Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant

About this position

Duration of Assignment: July 2019 – March 2020

Work Station: Remote /Office

1. Background

The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) is developing and implementing a number of youth-led programmes that provide skills training to enhance youth’s readiness for leadership roles and promote lifelong learning opportunities for talented Canadian youth. UNA-Canada is looking for a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant to work with project teams on a substantive review and analysis of youth initiatives, such as Generation SDG and Building Young Entrepreneurs; their results chain, sustainability, clear linkages to existing M&E frameworks and integration within the Association.

Generation SDG is a “youth to youth” service initiative with the goal to activate civic engagement through the creation of volunteer projects that promote meaningful service opportunities. Through empathy-based training and leadership mentorship program, 60 SDG Ambassadors will develop, plan and implement projects that respond to pressing issues identified in their communities. These ‘SDG Ambassadors’ will then empower 600 of their peers to take action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Building Young Entrepreneurs supports over 80 vulnerable youth in finding gainful and lasting employment through skills training and on-going peer-to-peer mentoring. The programme empowers youth who are interested in creating businesses by teaching them the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and providing them with the tools needed to find meaningful employment.

2. Objectives for the consultancy

With the aim of strengthening the quality of youth-led initiatives and the internal capacity of UNA-Canada to successfully engage with youth, the specific objectives of the consultancy are:

• To support the development and implementation of an evidence-based M&E tool for UNA-Canada’s youth-led programmes.
• To build a comprehensive SDG Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System.
• To enhance the capacity of the project team on results-based monitoring and evaluation.
• To upgrade the internal capacity of UNA-Canada through knowledge transfer and skills training to develop robust and relevant M&E systems.
• To technically advice the project team in reviewing the internal M&E process and reporting.
• To facilitate the review of the mid-term and annual progress reports.

3. Expected Outputs / Deliverables

• Using latest and innovative methods, research and reference cutting edge M&E promising practices in Canada and globally to increase UNA-Canada’s capacity to confidently measure and communicate the impact of Generation SDG and Building Young Entrepreneur.
• Review UNA-Canada’s existing M&E systems, programme work plans, and related documents to assist in simplification and harmonization of M&E tools for UNA-Canada’s programming.
• Create a comprehensive SDG Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System, including a mechanism for baseline data/collection/updating.
• Collaborate with Senior Director, Programme Manager and Project Officers to develop M&E instruments, such as surveys, questionnaires, participatory research guidelines, and other tools for SDG Ambassadors and their mentors to be used during training workshops or other related activities.
• Use the developed M&E framework to identify emerging lessons, gaps, promising practices during the implementation cycle, and provide recommendations for improving the delivery of SDG-related programing implemented by UNA-Canada, and in consultation with the school boards or other involved partners.
• Develop mid-term and annual progress reports highlighting annual targets and indicators, to clearly outline outcomes, outputs, and impact of programmes involved.
• Transfer of knowledge through training sessions with project teams and UNA-Canada staff.
• Provide guidelines on the review of internal M&E processes and develop materials to create knowledge sharing opportunities for other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

4. Timeframe, Scope and Management

5. Qualifications and Skills

Education

Possess a Master’s degree in Education or a field relevant to the assignment, for example in development studies, statistics, results-based management, related social science fields, and/or business administration.

Technical Experience and Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in the area of RBM, Strategic Planning, with preferred 2 years of experience in M&E related capacity building.
• Experience in delivering training on M&E and data analysis.
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative M&E approaches.
• Proven experience in the monitoring and evaluation of SDG development projects.
• Knowledge of the UN system, SDG reporting, and operational activities for development is an advantage.
• Strong research and analytical skills using diverse methodologies, including databases, internet, survey/evaluation tools, library and university reference materials.
• Excellent interview skills with individuals or group consultations (e.g. leading a focus group);
• Knowledge and empathy for active engagement with youth from diverse cultural and social economic communities and backgrounds;
• Self-directed and able to work independently and remotely, and open to input from team and focus group participants;
• Knowledge of the evolving social media tools and their relevancy to monitoring, recording and offering a pathway to finding and keeping a job and/or creating one.

Language

Excellent English writing and oral skills. Good understanding of French

6. Documents

Interested candidates must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal (Maximum 1 page)

• Explaining why they are the most suitable to perform the work and deliver the outputs
• Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work
• Examples of M&E result frameworks and progress reports

Curriculum Vitae (Maximum 2 pages)

Highlighting past experiences in similar projects/assignments and indicating at least 3 references.

7. Compensation

The compensation for this contract will be dependent on the completion of outlined tasks and deliverables and will be amenable to both parties, based on industry standards, and payable upon receipt of invoices.

Interested applicants should send their proposal and CV to melissa.mutunda@unac.org with the subject line “Generation SDG M&E submission”  by July 1, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST.

About us

UNA-Canada is an historic national charity with the mandate of educating and engaging young Canadians in the work of the United Nations and the critical global issues that affect us both in Canada and internationally.