Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

Job Title -Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

Duty station– Addis Ababa, with regular duty trips to Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, security permitting

Cluster or office-Social Transformation Cluster

Project / Service Unit – Regional programme prevention of female genital mutilation in the Horn of Africa (FGM Prev)

Contract End Date -The initial contract is valid until June 2027, with the potential for extension through to the end of the follow-up phase in April 2030.

The regional programme Improving the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation in the Horn of Africa (FGM Prev), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), works in partnership with stakeholders in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan to support the prevention and abandonment of FGM and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). By strengthening the capacities of public institutions, civil society organizations, and communities, and fostering collaboration among them, the programme contributes to locally driven efforts to transform harmful social norms and prevent violence against women and girls.

in Ethiopia and Somalia, FGM Prev works closely with relevant government institutions at national and subnational levels, as well as with civil society, community-based organizations, and other partners, to strengthen the prevention and abandonment of FGM, child marriage and other forms of GBV. In Sudan, the programme primarily partners with civil society organizations and networks to sustain and strengthen locally led prevention efforts. Across all three countries, FGM Prev promotes policy engagement, multisectoral coordination, dialogue and community-led action to advance the rights and well-being of women and girls. Central to this work is the partnership with community-based, women- and youth-led organizations and networks, whose efforts to challenge unequal power relations and patriarchal norms are critical to addressing the root causes of FGM, child marriage and other forms of GBV and to fostering safer and more equitable communities

• Coordinate the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the programme’s results-based M&E/MEAL system across Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, ensuring alignment with GIZ, commissioning-party and programme requirements.
• Provide strategic M&E/MEAL advice to the Head of Programme, project managers and technical teams, using monitoring data and evidence to inform programme steering, adaptive management and achievement of programme objectives.
• Develop and regularly review results frameworks, indicators, baselines, targets, monitoring plans and data-collection methodologies, ensuring appropriate integration of gender, inclusion and other cross-cutting dimensions.
• Coordinate and quality-assure the collection, consolidation, verification, analysis and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data from programme activities and implementing partners, and monitor progress against expected results.
• Develop and maintain practical M&E/MEAL tools, databases, dashboards, reporting formats and data-quality mechanisms that enable consistent monitoring and evidence-based reporting across programme countries and partners.
• Plan and technically coordinate evaluations, assessments, baseline studies and reviews, including the development and quality assurance of ToR, methodologies and analytical products, and ensure systematic follow-up of recommendations.
• Strengthen the M&E/MEAL capacities of programme colleagues, civil society organizations, networks and other implementing partners through tailored training, coaching, technical guidance and practical tools.
• Facilitate programme learning and adaptive management by systematically analysing and documenting lessons learned, good practices, implementation challenges and stakeholder feedback, and translating findings into recommendations for programme improvement.
• Coordinate and quality-assure M&E/MEAL contributions to programme and commissioning-party reporting and results communication, ensuring that reported achievements are accurate, consistent and supported by credible evidence.

Serve as the programme’s technical focal point for M&E/MEAL, coordinating relevant processes across Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan and contributing to programme-wide planning, knowledge management, quality management and professional exchange within GIZ and with relevant partners and networks.

• University degree (Master’s degree preferred) in monitoring and evaluation, development studies, economics, social sciences, statistics, public policy or another relevant field.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in results-based monitoring and evaluation/MEAL, including substantial experience in international development cooperation and complex, multi-partner programmes.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing, managing and continuously improving M&E/MEAL systems, including results frameworks, indicators, methodologies, data-collection tools, databases/dashboards, data analysis and quality assurance.
• Proven experience in providing strategic M&E advice to programme management and technical teams, translating evidence into recommendations for programme steering, adaptive management, reporting and decision-making.
• Strong experience in capacity development of implementing partners and project teams, including designing and delivering training, coaching and practical guidance on M&E/MEAL systems.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, communication and report-writing skills, with a strong command of written and spoken English; knowledge of Somali and/or French and/or Arabic would be a strong asset.
• Skills to facilitate discussions, workshops and dialogues, coupled with abilities to manage disagreements and navigate sensitive issues.
• Ability to assess social dynamics, identify underlying issues and develop strategies that address the root causes of tension.
• Willingness to travel frequently to project sites in Ethiopia and Somalia.
• High degree of initiative, integrity and accountability.
• Good self-organization, strong interpersonal skills and results-orientation.

Ability to work structured and maintain the overview in a complex environment; ability to work independently and as part of a team; ability to work under time pressure; stress tolerance and with patience