General objective of the mission

Under the supervision and guidance of Expertise France and the project director, the M&E expert will ensure the development of monitoring and evaluation systems and tools, ensuring that monitoring and evaluation arrangements comply with donor agreements and project requirements (M&E framework design and planning, data collection and management, accountability, evaluation, learning). S/he will analyse and report on the implementation of project activities, measure their impact, monitor the project performance against the initial project baseline and suggest ways to fine-tune the strategy in order to reach expected results/define new results. S/he will also contribute to building a constructive learning environment at all project levels, promoting good practices and key recommendations for ensuring sustainability, lessons learned and ideas for future interventions.

Specific objectives (non-exhaustive list)

The M&E Expert will work with the project team to develop and promote the use of the MEAL system to ensure that:

1.       Data on project activities is collected in a systematic way, consolidated, analyzed and shared to support project management and to increase EF performance.

2.       Mechanisms for upwards (donors) and downwards (beneficiaries) accountability are in place.

3.       Evidence-based data is available to measure the impact of the project in the target countries.

4.       Learning from project is captured and is applied to improve ongoing & future activities and projects.

The M&E of the project allows the project management to redirect the actions in a reactive way according to the evolution of the risks, the experienced feedback and according to the effects of the action plan on the achievement of the project objectives (performance). Finally, it allows the global evaluation of the project (performance, effects, impact).

Description of tasks (non-exhaustive lists)

The M&E expert will accomplish this through the design and deployment of a comprehensive MEAL framework/system ensuring project quality and donor reporting, as well as promoting and fostering a culture of shared learning and accountability within the project team (including partners).

Design the project M&E framework

-          Update the Theory of change of the project, in line with the updated logical framework

-          Evaluate the needs of the project in terms of monitoring systems, data collection and reporting, either within EF or with implementing partners

-          Develop a robust M&E plan, including adequate disaggregation, data collection tools and methodology, data flow maps and analysis plans for all project indicators.

-          Set-up a baseline informing the initial value of all the project indicators and fine-tuning indicators listed in the original logical framework

-          Set up a data collection system, and possibly data visualization software (such as PowerBI) to easily consolidate, disaggregate and manage M&E data

-          Train the Project Team on the tools and processes put in place

-          Collaborate with the Go Blue programme M&E expert so that the Go Blue maritime security project’s tools are in line with the rest of the programme

Ensure implementation of M&E plan and framework, in line with EF M&E policy

-          Monitor project M&E plan with continuous updates of project indicators to systematically document performance and identify areas for improvement

-          Support project team in planning and implementing project reviews to analyze progress made against initial targets, as well as relevance of activities according to the evolution of the context. Whenever relevant, suggest new possible re-orientations and adaptation / fine-tuning of the Theory of change

-          Work with the Project Team to ensure M&E tools and processes are understood and properly implemented in the course of the project

-          Work in cooperation with the team leader to ensure M&E tools and processes are correctly used to report on the project performance in progress reports

-          Ensure compliance of the project M&E framework with EF M&E policy

Contribute to a constructive learning environment, promote good practices and produce analysis

-          Support the development of relevant accountability initiatives through the project as well as strengthen the effort to document the impact of EF activities.

-          Share lessons learned from M&E data regularly with the Project Team, communicate recommendations and regularly follow up the implementation of these recommendations.

-          Support internal and external evaluations focusing on overall achievements of objectives, key recommendations for ensuring sustainability, lessons learned and ideas for future interventions. In particular, develop case studies in target countries including descriptions of what changed, how the change came about, the contribution of EF intervention, wider contributions and lessons learned.

-          Contribute to the M&E, knowledge management and learning efforts at EF level in general