Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Location: Republic of Sierra Leone
Category: ECOWAS International Volunteer (with supervisory duties) 
Type of Contract: E COWAS Volunteers Programme. Non-Family Position
Expected Starting Date: 1st February, 2022
Duration: One (01) year, renewable (depending on satisfactory performance and budget availability)

Preamble

• The ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), was created by the Decision A/DEC.13/01/05 of 19th January 2005 at Accra, Ghana as a specialized Agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
• At the 32nd session of the ECOWAS Summit held in June 2007, the Heads of States and Government adopted a new approach to regional integration by approving a new global vision called the ECOWAS Vision 2020. The principal objective of this vision is to move the Community from an «ECOWAS of States» to an «ECOWAS of Peoples» by the year 2020.
• Consequently, the EYSDC implements her policies, activities and strategic action plans, as well as the ECOWAS vision in the areas of youth and sports, including the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme. The EYSDC’s objective is to initiate, develop, coordinate and implement youth and sports programmes within the Community. To this end, it works to:
  • Mobilise the different segments of the population to ensure their integration and effectiveparticipation in the social development of the region, as well as the promotion of youth organisations and professional associations to ensure maximum participation in the activities of the Community;
  • Provide a permanent institutional framework within ECOWAS through which issues related to Youth and Sports activities in the sub-region can be developed and promoted.

Organizational Framework of the Centre

• The Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC) is one of the Directorates under the Social Affairs and Gender Department of the ECOWAS Commission. It is based in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) under the headquarters agreement signed between the Burkina Faso authorities and the ECOWAS Commission.
• Decision N° A/DEC 13/01/2005 of 19th January 2005 had adopted the organizational structure comprising of four Divisions (Youth, Sports, Administration and Finance, and TIC). However, since 2008, the Centre has undergone some structural modifications following the transfer of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme (EVP) from the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the Commission (CPAPS) to the EYSDC, under the Social Affairs and Gender Department.
• The EVP is centralized in organisation, but decentralized in its application to allow for flexibility and adaptation to the current realities of each country. The strategic directions, including the formulation of the overall vision, goals and objectives of the Programme, is the responsibility of the Regional Coordination Council (RCC), whose role, among others, is to ensure that the EVP becomes a genuine voluntary arm of ECOWAS.
• Being a cross-cutting programme, the ECOWAS Volunteers Regional Coordination Council (RCC) includes representatives of relevant departments of the ECOWAS Commission. The RCC is chaired by the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender of the ECOWAS Commission. She is assisted by the Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), as Alternate Chairman of the RCC.
• The executive arm of the RCC is the Regional Office, provided by the EYSDC in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The programme’s regional coordination activities are coordinated by a Regional Coordinator under the supervision of the EYSDC Director. Although the EVP is under the Youth Division of the EYSDC, it is directly supervised by the EYSDC Director for effectiveness.
• At the National level, the National Coordination Council (NCC) serves as the national body through which national policy guidelines for the Programme are given.
• This Council works towards the understanding and entrenchment of the Volunteer Programme in the national environment. It also serves as advisor to the country office, which is responsible for the coordination of the Programme at national level.
• The NCC is chaired by the Head of the ECOWAS National Office in the country. It is made up of Focal Points/Representatives of the various ministries, Civil Society Organisations, United Nations Agencies and local youth associations involved in the implementation of the Programme at the National level.

Duties and Responsibilities
The ECOWAS Volunteer Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer will work directly with the ECOWAS National Office in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MOPED) of Sierra Leone and will be the focal person for executing the Monitoring and Evaluation functions of ECOWAS supported interventions in collaboration with the Administrative Head of the National Office and the M&E Technical Adviser of the MOPED. The specific roles and responsibilities include, but not limited to the following:

• Assist the ECOWAS National Office in the liaison with MDAs and project implementing partners in implementing the ECOWAS M&E Policy.
• Set up and update the database of all ECOWAS supported interventions and facilitate the timely collection, processing, and reporting on performance indicators in accordance with the ECOWAS requirements for progress reporting.
• Manage and administer the M&E database with informative, disaggregated, and user-friendly features to increase understanding and usability across diverse communities of uses.
• Support and promote ECOWAS result-based management systems across all interventions in accordance with ECOWAS policies, principles, and practices.
• Provide guidance to project implementing partners in the development of M&E logical frameworks and operating matrices to facilitate accountable, transparent, and credible information gathering process across project interventions.
• Assist with the development and/or finalization of the department's Work Plan, and keep it up to date with departments activities and timelines as needed.
• As needed, organize and conduct M&E training with project implementing partners and collaborating agencies and entities.
• Gather data on a regular basis to compare trends in quarterly and annual results and overall performance in project outputs.
• Collaborate with implementing partners to increase the visibility of ECOWAS interventions at all levels including National, Regional, and Community levels through the appropriate forums and platforms of information dissemination.
• Consult with implementing partners to ensure data quality.
• Identify lessons learned and develop project relevant studies (quantitative and qualitative) to inform MOPED on the state-of-affairs in impacts assessment and linkages with the National Development plans and SDGs.
• Provide the ECOWAS National Office and MOPED M&E with recommendations for enhancing department performance based on M&E findings.
• Develop reports on M&E findings and prepare presentations based on M&E data as required.
• Provide any management information that the department head may require for improvement in project management with MDAs and collaborating partners.
• Verify that monitoring data is discussed in a timely and suitable forum in terms of implications for future action. Create such talks if necessary to fill any gaps.
• Perform other duties as given by the department's Head of Department / Manager.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in the Social Sciences, Statistics, Public Sector Economics, Development, Management, Accounting or a Postgraduate / professional training in and M&E related disciplines.
• Three (3) years of professional  experience in an M&E, Planning,  and  Development  position with responsibility for developing and implementing M&E protocols in Development Management.
• Knowledge of M&E system design, implementation, and operation.
• Strategic planning and performance measurement experience, including  indicator selection, target  setting,  reporting, database  maintenance,  and  establishing  M&E and performance monitoring plans.
• Understanding of key evaluation approaches  (e.g.,  qualitative,  quantitative,  mixed-method, and impact) as well as data collecting and analysis methods.
• Experience in planning and managing surveys.
• Experience in developing and refining data collection tools.
• Experience with data quality assessments and oversight.
• Experience in managing and providing training to partners and target beneficiaries.
• Ability to facilitate and serve as department liaison for externally-managed evaluations.

Language Requirements:

• Perfect command of the English language (written and oral) is mandatory.
• Knowledge of any other official language of ECOWAS (French or Portuguese) will be considered an asset / advantage.

Conditions of Service

• An  initial contract for 12 months will be offered to the successful candidate with a Monthly Living Allowance of 683.13 USD or its equivalent in local currency.
• At the beginning of the assignment, and only where applicable, a settling-in grant will be paid, and a resettlement grant will be provided at the end of the assignment.
• A life and health insurance cover for the incumbent of the position will be provided.
• Other conditions of service as stipulated in the EVP Management and Administration Manual and Handbook of Conditions of Service shall apply.

Other Conditions:

• The position is open to ONLY nationals of the Republic of SIERRA LEONE, aged not more than 35 years by the date of recruitment.
• This position is considered a non-family ECOWAS National Volunteer position with supervisory duties.
• ECOWAS is committed to promoting gender equality and equity. To this end, female candidates are strongly encouraged.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. ECOWAS reserves the right to terminate the process without notice.

Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: evp.recruitment2021.SL9@ecowasvolunteers.com using "Application for the Post of M and E Specialist Sierra Leone" as the subject of the email.

Composition of Application

• A signed Letter of Application/Motivation addressed to the Director, EYSDC, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso;
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae highlighting specific skills and experiences of the candidate;
• Certified copies of certificates, diplomas and work certificates.