Background

UNDP has been long supporting the Government of Timor-Leste in fostering youth-led MSMEs. The initiative was sharpened in 2021 under the Supporting Employment and Entrepreneurship for Women and Youth (SEEWAY) Project and later was scaled up and sustained under the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Skills (YEES) Project from 2022-2027. To this date, UNDP has been supporting over 300 youth-led enterprises across the country in different sectors and value chains aligning with the government’s priority, such as in agriculture, tourism, and small industry. The youth entrepreneurs were supported through a series of business training and financial access, such as soft loans and grants through the Business Innovation Challenge.

The YEES project is focusing on producing two medium-term sub-outcomes: 1) youth become employed and 2) youth become entrepreneurs, which will contribute to UNSDCF/CPD outcome 2: By 2025, institutions and people throughout Timor-Leste in all their diversity, especially women and youth, benefit from sustainable economic opportunities and decent work to reduce poverty, with three interrelated outputs:

Output 1: Youth obtain skills, competencies, and knowledge to be employed.
Output 2: Service providers are available to deliver holistic support to enhance employability.
Output 3: Youth, including migrants/returnees, obtain skills, knowledge, and services to start or expand their business.

In order to ensure project delivery and the impact on project implementation, it is necessary to provide appropriate monitoring and evaluation of the progress of project activities. Against this backdrop, the YEES Project will hire a National Project M&E Specialist to ensure the quality assurance and long-term impact on the project beneficiaries.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Project M&E Specialist will work under the supervision of the Project Manager of the YEES project. On a day-to-day basis, National Project M&E Specialist will work closely with the YEES Project team, especially with the Business Development Specialist, National Project Youth Employment Specialist, and Field Coordinators. The National Project M&E Specialist will work at the project office in Dili to conduct the work described in ‘3. Scope of Work’  within the duration of the contract.

Guide and Support Project Team in developing and implementation of M&E framework

• Develop and implement M&E frameworks and plans in consultation with the Project Manager, including definition of indicators, data collection tools, protocols, and alignment with the logical framework, AWPs, and outcome indicators.
• Manage data collection, quality assurance, and field verification, including field visits, review of monitoring data, validation of reported results, and continuous tracking of activity progress and milestones.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative data analysis, including management of surveys and key informant interviews (KIIs), dataset preparation, empirical and statistical analysis, and interpretation of results to inform evidence-based programme recommendations.

Monitoring and Tracking of project performance against targets and indicators.

• Maintain results monitoring and tracking systems, including regular updates using field monitoring reports, BTORs, activity reports, and other data sources, ensuring accurate performance tracking against targets and indicators.
• Prepare and review M&E and progress reports, including flash, quarterly, annual, and final reports, lessons learned logs, risk matrices, and implementation updates in compliance with approved M&E frameworks and AWPs.
• Support cross-cutting compliance monitoring, including environmental and social risk management, gender action plans, stakeholder engagement plans, and information management systems relevant to M&E.

Coordination and identification of capacity gaps and facilitate capacity building 

• Strengthen M&E coordination and capacity, including engagement with government partners, NGOs, communities, and beneficiaries; support to joint monitoring and donor events; and identification of M&E capacity gaps through staff needs assessments.
• Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.

Facilitate knowledge and knowledge sharing

• Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application. 
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area. 
• Promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

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 & Strategy

• Systems 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 Development

• Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Business Management

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
• 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
• 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.

Information Management & Technology

• Data Management & Analytics: Knowledge in data management, data sciences, ability to structure data, develop dashboard and visualization. Design data warehouses, data lakes or data platforms concepts. Familiarity with Machine leaning, natural language processing or generation and the use of artificial intelligence to support predictive analytics. CDMP or TOGAF9 or equivalent certification desirable.

Administration & Operations

• Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advance university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Science, Monitoring and Evaluation, Economics, Business Administration, International Relations, Development Studies, Statistics, Management or related disciplines is required. Or 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advance university degree. 

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 (five) years (with master’s degree) or 7 (seven) years (with Bachelor´s degree) of professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, results-based management, and communication.

Required Skills:

• Experience working within the Development agencies preferably in the government system.
• Demonstrated experience in Timor-Leste development planning process and development plans.
• Progressively responsible experience in providing strategic support to research and data analysis, knowledge management or project management in the context of development cooperation or related area 

Desired Skills:

• Previous experience with UNDP or United Nations/INGO youth innovation and entrepreneurship program would be an advantage 
• Experience in handling of web-based data management systems is an asset.
• Knowledge and experience in designing M&E systems and conducting evaluations is an asset.
• Experience in preparing and review M&E; project progress reports, including flash, quarterly, annual, and final reports, lessons learned logs, risk matrices, and implementation is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in networking including the ability to liaise effectively at project management levels is desired. 

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Tetum, both writing and speaking 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. 

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.

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