National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. 

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources. 

Specifically, FAO Country Offices: 

(i)    advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate.
(ii)    provide technical assistance and deliver core services. 
(iii)    assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation. 
(iv)    position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation. 
(v)    ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

The position is located in the FAO Country Office in Nepal and plays a critical role in ensuring the effective implementation, tracking, and assessment of FAO projects. The M&E function supports evidence-based decision-making, enhancing project efficiency, accountability, and impact measurement across various thematic areas, including agricultural development, food security, climate resilience, policy implementation, and humanitarian response. This role involves developing and implementing M&E frameworks, strengthening data collection and analysis, ensuring compliance with FAO and UN reporting requirements, and facilitating knowledge sharing and learning. By systematically monitoring project performance, identifying challenges, and recommending improvements, the M&E Specialist contributes to optimizing resource utilization, fostering adaptive management, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of FAO’s interventions in Nepal in line with priorities set forth by current FAO Nepal’s Country Programme Framework (CPF) ((2023-2027).

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAOR, and in close coordination with the programme team and the administrative section of the FAO representation Nepal.

Technical Focus

Provide needful M&E support to the FAO country programme/office in Nepal to carry out tasks as envisioned in the Terms of Reference (TOR).

Tasks and responsibilities

The National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will be responsible to carry out the following tasks:

•    Assist to prepare, update, monitor and report on the Monitoring Plan for the FAO Representation office on a periodic basis. 
•    In coordination with concerned officials, collect and compile the status, issues, challenges, required actions for FAO operationally active and pipeline projects for FAO Programme Management Team Meetings, Kathmandu CO meetings, FAO Nepal All Staff Meetings and other meetings as required.
•    Collect, review and compile work-plan & budget of projects, human resource recruitment plan, procurement plan, risk mitigation plan, travel plan from each FAO projects for FAOR approval.
•    Support Program Operation Specialists and Procurement Officers to review, consolidate and monitor compliance of the above-mentioned plans. Coordinate in updating the plans on a quarterly basis. Monitor timely submission and quality of plans. 
•    Assist in the collection of month delivery plans from projects and prepare a consolidated delivery plan for the preparation of the replenishment request of CO. 
•    Closely monitor the status of pipeline projects in FPMIS and facilitate actions to accelerate the implementation. 
•    Ensure that new projects have provisions made for 1. Result framework/log frame and M&E plan 2. Human Resource recruitment Plan 3. Procurement Plan 4. Risk monitoring 4. Environmental and Social (ES)safeguard assessment 5. GESI strategy/plan.
•    Closely monitor the status of ongoing projects that is expected to be closed in FPMIS and other system and alert for timely submission of 1. Project completion/terminal report, 2. Handover documents, 3. Financial report to FAO to enable smooth and timely operational and financial closure.
•    In close collaboration with the Admin & Finance and Programme Team, support in reviewing existing internal operations documents: such as Internal Guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), in-country procurement, travel and asset management; propose ways for improvement to increase efficiency. 
•    Support in preparing/updating necessary Project Monitoring Tools (data collection and reporting templates) for projects/programmes.
•    In coordination and collaboration with M&E team and programme team, carry out monitoring and validation of project interventions in the field.
•    Collect and consolidate information/data from FAO projects on periodic basis and prepare contributions and inputs for the Country Office Annual Report, CPF, CCA and UNCT/UNSDCF progress, UNINFO, PAID and SDG reporting as needed. 
•    Support in the documentation and sharing of good practices and learnings from FAO projects on a periodic basis.
•    Participate in the M&E group and other specified UN groups/task force meetings and contribute with FAO inputs as required. 
•    Support UNSDCF Outcome Result Groups in the preparation of the JWP and report on progress as needed. 
•    In close coordination and collaboration with the FAO team, support project teams to develop and update a mechanism for Sharing Best Practices, Lessons Learnt and Knowledge (Knowledge Management).
•    Any other additional tasks as assigned to support the FAO Country Office objectives.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Masters’ degree (Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Economics, Statistics or related fields)
•    At least five years of proven experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes with UN/ I/NGO or relevant institutions
•    Working knowledge of English and Nepali languages 
•    National of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills        
    
•    Monitoring & Evaluation Systems
•    Project and Programme Analysis
•    Data Management, Analysis, Reporting and Documentation
•    Quality assurance (QA)/Quality Control Mechanism
•    Ability to develop indicators and Results Framework
•    Impact evaluation and Assessment
•    Knowledge Management & Learning
•    Coordination and Cooperation for project management 

Selection Criteria

•    Experience of designing and implementing M&E system, baseline survey, impact survey, qualitative assessment survey of the projects will be added advantages. 
•    Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, database analysis and power point) and knowledge and experience of report writing and technical document preparation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION