Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead

Supervisor: Head of Performance and Knowledge
Long-Term / Short-Term: Long-term
Duration of engagement: June 2024 – 31 December 2025
Closing Date: 11:59pm (Bangkok time) on Monday 3 June 2024

P4I Background

Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I – the Program) is an Australian Government initiative partnering with Southeast Asia to drive sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth through quality infrastructure. P4I works with and provides services to Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The focus is on the early stages of the infrastructure lifecycle – infrastructure planning and prioritisation, procurement and project preparation, and policy and regulation – using infrastructure advisory services, government partnerships, and knowledge and learning. All services integrate the cross-cutting priorities of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, and disaster risk reduction and climate change. P4I’s priorities are the economic infrastructure sectors of energy, transport, utilities, telecommunications and digital.

Delivered through a single team, P4I is led by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with Ernst & Young, Adam Smith International, The Asia Foundation and Ninti One.

More about P4I is available at www.partnershipsforinfrastructure.org

Brief Role Background

P4I’s is seeking to engage an experienced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead to be the focal point within the Performance and Knowledge Team to capture and present P4I’s overall program results and drive the overall implementation of P4I’s Performance Management Framework, in line with P4I’s Program Logic and DFAT’s Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Standards. The role will focus on the effective execution of
processes and mechanisms of the existing M&E system, with a strong focus on capturing results through a six-monthly reporting cycle, writing donor reports, and bolstering the collection and analysis of baseline information where appropriate.

The Lead will collaborate closely with activity teams to help establish appropriate activity-level M&E approaches, tools and frameworks, pull together activity level M&E information into coherent and accurate program-level performance narratives, and provide inputs into country strategies, sectoral plans, communications products and other documents that draw on or feed into the M&E system. The Lead will work closely with the P4I Head of Performance and Knowledge to provide overall technical advisory support to P4I on effective capture of results and liaise closely with other members of the Program Executive and DFAT to deliver required M&E outputs and help tell the story of P4I’s performance
persuasively and accurately.

Scope of Work

Technical Leadership (70%)

• Under the supervision of the Head of Performance and Knowledge, drive the implementation and necessary updates to P4I Performance Management Framework;
• Lead the semi-annual process of capturing programmatic results through the established data collection mechanism and prepare the six-monthly reporting power point presentation for the donor;
• Lead on the production / drafting of the Annual Program Performance Report, other exception reports and monitoring and evaluation products;
• Supervise and improve where necessary the internal data collection process;
• Capture activity level and sectoral baselines where necessary;
• Help establish appropriate activity-level M&E approaches, tools and frameworks;
• Weave activity level M&E information into coherent, accurate and compelling program-level performance narratives;
• Provide inputs into country strategies, sectoral plans, communications products and other documents that draw on or feed into the M&E system;
• Work closely with the P4I Executive Director, Head of Regional Engagement, Head of Performance and Knowledge, Head of Technical Advisory, Delivery Partner organisations and other P4I Hub staff to liaise on any arising needs in relation to program performance;
• Ensure that all Program M&E activities and products align with DFAT policy, DFAT Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Standards, and P4I’s Program Logic;
• Collaborate closely and seamlessly with activity teams, P4I projects and delivery partners to ensure the M&E system functions smoothly and responds actively to the broader program needs;
• Lead or coordinate evaluations of P4I’s activities as needed.

M&E Team Leaderships (20%):

• Oversee the work of a remotely based Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to ensure accurate, timely and relevant collation and analysis of programmatic data;
• Manage the relationships with members of the standing M&E panel; provide project management guidance and overall leadership to projects sourced out through the panel, including quality assurance of deliverables, coordination with other members of the Performance Team, and budget as well as timelines controls;
• Provide technical advice and support to the broader P4I team and activity teams in planning and developing M&E approaches as necessary;
• Attend to the incoming ad-hoc requests from across P4I and DFAT for developing communications products related to workshops and events that are hosted or supported by P4I across ASEAN.

Quality assurance and Coordination (10%):

• Quality-assure data sets, reports, case studies, briefs and other M&E products generated by the Program to ensure adherence to the highest research standards and donor expectations;
• Coordinate and commission work to copy editors, visual designers and publishers to ensure that P4I’s written M&E products are of the highest professional standard in terms of presentation and language clarity;
• Collaborate closely with the Communication and Knowledge and Learning teams to ensure that relevant components of M&E work can feed into the ongoing communications and knowledge production activities.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, business, journalism, or any discipline relevant to research, data collection and processing, data analysis and presentation and communication of analytical results. Post graduate qualifications highly desirable;
• At least eight years’ experience as an M&E Manager / Senior Manager / Lead in an international development sector, preferably with large-scale DFAT programs;
• Strong understanding of DFAT Monitoring and Evaluation Standards;
• Experience working in Southeast Asia highly desirable;
• Experience with developing and implementing monitoring frameworks for development assistance activities;
• Experience working on some combination of policy reform, infrastructure governance and / or regional programs, ideally in Southeast Asia;
• Very strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills;
• Very strong writing, presentation and facilitation skills;
• Ability to take initiative with limited oversight;
• Ability to engage with diverse partners. This includes donors, governments, the private sector and the diverse P4I team and partners;
• Strong literacy in Microsoft packages with knowledge of Adobe products is a distinct advantage;
• Experience in on-the-job mentoring;
• Self-motivation, creativity, excellent organisational skills, proven ability to perform multiple tasks, and ability to work with both internal and external stakeholders;
• Ability to drive work seamlessly and cordially as a part of a broader team working in a fast-paced environment;
• Resilience to tight deadlines, flexibility in aligning M&E products to changes arising from the dynamics of the development sector;
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality principles.

Reporting Requirements

The Monitoring and Evaluation Lead will report to:

• P4I’s Head of Performance and Knowledge
• ASI Focal Point on matters related to ASI’s project management, performance and employment.

On an annual basis, the position is required to prepare an individual Annual Work Plan and undertake an Adviser Performance Assessment.