Header

Solutions M&E Officer at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

General Background

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State. 

While UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees, our ultimate goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their lives in dignity. There are three durable solutions pursued by UNHCR for 6.4 million refugees in protracted situations: voluntary repatriation; local integration; or resettlement to a third country.    

Finding lasting solutions requires developing and implementing strategies that address the legal, political, economic and social pillars of the specific situation. UNHCR is also increasingly working towards incorporating a solutions lens in emergency situations to prevent new situations from becoming protracted, and protracted from becoming further entrenched.

Context for the Post

In order to measure the effectiveness and success of interventions associated with solutions-related work and country/regional solutions strategies, UNHCR is looking to build an M&E framework that can be applied to different contexts. Solutions strategies are complex and will vary per situation: some will focus more heavily on legal and political aspects, others on socio-economic goals (like increased self-reliance and livelihoods), or a combination of those. The M&E framework should be framed as such that it will be able to measure progress against the varied pillars noted above. 

Based on work previously started in 2012, the Solutions M&E Officer will support the continued development of and testing of indicators, training and support to specific field offices and headquarter staff and recommendations for changes to UNHCR’s organizational results framework (FOCUS).

The M&E officer will be part of UNHCR’s Operational Solutions and Transition Section (OSTS) at the Division of Programme Support and Management (DPSM), but he/she will provide support to the overall work of the Solutions Steering Group within UNHCR. DPSM/OSTS provides programming support to field operations on solutions, livelihoods, environment and renewable energy and conflict mitigation.

Responsibilities
 
Under the supervision of the Chief of Section, the staff member shall undertake the following tasks:

• Establish a framework to monitor and evaluate solutions-related work (i.e. legal, political, economic, social);
• Provide technical advice and support to country operations to set appropriate baseline(s) and  a functioning M&E framework, including benchmarks and indicators, that will allow operations to track and demonstrate results;
• Document proven methodologies/approaches;
• Develop tools and guidelines to measure trends and track progress on solutions including data sources and reporting arrangements, ensuring effective links and coordination with field operations and stakeholders at HQ;
• Review and analyze the Focus Results Framework and indicator guidance from a Solutions perspective, and provide suggestions for updates where appropriate and in liaison with field operations (e.g. which areas should be monitored through Focus indicators and which others through qualitative information);
• Assist with the preparation of consolidated progress reports for project management including identification of problems, causes of potential obstacles to project implementation, and providing specific recommendations;
• Providing training to interested staff on general M&E concepts, and how to develop and maintain an M&E system; 
• Contribute to knowledge sharing on solutions monitoring and practices within appropriate community of practice/network.

Qualification (academic, experience)


• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in applied statistics, M&E, management/administration, development or related multidisciplinary field;
• At least 7 years programme design and management or research experience with at least 5 years of experience in designing M&E systems and knowledge management products; prior experience with UNHCR or another UN agency would be added advantage, but not required;
• Familiarity with displacement, development and livelihoods issues;
• Familiarity with transition issues such as peacebuilding and humanitarian relief, post-conflict recovery and development;
• Field experience in a reintegration and/or local integration context;
• Systems wide thinker with high-level conceptual and analytical capability and track record in  developing/elaborating guidelines and tools to ensure informed and responsible decision making; ability to utilize relevant statistical software desirable;
• Ability to build capacity of staff and partners to adopt tools;
• Demonstrated ability to draft and present information in a concise, coherent and useful manner;
• Exceptional drafting skills with an ability to present information in a concise, coherent and useful manner;
• Working knowledge of French desirable.

HCR Competencies required

• Analytical Thinking
• Policy Development and Research
• Innovation and Creativity
• Teamwork and Communication

Duration: Initially for 3 months (starting 1 October 2013) with possibility of extension until end of 2014 depending on the availability of funds.

Enquiries/How to apply: Please send an email with your CV and cover letter before 4 September 2013 tohqts01@unhcr.org