and evaluation frameworks, systems, and tools at Fund level and conduct quality assurance of the overall Fund’s portfolio.

• Develop integrated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and results-based management (RBM) policies, frameworks, systems/tools and plans at Fund level, in line with CAFI’s Terms of Reference and CAFI’s Manual of Operations and its related policies towards programmes, projects and initiatives, to inform on their adequate implementation, and ensure their effectiveness and compliance with the Fund programming and reporting requirements.
• Development, continued improvement and implementation of CAFI M&E and Learning policy and strategies/Plans (e.g. the Fund’s evaluation strategy/plan), as well as related guidelines, minimum standards, procedures and templates.
• Develop SOPs and guidelines for CAFI Secretariat staff, partner countries and implement organizations.
• Coordinate partner countries in adapting, if and as required, CAFI’s M&E framework, procedures and tools to their context, while ensuring full alignment with CAFI’s.
• Participate in CAFI’s annual planning processes, defining targets and harmonized indicators to ensure consistency with CAFI’s policies across CAFI’s portfolio of programmes and projects.
• Contribute to the elaboration and mapping of business processes and procedures in programme and project oversight that includes providing input to establishment of quality assurance processes, guidance notes, protocols, tools, checklists, and sharing best practices.
• Provide technical, innovative and policy advice on M&E and RBM requirements and activities to programme and project managers, staff concerned with monitoring and evaluation, and consultants and/or members of the evaluation team. Collaborate with Programme and project teams on developing integrated development approaches.
• Ensure gender equality, disability inclusion, and Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principles are an integral part of programmes and operations and that these considerations are fully mainstreamed into programming and reflected in project design, monitoring, reporting, and evaluations in line with the UNDP Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion Strategies, UNSDG Operational Guide for Country Teams on LNOB, and available regional guidance.
• Develop the evaluation plan and ensure its timely implementation in line with CAFI standards for the CAFI funded programs/projects, Letters of Intent and the Trust Fund (such as independent evaluations, mid-term reviews, tranche releases).
• Ensure monitoring of data collection by projects, analyze and exploit data combining layers of maps, photo and satellite images, text and statistics.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of spatial monitoring through a dedicated structured geographic information system integrating data acquisition, administration, processing, analysis and dissemination, with support from specialized personnel.
• Support the implementation and growth of CAFI’s ecosystem of digital tools in support of efficiency and transparency, in synergy with colleagues from the programming and PES teams (specifically CAFI Connect and CAFI PES).

2.) Lead coordination of monitoring, reporting, evaluation and results-based management of CAFI programmes and projects.
• Oversee implementation and application of efficient and evidence-based results monitoring, and as applicable, quality assurance work for programme and project development and delivery using integrated portfolio management approach as well as the CAFI Connect tool and the CAFI PES dashboard
• Ensure timely identification of potential implementation problems and bottlenecks and advise the management and programme/project teams on strategies/corrective measures to address them.
• Lead the cross-cutting reviews, studies and evaluations of the M&E unit.
• Manage and coordinate third-party monitoring and/or any other data collection intervention.
• Review and approve all plans and Terms of Reference (TOR) for project and programme mid-term reviews, evaluations, and assessments. Participate in consultant and evaluation team recruitment and selection. Review and provide input on evaluation inception reports, evaluation methodology, and draft evaluation reports for quality assurance and compliance purposes.
• Ensure the optimal use of evaluation findings and recommendations. Provide guidance and input in the preparation of timely management responses and key actions to all evaluations; consolidate evaluation findings to assess effectiveness and impact of programmes/projects; and develop a communication/dissemination plan to incorporate into recommendations for improvement by projects and partners. Follow up on implementation of evaluation recommendations by project teams.
• Facilitate collation of monitoring and evaluation of impact results and/or data/information in a format that is relevant for evidence-based policy, communications and/or development interventions.
• Drive the application of CAFI’s social and environmental safeguards as applicable as part of the reporting exercises and the programme evaluation strategy.
• Lead the development of funded evaluation plans that accompany the development of programme documents and oversee the timely implementation of evaluations in the plan.
• Provide support, as applicable, in ensuring projects are designed, implemented, and completed in line with RBM and quality standards and programme and project management policies and procedures.
• Provide input into the independent verification of land use projects as per relevant EB decisions.

3.) Provide substantive contributions to capacity building and facilitate knowledge building and sharing on monitoring, evaluation, and results-based management
• Contribute to the assessment of capacity needs and elaboration of capacity development plans, tools, and methodologies. Design, organize and lead training activities; and participate in preparing knowledge packages on RBM, monitoring and evaluation, data collection/survey methods, gender mainstreaming and portfolio approach programme and project teams as well as national partners and key stakeholders.
• Lead the identification, synthesis, documentation, and dissemination of key lessons learned and good practices derived from monitoring and evaluation activities on what works, what does not work, and/or revised theories of change to identify innovative ideas for their scaling or replication.
• Provide sound contributions to local and global networks, communities of practice, and other knowledge management mechanisms. Proactively participate in regional and international fora on relevant thematic areas (including engaging in thematic discussions, contributing with analytical papers, etc.).

4.) Lead solid and efficient Reporting
• Ensure donor reports are timely prepared in line with established requirements. Prepare Results Reports, analysis of results of projects, and other periodic information and reports for the Executive Board, government partners, donor community and other key stakeholders. Advise on data use and interpretation to assess country programme results, improve programme quality, identify trends, and inform future decision-making processes.
• With direct support from CAFI’s Reporting Specialist, facilitate the reporting exercises across CAFI`s portfolio of funded projects, incorporation of lessons learned from previous exercises and semi-annual reporting to the Executive Board on the compliance of the reporting function. Provide regular update to the Executive Board on project and portfolio performance based on the information in the CAFI Connect and CAFI PES dashboard and narrative reports.
• Lead the organization and execution of accountability sessions with implementing partners to drive performance and reinforce a results culture

5.) Lead Implementation of Risk Management Framework across CAFI Portfolio
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework for the Trust Fund, maintaining updated all related Policies and SOPs.
• Identify and assess risks across key categories, taking due diligence and reporting as per Risk Policies in place.
• Conduct risk assessments at portfolio, program, and country levels.
• Lead and guide funded projects in conducting risk due diligence.
• Maintain and regularly update a risk register.
• Design and implement risk mitigation strategies and internal controls.
• Advise program teams and implementing partners on risk reduction measures, compliance requirements and preventive controls such as procurement safeguards and financial oversight
• Ensure integration of risk management into program design and approval processes.
• Drive the development and oversee the implementation of contingency and risk response plans.
• Co-lead fiduciary risk oversight by working in collaboration with Management Specialist to monitor financial management reports from implementing organizations.
• Proactively track risk indicators and early warning signals to identify emerging threats; escalate critical risks to accordingly and propose corrective actions
• Contribute to the preparation of annual reports and portfolio reviews with a risk perspective.
• In collaboration with the Policy Dialogue Unit, conduct due diligence assessments of implementing partners in regard to their Institutional capacity, Governance systems and financial management capabilities
• Lead the risk due diligence for all prospective partners and new program designs to ensure risk is integrated into all approval processes

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervises M&E Specialist (IPSA) and MRV and Compliance Manager (IPSA)

Competencies

- Core Competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

- Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction and Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

Business Management & Monitoring & Evaluation:

- Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented
effectively

- Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.

- Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria
and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.

- Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.

- Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns

Business Management & Risk Management: Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks

Partnership Management & Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness: Programmatic Risk Management and Analysis.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Development/Development Studies, Economics, Statistics, Business Management, Social Policy, or related field is required. Or

- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

- A minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, programme and/or team management working with quality assurance instruments, results-based management models, and multiple stakeholders is required.

- Proven experience in the Monitoring & Evaluation of a large Fund is required.

- Experience and proven technical knowledge of the results-based management cycle and monitoring and evaluation is required.

- Proven experience in designing monitoring and evaluation systems and designing development projects or integrated portfolios is required.

- Proven ability to work with quantitative and qualitative data and appropriately use qualitative data /information collection tools in innovative ways is required.

- Demonstrated experience in using GIS tools (e.g. QGIS, ArcGis), mobile data collection tools (e.g. Kobo toolbox, ODK), remote sensing applications and data treatment software (e.g. SPSS) is an asset.

- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and web-based management systems, and up-to-date, advanced knowledge of data management tools and database packages is required.

- Experience in designing, implementing and/or managing assessments and/or data collection exercises/processes is desired.

- Experience in using project management or project portfolio management softwares (e.g. TECPRO, MSPRO) is an advantage.

- Certification in Enterprise Risk Management or related is desired.

- Expertise in fiduciary oversight and financial controls is desired.

- Experience conducting applied research projects and reporting on findings is desired.

Languages:

- Fluency in written and spoken English is required

- Fluency in written and spoken French is required

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

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