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UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others. The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace.

The marine biological diversity of the Kingdom of Tonga is crucial to the well-being of its people and the country’s economy. However, this diversity is under threat from various sources, including habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, and climate change. The GEF project “Implementation of the Fanga’uta Lagoon Stewardship Plan (Tonga R2R Phase II) and replication of lessons learned from the Tonga R2R Phase I to priority areas in Vava’u” aims to protect Tonga’s indigenous marine species and ecosystems through a holistic Ridge to Reef management approach. This includes strengthened governance, enhanced capacity building, and the development of resilient blue/green livelihoods. The project focuses on conserving wetland ecosystems and implementing an integrated strategy to prevent destructive activities, with the objective of effectively implementing the Fanga’uta Stewardship Plan (FSP) and replicating successful strategies in priority areas in Vava’u. The project consists of three interrelated components:

• Conservation of critical lagoon ecosystems and catchment management.
• Governance for sustainable management and biodiversity conservation, and
• Awareness raising and knowledge management of ecosystem functions and services.

The Monitoring and Evaluation team plays an essential role in Country Offices (CO). The team assists CO and its partners to find and implement integrated, transformational solutions across the Sustainable Development Goals and six signature areas of poverty, governance, environment, resilience, energy, and gender. In addition, the team puts in place and administers effective monitoring and evaluation, results-based management, and quality assurance frameworks in the CO to ensure UNDP remains accountable and transparent and learns from its programme implementation.

The Project M&E Officer works under the general supervision of the Project Manager – R2R of the Tonga R2R project and collaborates closely with the RCC team leader, programme analyst and other relevant country office staff.

The Project M&E Officer will work in close coordination with the Director of the Department of Environment, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC). He/She will be expected to ensure that there is an active dialogue with the  Director of MEIDECC  in terms of providing daily updates regarding the project activities.

Under the strategic guidance of the Climate Change and Resilience Unit Team Leader and direct supervision of the project manager, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer promotes results-based management and a programme effectiveness approach by leading the implementation of innovative and effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks, systems and tools.  The M&E Officer provides technical support on M&E and reporting practices to programme and project teams. Where relevant, the M&E Officer will also support programme quality assurance and develop relevant systems.  The M&E officer promotes a collaborative, efficient, client-focused, evidence-based, and portfolio management approach.

Develop Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the project.

• Develop and strengthen monitoring, inspection and evaluation procedures for the project#
• Monitor all project activities, expenditures and progress towards achieving the project output;
• Recommend further improvement of the logical framework.
• Develop monitoring and impact indicators for the project’s success.
• Monitor and evaluate overall progress on achievement of results;
• Monitor the implementation of the Result Resource Framework (RRF), Social Environmental Policy (SEP), Social Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP), Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP), etc.
• Monitor the sustainability of the project’s results;
• Update Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools (METTs), Key Performance Area (KPA), Capacity Scorecards and other relevant tools to access project effectiveness
• Support the MTR and TE evaluation teams
• Conduct capacity assessment on existing monitoring and evaluation system Develop indicators and a monitoring strategy for the project;
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the effects and impact of the project;
• Support the project in designing the results-based management, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and plans in line with UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) with appropriate tracking tools. Help in ensuring the application of UNDP social and environmental safeguards as applicable.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the effects and impact of the project;
• Support mapping business processes and elaborating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in programme and project oversight. Act as custodian for evaluation quality assurance checklist to ensure quality check from the TOR formulation to final evaluation report and timely implementation of the recommendations.

Establish partnerships, coordination and open channels of communication, build capacity of the government.

• Provide feedback to the Project Manager on project strategies and activities;
• Suggest strategies to the Project Management for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the project by identifying bottlenecks in completing project activities and developing plans to minimize or eliminate such bottlenecks;
• Support the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) in establishing a function Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for the Ful Sized Project (FSP) and Vaipua Channel Marine Protected Area (MPA).
• Serve as the project focal point for the provision of overall technical and policy advisory support on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and results-based management (RBM) requirements and activities to CO programme and project managers, UNDP CO staff concerned with monitoring and evaluation, and consultants and/or members of evaluation teams.
• Advocate the adherence to UN/UNDP policy positions on monitoring and evaluation, results-based management, and quality assurance, as applicable, and ensure their mainstreaming into all aspects of the project interventions. Provide guidance on the systematized, effective application of RBM, M&E and quality assurance tools throughout the full programme/project cycle from the design to implementation, reporting and during the timely closure of projects.
• Ensure gender equality, disability inclusion, and Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principles are an integral part of UNDP programmes and operations and that these considerations are fully mainstreamed into programming and reflected in programme/project design, monitoring, reporting and evaluations in line with the UNDP Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion Strategies, UNSDG Operational Guide for Country Teams on LNOB, and available regional guidance.
• Assist the project personnel with M&E tools and training and support them in their use.

Prepare project monthly, quarterly, annual and final reports

• Report monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and annual progress on all project activities to the National Project Director/ Project Manager
• Provide inputs, information and statistics for quarterly, annual and other reports to the Project Management Team and UNDP;
• Participate in annual project reviews and planning workshops and assist the Project Coordinator in preparing relevant reports;
• Contribute to joint UN planning and reporting processes by coordinating UNDP’s adherence to agreed standards in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
• Assist in coordinating across the available components of the Project to ensure effective implementation of M&E/MIS;

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of  the Office and the Organization.

• Advanced University Degree ( Masters degree or equivalent ) in Environment, Natural Sciences, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field is required OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree