Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Position Title:    Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Position Description:     Long-term position responsible for monitoring and evaluating activities

Reports to: Monitoring and Evaluation Manager

Main place of work:    Hanoi, Vietnam

BACKGROUND

The USAID Governance for Inclusive Growth (GIG) Program (the Program) aims to assist Vietnam’s efforts to achieve sustainable and equitable economic growth by working with the Government of Vietnam, its private sector, and civil society organizations to maintain the momentum in expanding market reforms, institutional modernization, and global integration in trade. Further, the Program strives to ensure that growth reaches all segments of Vietnam’s population by implementing targeted initiatives to address the unique challenges faced by historically disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, as well as to empower women.

The Program has five high-level objectives:

1. Increased trade and investment
2. Enhanced private sector competitiveness
3. Strengthened rule of law and judicial effectiveness
4. More effective public administration and financial management
5. Greater social and economic inclusion for all citizens

The Program will provide technical assistance, training, and other direct support to the government, led by the prime program partner, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), to strengthen policy-making, implementation, oversight, performance management, and other accountability mechanisms. It will promote greater exchange, networking, and sharing of information nationwide within and between the government, private sector, and civil society organizations, including social organizations, research centers and universities. Program activities will include, but not be limited to: providing training programs and workshops, data collection and analyses, public awareness forums and communications campaigns; technical assistance particularly in relation to Vietnam’s commitments under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); grants to empower and increase economic participation of women, ethnic minorities, and other vulnerable groups; and facilitation of innovative partnerships with the business community.

The Expected Results (ERs) of the program are:

• ER 1: A clear and transparent legal and regulatory framework
• ER 2: Improved accountability of public institutions
• ER 3: Improved inclusion and expanded opportunities for vulnerable populations

INDICATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer will support the M&E Manager in working with technical and support staff to collect essential data on all project activities. As a member of the GIG Program’s technical support team and within the framework of the program’s Annual Work Plans (AWPs), the M&E Officer will be responsible for supporting the implementation of the project monitoring plan, and reporting on GIG project performance and M&E activities in compliance with USAID regulations and the GIG contract. The performance of the GIG program will be judged in part on its progress in meeting its performance targets.

The M&E Officer will at all times adhere to and act according to the Chemonics Professional Code of Conduct (“Living Our Values”), and will make the code a part of the Program’s culture and practices.

Specifically the position will:

• Collect quantitative and qualitative data including, but not limited to:
  
  • assessing achievement of stated technical program objectives;
  • evaluating training and mentoring programs;
  • conducting interviews with a wide range of stakeholders; and
  • developing and maintaining spreadsheets and databases that keep all performance data timely, accurate, consistent, and well organized;
  • identifying key successes and gaps in project performance

• Track, report, and update  activities, indicators, and results within the mandated reporting period for each program activity;
• Compile and analyze relevant data to demonstrate project progress for technical and contractual reports, including weekly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual reports to USAID and the project management unit (PMU) as directed; 
• Track specific activities over time to demonstrate longer-term impact;
• Support the review, revision, and development of work plans and performance indicators;
• Conduct a continuous review of indicator achievements against set targets, including reporting on any indicators which may exceed targets or may fall short of targets;
• Enter the data and indicator results on a periodical basis into the AIDTracker system, which is a web-based USAID system for monitoring aid effectiveness;
• Conduct the data quality assessment (DQA) on a periodical basis to ensure the quality of data;
• Collect and review independent/third-party impact assessments, surveys, studies, and reports, including lessons learned and successes, to compare with progress on the GIG program;
• Identify and track other sources of information outside of the program’s approved workplan and performance monitoring plan that could and should be integrated into the M&E system to help better monitor project implementation or product project challenges and achievements;
• Continually enhance the M&E system;
• Coordinate closely with the GIG communications and reporting teams to ensure program results are effectively documented and communicated. This should include identifying highlights and/or significant information that can be shared with stakeholders and/or USAID as demonstrations of project successes and challenges in the form of stories, snippets, highlights, articles, infographics, etc.
• Coordinate closely with the GIG Grants team to ensure adequate M+E practices and procedures are comprehensively included in grants and effectively managed and tracked. 

The position also is expected to contribute to the achievement of GIG program results by undertaking other tasks or duties as directed, consistent with program objectives and the technical skills required for the position.

PLACES OF WORK

The main place of work will be the program office in Hanoi, Vietnam.  Frequent travel inside the country may be required by program activities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND KEY COMPETENCIES

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer should have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Vietnamese and English.
• Ability to produce high quality reports based on qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to interact effectively with program staff, and ability to conduct interviews with diverse groups outside the program office.    
• Experience in research methods, tracking and archiving back up documentation, and management of information and datasets.
• Strong attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Strong computer skills in Word, Excel, and other programs.
• Ability and commitment to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively, foster goodwill, and build coalitions with relevant groups, organizations, agencies, and businesses, private or public.
• Exposure to USAID’s managing for results approach or other donor-funded project experience desired.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

• Education: A bachelor’s degree is required.  A degree in project management and evaluation, statistics, or a related technical field is highly preferred.
• Experience: Comparable experience is preferred in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems, and/or reporting in a development context, and/or working in the areas of governance, trade, or management.
• Language Skills: Excellent written and spoken English and Vietnamese are highly preferred.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but this application window will close on COB June 19, 2015. To apply, please submit an expression of interest and CV only to [email protected]. Other supporting documents are not required until the final round of interview. Please include the position of interest in the subject line email following this format: Application - Name of position – Your full name. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No telephone inquiries please.