The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

UNDP is a lead agency together with UNAIDS for addressing the dimensions of HIV and AIDS relating to human rights, gender, and sexual diversity. In addition, UNDP contributes to public health and development partnerships through collaborations with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the ‘Global Fund’), Roll Back Malaria, Stop TB Partnerships, and special programmes on human reproduction and infectious diseases that disproportionately affect poor populations.

As part of its wider engagement with the United Nations, the Global Fund has partnered with UNDP since 2003 to ensure that grants are implemented, and services are delivered in countries facing complex challenges. The partnership focuses on three closely linked areas of work: implementation support as interim Principal Recipient (PR), capacity development, and policy engagement. UNDP was nominated as the PR by the Country Coordinating Mechanism in December 2014 for the multi-country Western Pacific grants (TB and HIV; and Malaria (Vanuatu)) (the ‘Multi-country Programmes’). In 2022, the Global Fund approved the new Funding Request for 2024-2026 for 12 countries for HIV/TB and for malaria in Vanuatu.

For the implementation of the Multi-country Programmes, the UNDP Pacific Centre established a Programme Management Unit (PMU) to coordinate and oversee the implementation and to ensure compliance of the terms and conditions of the grant agreements with the Global Fund and UNDP rules, policies and procedures. The PMU coordinates with the PIRMCCM, Government and CSOs, regional partners, the Global Fund and other key stakeholders in the health and development sector (bi-laterals, private sector) and technical assistance providers.

UNDP‘s management role consists in ensuring successful implementation of grant activities by sub-recipients ensuring programmatic and financial accountability and capacity building of national and international counterparts in programmatic, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and financial management.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Programme Manager, the Project M&E Specialist contributes to the effective implementation of the M&E policy and ensures that M&E requirements for the Programmes are met. The Project M&E Specialist ensures that M&E activities are designed and implemented ensuring programme relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of results.

The Project M&E Specialist works in close collaboration with the Programme Management Unit, Global Fund, sub-recipients, and technical agencies like WHO, UNAIDS and UNFPA to ensure that Multi-Country Programme results are in line with the Global Fund reporting requirements and international HIV, TB and Malaria frameworks.

The Project M&E Specialist works under guidance and supervision of the Programme Manager contributing to the effective implementation of the M&E policy and ensures that M&E requirements for the Programmes are met. The Project M&E Specialist ensures that M&E activities are designed and implemented ensuring programme relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of results.

The Project M&E Specialist, during the absence of the Regional Programme Manager acts as Officer-in-charge for the programme in all aspects of the Programme management related to the M&E, programme management, procurement supply chain management, finance and administration PMU division.

The Project M&E Specialist works in close collaboration with the Programme Management Unit and UNDP National Programme Officers in Vanuatu and Samoa as well as with sub-recipients, and technical agencies like WHO, UNAIDS and UNFPA to ensure that Multi-Country Programme results are in line with the Global Fund reporting requirements and international HIV, TB and Malaria frameworks.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Implementation of M&E and reporting policies and strategies

• Lead on the development of the TB/HIV and Malaria Project Document (knowledge product) coordinating inputs from internal and external partners as well as coordinating the project quality assurance process and obtaining endorsement from Local Project Appraisal Committee (LPAC) as well as EG/IG Team Leader endorsement through UNDP intranet.
• Establish and manage internal systems for effective and efficient programme and project monitoring and reporting, both internal UNDP and for Implementing Partners.
• Ensures programme M&E standards are maintained in line with UNDP and Global Fund requirements and ensures quality assurance/control across the Programme in twelve supported countries.
• Provides technical advice to the team and liaises with the Technical Working Group, regional partners and donors when required.
• Establishes and coordinates effective mechanisms of monitoring the projects’ implementation including development of evaluation tools and processes, innovative approaches;
• Ensures the optimal use of assessments and evaluations by providing guidance in preparation of timely management response to all evaluations.

Ensures Monitoring and Evaluation at Project level

• Support in the development of the new grant proposal and concept notes for any other funding opportunities.
• Leads on the development of the regional TB, HIV and Malaria programme M&E Plan.
• Coordinates and makes a follow up and reports directly to the Programme Manager on the implementation of the Global Fund grant management recommendations.
• Leads on the development of the programme performance frameworks in consultation with external partners in regional technical agency leads.
• Leads in the planning, preparation, and management of thematic, country programme M&E activities and other types of M&E activities conducted in the Programme.
• Provides technical advice for Programme design and set-up with defined indicators at the design stage to facilitate the review and evaluation at the later stages.
• Leads the development and execution of M&E work plan, including evaluation of country programmes.
• Provides direct support in M&E capacity building activities for UNDP and Sub-Recipient (SR) staff.
• Leads data analysis, programme review and document preparation and dissemination to concerned regional and national stakeholders.

Lead in Coordination of M&E System and Processes,

• Maintain, coordinate, and ensure compliance of the programme setup in Quantum and other corporate systems (such as Integrated Workplan, IWP, Results-oriented Annual Reporting, ROAR, Executive Snapshot) and provide accurate and timely input information into these systems as required.
• Develops the Terms of Reference (ToR) for specific programme M&E missions and/or desk evaluations/reviews, participation in consultant selection, technical feedback on evaluations and budget oversight.
• Leads on the implementation of M&E reports recommendations. Ensures the optimal use of evaluation recommendations through coordination and guidance on timely preparation of management response to all mandatory evaluations.
• Collaborates and coordinates with other UN agencies, government agencies, NGOs, and other organizations on M&E issues at the regional and national levels.
• Coordinates annual SR management letters including templates development, guidance on its use as well as drafting support on the annual performance of each SR.
• Assist in the preparation of background documentation and working papers for its utilization in meetings with the Government and programme authorities;
• Periodically reviews and updates the overall Programme M&E system (including Management Information System), develops, and updates the M&E Standard Operating Procedures and other guidance documents.

Assessment, Research Planning, Information Collation and Reporting

• Leads the data collection, compilation, and quality control for the Programme’s annual Progress Update/Disbursement Request (PU/DR) Report in line with the Global Fund requirements.
• Leads on-site and off-site programmatic PU/DR data verification.
• Coordinates capacity assessments of grant sub-recipients in line with UNDP and donor requirements.
• Leads specific M&E missions under the programme, sectoral/thematic evaluations or desk evaluations/studies or technical consultancies on selected themes.
• Provides required documentation and reporting within UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji including providing updates to UNDP Quantum and UNDP Intranet.

Knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the area of M&E

• Prepares analytical documents based on lessons learnt. Contributes to evaluation of effectiveness and impact of UNDP programmes, contributes to content development for relevant knowledge products.
• Identifies and formulates evaluation findings, lessons learnt and recommendations to be integrated into broader knowledge management efforts, disseminated in learning events and channeled into decision-making processes.
• Identifies the potential success stories and flag to the programme’s Communications Specialist for profiling on the programme’s web page as well as other media platforms. Provides guidance and background to assist in the development of the success stories.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of Knowledge Management Strategy for the Programme. Includes active contribution to the programmes communication strategy and workplan
• Enhances knowledge of the SR teams on M&E and quality assurance methodologies
• Leads/ conducts results-oriented M&E training in the countries as well as through remote training and capacity building support through regional forums.