Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
UN Women South Sudan supports the government in implementing its commitments to international normative frameworks on gender equality and women’s human rights. The new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023–2026, along with the UN Women South Sudan Strategic Note 2023–2026—which defines the organization’s strategic engagement in the country—prioritizes strengthening national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans, and budgets. UN Women also supports efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women, promote women’s economic empowerment, and advocate for policies and investments that enhance women’s resilience and empowerment in the context of climate change, humanitarian crises, and threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a broad range of stakeholders in South Sudan, including government entities, civil society and women’s organizations, youth, UN agencies, and development partners, to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare (MGCSW) is implementing the South Sudan Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project (SSWSEEP), which aims to increase adolescent girls’ and women’s access to livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and gender-based violence (GBV) services, while also strengthening government capacity to provide these services. The project comprises four components:
Community Empowerment Support for Women and Girls Establishment of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Facility (WEOF) Scaling Up Services for Survivors of GBV Institutional Strengthening of the MGCSWUN Women is the key implementation partner supporting MGCSW in the delivery of Components 1, 2, and 4 of SSWSEEP.
Under the overall strategic guidance of the Country Representative and the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, SSWSEEP, the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Accountability and Reporting (MELR)Specialist will lead the design, planning, and implementation of robust monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems to effectively track progress toward project targets. The Specialist will play a key role in ensuring evidence-based decision-making and accountability by generating timely, high-quality data and communicating results to internal and external stakeholders.
The Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Reporting Specialist will work as part of the Country Office M&E team, in close collaboration with the programme and operations teams, as well as the M&E Specialist and other relevant staff within the SSWSEEP Project Management Unit (PMU) at MGCSW. With a specific focus on SSWSEEP.
Key Functions and Accountabilities
Technical Leadership and Framework Development:
Lead comprehensive MELR framework development: Spearhead the creation of a robust, theory-based monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting framework that captures the complexity of women's empowerment across economic, social, and protection dimensions; Facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement: Design and conduct participatory workshops, technical working group sessions, and bilateral consultations with MGCSW-PMU leadership, UN Women programme teams, state-level gender ministries, implementing partners, and beneficiary representatives to ensure inclusive framework development; Conduct framework validation: Organize validation meetings at national and state levels to secure stakeholder buy-in and ensure cultural appropriateness and contextual relevance of the MELR framework; Ensure vertical coherence: Align the MELR framework with SSWSEEP's overall results framework, UN Women's Strategic Plan 2022-2025, and Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDGs 1, 5, 8, and 16); Integrate corporate standards: Embed UN Women's Results-Based Management (RBM) principles, including accountability for results, learning orientation, and adaptive management approaches; Develop theory of change refinements: Support the articulation and refinement of component-specific theories of change that clearly map assumptions, risks, and causal pathways; Design transformative indicators: Develop indicators that measure not only women's participation but also their agency, empowerment, and transformative changes in gender relations; Ensure intersectional analysis: Integrate indicators that capture the experiences of marginalized groups, including adolescent girls, women with disabilities, internally displaced women, and women from ethnic minorities; Establish outcome harvesting mechanisms: Design systems to capture unintended positive and negative outcomes, particularly related to shifts in gender norms and power dynamics; Map existing M&E architectures: Conduct comprehensive mapping of national, state, and local M&E systems, identifying integration opportunities and avoiding duplication Align with sectoral frameworks: Ensure coherence with national gender policy frameworks, financial inclusion strategies, GBV prevention and response protocols, and economic development plans; Support government ownership: Facilitate MGCSW leadership in framework development to ensure sustainability and government ownership.Indicator Framework and Data Systems Design:
Develop SMART+ indicators: Create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound indicators that are also Participatory, Inclusive, and Cross-cutting (SMART+PIC); Establish indicator hierarchies: Design clear indicator sets at impact, outcome, and output levels, with appropriate aggregation mechanisms and contribution analysis frameworks; Create indicator reference sheets: Develop detailed documentation including indicator rationale, calculation methodologies, data quality standards, and interpretation guidelines; Design comprehensive disaggregation: Establish disaggregation requirements by sex, age (adolescent girls 15-19, young women 20-24, adult women 25+), geographic location (state, county, payam), displacement status, disability status, marital status, and economic status; Develop vulnerability profiling: Create systems to identify and track the most marginalized beneficiaries, including female-headed households, survivors of GBV, women with disabilities, and conflict-affected populations; Establish intersectional analysis protocols: Design methodologies to analyze how multiple identities and circumstances affect project outcomes; Map data ecosystem: Identify primary data sources (beneficiary surveys, administrative data, partner reports), secondary data sources (government statistics, research studies), and tertiary sources (satellite data, mobile phone data where applicable); Establish data quality standards: Define data collection protocols, validation procedures, and quality assurance mechanisms; Design feedback loops: Create systems for beneficiary feedback, partner input, and community validation of data and results; Conduct baseline data analysis: Lead comprehensive analysis of existing baseline survey data, identifying gaps and additional data needs; Support baseline updates: Design and oversee additional data collection to address baseline gaps, particularly for newly added project components or geographic areas; Establish baseline documentation: Create comprehensive baseline reports that serve as reference points for measuring change and impact.3. Strengthening of Data Collection and Management Systems:
Assess technology landscape: Evaluate existing digital infrastructure, connectivity constraints, and technology capacity among partners to inform system design; Design scalable solutions: Develop data management systems that can accommodate project growth, additional partners, and evolving information needs; Establish data governance: Create protocols for data ownership, access rights, privacy protection, and ethical use of beneficiary information; Create context-appropriate tools: Develop data collection instruments that are culturally sensitive, linguistically appropriate, and accessible to users with varying literacy levels. Design mobile-responsive solutions: Ensure data collection tools function effectively on various devices and in low-connectivity environments; Establish validation protocols: Build automated data validation rules and manual review processes to ensure data quality and completeness; Lead GMS customization: Provide technical leadership in adapting the Grants Management System to SSWSEEP's specific requirements, including WEOF and VSLA Plus grant tracking. Design workflow integration: Ensure the GMS integrates seamlessly with broader MELR systems and supports end-to-end grant lifecycle management; Establish performance analytics: Configure the system to generate real-time analytics on grant performance, disbursement rates, outcome achievement, and risk indicators; Support user adoption: Design user-friendly interfaces and provide technical support to ensure effective system utilization by PMU staff and implementing partners; Oversee system maintenance: Ensure regular system updates, bug fixes, and security patches to maintain data integrity and system reliability; Manage user access: Establish and maintain user permission protocols, ensuring appropriate access levels for different stakeholder categories; Provide technical troubleshooting: Offer ongoing technical support to users and coordinate with IT support services for complex issues.4. Capacity Strengthening and Technical Support To UN Women and Partners:
Conduct M&E capacity mapping: Assess existing M&E knowledge, skills, and systems among UN Women staff, government partners, and implementing organizations; Identify capacity gaps: Analyze capacity needs across different levels (individual, organizational, systemic) and develop targeted capacity-building strategies; Design learning pathways: Create individualized and organizational learning plans that build M&E capacity progressively; Develop training curricula: Create comprehensive training modules covering RBM fundamentals, gender-responsive M&E, data collection methodologies, and reporting requirements; Deliver differentiated training: Provide role-specific training for different stakeholder groups (senior managers, M&E officers, field staff, community volunteers); Establish mentoring systems: Create peer-to-peer learning networks and mentoring relationships to support ongoing skill development; Provide embedded support: Offer hands-on technical assistance to partners during critical M&E activities, including data collection campaigns and report preparation; Establish help desk functions: Create accessible support mechanisms for partners to receive technical assistance on M&E challenges; Facilitate communities of practice: Organize regular learning exchanges among implementing partners to share experiences and good practices; Support system development: Assist partner organizations in developing internal M&E policies, procedures, and systems; Strengthening quality assurance: Help partners establish internal quality control mechanisms and data verification processes; Build sustainability: Focus capacity building efforts on creating lasting M&E capabilities that extend beyond project duration.5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Learning:
Conduct systematic field visits: Lead regular monitoring visits to project sites, combining compliance monitoring with learning-oriented field research; Implement participatory monitoring: Engage beneficiaries and communities in monitoring activities, ensuring their voices and perspectives inform project adaptation; Provide real-time feedback: Offer immediate technical feedback to implementing partners and support course corrections during implementation; Conduct trend analysis: Analyze monitoring data to identify patterns, trends, and emerging issues across different project components and geographic areas; Perform comparative analysis: Compare performance across different implementation modalities, partner types, and beneficiary groups to identify success factors; Generate predictive insights: Use data analysis to anticipate potential implementation challenges and recommend proactive measures; Design learning mechanisms: Establish regular reflection sessions, after-action reviews, and pause-and-reflect moments to capture learning and inform adaptation; Facilitate strategy adjustment: Support evidence-based adjustments to project strategies, approaches, and implementation modalities based on monitoring findings; Document adaptation decisions: Maintain clear records of project adaptations, including rationale, implementation process, and outcomes; Contribute to evaluation planning: Provide technical inputs into evaluation design, including evaluation questions, methodology selection, and stakeholder engagement strategies; Support evaluation implementation: Assist in evaluation data collection, analysis, and validation processes; Facilitate utilization-focused evaluation: Ensure evaluation processes and findings are designed to support decision-making and project improvement; Synthesize learning: Combine evaluation findings with monitoring data to generate comprehensive learning products that capture project experiences; Develop evidence briefs: Create accessible knowledge products that communicate key findings and recommendations to different stakeholder audiences; Support scale-up planning: Generate evidence to inform project replication, scaling, and integration into government systems.6. Reporting and Results Communication:
Develop reporting strategies: Create annual reporting plans that align with donor requirements, government reporting cycles, and UN Women corporate reporting schedules; Ensure compliance: Maintain adherence to all donor reporting requirements, including narrative and financial reporting standards; Coordinate multi-source reporting: Synthesize information from multiple implementing partners and data sources into coherent, comprehensive reports; Implement verification protocols: Establish multi-level data verification processes, including partner self-assessment, independent verification, and beneficiary validation; Conduct data audits: Organize periodic data quality audits to ensure accuracy, completeness, and reliability of reported information; Maintain documentation standards: Ensure all reported data is properly documented with clear source citations and calculation methodologies; Design interactive dashboards: Create real-time dashboards that allow stakeholders to explore project data and results dynamically; Develop compelling infographics: Transform complex data into accessible visual formats that communicate key results to diverse audiences; Create geographic visualizations: Use mapping technology to display project results spatially, highlighting geographic variations and coverage; Tailor communication products: Develop different versions of results communication for various stakeholder groups (donors, government, implementing partners, beneficiaries); Create multilingual materials: Ensure key results communication is available in relevant local languages; Design accessibility features: Ensure results communication is accessible to stakeholders with different abilities and technology access levels; Capture human interest stories: Document compelling stories of change that illustrate project impact on individual women and girls; Analyze success factors: Identify and document the conditions, approaches, and factors that contribute to successful outcomes; Share lessons learned: Create frank assessments of challenges, failures, and lessons learned to inform future programming.7. Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:
Conduct implementation research: Design and oversee research activities that generate new knowledge about effective approaches to women's economic empowerment; Facilitate action learning: Support implementing partners in conducting their own action research and learning activities; Synthesize global evidence: Integrate SSWSEEP experiences with global evidence and best practices in women's empowerment programming; Create practical toolkits: Develop user-friendly M&E tools and guidance materials that can be adapted for use in similar contexts; Design training resources: Create comprehensive training materials, including facilitator guides, participant handbooks, and digital learning modules; Establish resource libraries: Build accessible collections of M&E resources, templates, and good practice examples; Support national M&E systems: Contribute to strengthening national and state-level M&E capabilities, particularly within gender-focused institutions; Build government capacity: Provide sustained technical assistance to MGCSW and state-level gender ministries to strengthen their M&E functions; Create sustainability mechanisms: Establish systems and processes that will continue to function effectively after project completion; Facilitate peer learning: Create opportunities for South Sudanese organizations to learn from regional and global experiences in women's empowerment; Support community of practice: Establish networks of M&E practitioners working on gender and women's empowerment issues; Enable knowledge exchange: Organize learning events, webinars, and exchanges that facilitate knowledge sharing among stakeholders.8. Contribution To UN Women South Sudan Country Office M&E Functions:
Contribute to country planning: Provide technical inputs into Country Office M&E strategy development and implementation planning; Support results integration: Ensure SSWSEEP results contribute appropriately to Country Office outcome achievement and corporate reporting; Participate in planning cycles: Actively engage in annual planning, mid-year reviews, and strategic planning processes; Support data consolidation: Contribute SSWSEEP data to corporate reporting systems, ensuring accurate and timely submission; Maintain reporting standards: Ensure SSWSEEP reporting meets UN Women corporate standards and contributes to global results reporting; Participate in reviews: Contribute to annual outcome reviews, corporate evaluations, and other institutional assessment processes; Ensure framework alignment: Maintain coherence between SSWSEEP MELR systems and broader Country Office M&E frameworks; Support indicator harmonization: Contribute to efforts to harmonize indicators across different Country Office programmes and projects; Facilitate data sharing: Establish appropriate mechanisms for sharing SSWSEEP data and learning with other Country Office programmes; Contribute expertise: Share M&E expertise and learning from SSWSEEP to strengthen overall Country Office M&E capabilities; Support innovation: Pilot and test innovative M&E approaches that can be adopted more broadly across Country Office programming; Provide peer support: Offer technical assistance and support to other M&E staff within the Country Office as needed.9. Perform any other duties assigned by the Programme Manager or Country Representative to support SSWSEEP implementation or broader M&E efforts within the Country Office
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
Strong knowledge of programme formulation and implementation, and Results-Based Management; Strong knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, evaluation design, data collection and analysis, and reporting; Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports; Strong analytical and report writing skills; Good knowledge of UN programme management systems; Strong knowledge of programme formulation and implementation, and Results-Based Management; Strong knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, evaluation design, data collection and analysis, and reporting; Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports; Strong analytical and report writing skills; Good knowledge of UN programme management systems.Education and certification:
A master’s degree (or equivalent) in Political or Social Science, Economics, International Development Studies, or Gender/Women's Studies is required; A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree; A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.Experience:
At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in monitoring and reporting of development projects/ programme is required; Experience in the United Nations systems is desirable; Field experience is desirable; Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, and experience in handling web-based management systems is required; Experience in the use of a modern web-based Enterprise Resource Planning System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required; Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (Arabic).Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
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