UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Future

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Deputy Representative, Programmes, the Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (PME) will coordinate the planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting functions for the Country Programme and support child rights monitoring in the country, in close collaboration with the various teams in the country and field offices, and relevant external partners.  To ensure that the UNICEF Country Office has useful, valid and reliable information on

• the situation of children’s and women’s rights;
• the performance of UNICEF-supported programmes including their relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and in emergency contexts, their coverage, coordination and coherence.

To ensure that the UNICEF Country Office has strategic and workplans in place that address key child rights deprivations and prioritized systems bottlenecks, including with a gender lens, and meets organizational standards. To work within the UN country team to support UNCT goals for delivering valid and reliable information on the attainment of the SDGs and other goals, and on the performance of UN-supported programmes To assist in the establishment of monitoring and evaluation tools which enhance partnership between the UNCT, government and other key players to collectively track progress on SDGs and other international commitment for children, including with a gender lens. To assist in the development of national capacities for child rights monitoring in the country, and planning, monitoring, evaluation and research, with special attention to the interest, concern and participation of government, community, and civil society stakeholders. To provide oversight for evaluation functions in the office, helping build national capacities for evaluation and conducting strategic evaluations of UNICEF cooperation in Iraq.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

1. Programme planning

2.  Situation Monitoring and Assessment 

3. Integrated Monitoring, Evaluation & Research 

4.  Programme Performance Monitoring and Reporting  

5. Evaluation

6. Planning, Monitoring and evaluation Capacity Building 

7. Contribution management and budget planning

8. Partnership Management and HACT assurance

9. Coordination and Networking  

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Classified Job Descriptions - Planning, Monitoring, & Evaluation Specialist.._.pdf

To qualify as a championfor every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning, or relevant field is required.
• Work Experience:  A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in programme development and implementation including monitoring and evaluation activities. Experience in strengthening national and sub-national planning and monitoring systems. At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning. Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred.
• Skills: 
  • Technical Knowledge: Specific Technical Knowledge & Competencies Required Knowledge of Project Evaluation. Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Evaluation Process Management. Follow-up on Recommendations and Dissemination of M&E results. Emerging international good practice in monitoring and evaluation partnerships.
  • Common Technical Knowledge Required: Professional technical knowledge/expertise in demography, statistics, and data management. Professional technical knowledge/expertise in methodology of M&E, including theories, standards and models, quantitative/qualitative/mixed methods, validity/reliability testing of data, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical inference methods. Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Activity Monitoring & Evaluation, Evaluation Design, data analysis, and reporting. Gender equality and diversity awareness.
  • Technical Knowledge to be Acquired/Enhanced: Professional/technical knowledge/expertise in Team Management, Coaching & Training. Mastery of UNICEF’s M&E policies and procedures. Latest programme monitoring and evaluation theory, methodology, technology and tools. Understanding of UN Mission and system, current key UN topics; and International Code of Conduct. Understanding of UNICEF Mission Statement and UNICEF Guiding Principles. UNICEF strategic framework for partnerships and collaborative relationships.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. 

Desirables:

1. 1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
   2. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 
   3. Professional experience in the implementation of equity-focused evaluations and the management of the evaluation function at national and international level.
   4. Experience in supporting national monitoring and evaluation capacity and working with professional monitoring and evaluation associations.
   5. Experience in evaluation design and in conducting evaluations as per UNICEF and UNEG norms and standards for Evaluation in the UN System.
   6. Experience in strengthening planning and monitoring national and sub-national systems with a child-rights lens is considered as an asset.
   7. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Female Candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.