Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, and Learning Specialist [Open to internal and external applicants]
- Organisation: UNDP
- Location: Manila, Philippines
- Deadline: 17 November 2026
Duties and Responsibilities
Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
• Tier 0 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1 : Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated : All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
UNDP has been working with national and international partners in the Philippines on the issue of the Circular Economy (CE). UNDP is working with the European Union (EU) in implementing the EU Philippines Green Economy Programme (The Programme). The Programme has the purpose of supporting the Philippines' transition towards a green economy, including circular economy, reducing waste and plastic, as well as increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment to support climate change mitigation. The Programme acknowledges that the transition to circular economy will have other added benefits such as reduction of the use of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity and natural capital, decreased pollution levels, and climate change adaptation.
The Programme addresses three main levels:
• Establishing a Policy Dialogue Platform at the central government level to mobilize EU expertise to facilitate policy formulation, improve city-to-city collaboration through supporting the development of a National Circular Economy Strategy and Roadmap, extend the dialogue to promote renewable energy/energy efficiency, and to apply the dialogue's outcomes;
• Working with local government units (LGUs) where EU expertise will support to define and implement circular economy, climate change, and energy policies with a human rights and gender-responsive perspective, outreach and support of local business and civil society, and support less advanced LGUs;
• Enhancing engagement of the private and financial sectors into the circular waste economy creating better conditions for private sector investment by supporting business-driven waste reduction strategies and circular solutions in the production process.
The Programme has 4 specific objectives:
• S01: Improved circular economy and climate change policies and reduced GHG emissions
• S02: Enhanced practices of the circular economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and civil society sector, with a focus on youth and gender equality
• SO3: Enhanced engagement of the private and financial sectors in circular, waste-reduction economy
• SO4: Increased energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment
UNDP is responsible for the implementation and execution of SO2 with the purpose of enhancing the capacities and practices of Local Government Units (LGUs) on circular waste economy in collaboration with private and civil society organizations (CSOs), with focus on youth and gender equality.
Key results expected at the end of the Project include:
• Reduced volume of waste generated and sent to landfills in partner LGUs
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduced and avoided (tonnes of CO2eq) from reduced waste and implementation of circular economy initiatives
• At least 20 LGUs have established circular economy models, including introduction of source separation and collection systems for wastes recycling, diversion, repurposing and other CE initiatives
• Additional number of organizations applying CE and sustainable consumption and production practices in partner LGUs
• Additional jobs (including green jobs) created across the circular economy value chain, disaggregated by gender and groups
• At least 10 LGUs in which nationally defined green procurement criteria have been applied
• About 15 LGUs that feed their NDC reporting with improved gender and youth sensitive data on co-benefits of CE
The above results shall be achieved through the following Outputs:
• Output 1: Improved capacities of LGUs and stakeholders to design, implement and monitor resilient and inclusive circular economy strategies
• Output 2: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSl)-responsive local policies and regulations designed and applied to enable circular and green growth opportunities and practices
• Output 3: Public and private financing effectively mobilized to implement gender responsive and inclusive CE strategies and programmes
• Output 4: Enhanced community innovation and demonstration projects applied to address priority CE solutions in partner LGUs
• Output 5: Enhanced CE behavior and practices of LGUs, private sector, communities and local stakeholders
• Output 6: Informal sector, grassroots, civil society organizations, women, youth, and marginalized sector capacitated and integrated into the CE value chain
• Output 7: CE-related knowledge management, MERL, GEDSI and safeguards in place to strengthen and replicate CE uptake in the Philippines
The Project shall be implemented in partnership with LGUs. A total of 20 Tier 1 LGUs will be supported directly, while 40 LGUs will be supported with targeted assistance on a demand-driven basis. Out of Tier 1 LGUs, 10 LGUs have been identified:
• Baguio City
• Pasig City
• Caloocan City
• Quezon City
• lloilo City/Metro lloilo
• Ormoc City
• Del Carmen Municipality/Siargao Islands
• Island Garden City of SamaI
• Davao City
• Puerto Princesa City/Palawan
The remaining Tier 1 cities will be identified during the first year of implementation.
UNDP Philippines takes overall responsibility and accountability for the delivery of the project outputs. It will be accountable for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project results, and for the effective use of resources, in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations, policies and procedures. These include relevant requirements on fiduciary, procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and other performance standards.
The day-to-day implementation of the project will be led by a Project Manager within a Project Management Unit (PMU) responsible for ensuring that the project achieves the expected targets to the required quality standards and within the specified time and budget allocations. The Project Manager will be supported by a Deputy Project Manager, Project Assistants, technical staff and a pool of contractors and consultants to carry out the deliverables of the project.
UNDP is seeking a MERL Specialist to lead the monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning activities of S02: enhanced practices of the circular waste economy by the LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and the civil society sector, with focus on youth and gender equality. The MERL Specialist will work with a team of UNDP specifically assigned to work on this programme, including the Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, project team, consultants, LGU Hub Coordinators, CO Communication team, and others partners such as the EU, GIZ, IFC, Expertise France, LGUs, and relevant CSO and private sector organizations.
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Project Manager, the MERL Specialist is responsible for the successful management and implementation of the project through regular monitoring of progress, identification of issues needing attention and corrective actions, and undertaking baseline and evaluation studies.
The duty station for the MERL Specialist will be in the PMU/Philippines Country Office, following working hours and weekends. Movements for meetings, consultations, and field missions will be coordinated by the Project, UNDP. The MERL Specialist will at all times observe the UN security rules and regulations and advisories in the Philippines.
Duties and Responsibilities
The MERL Specialist has overall responsibility for the monitoring, evaluation, learning and results reporting activities for the project based on the final approved project work plan, to include:
1. Overall guidance and support to Project Management Unit on MERL institutionalization:
• Set up and maintain a database and dashboard for the management of the indicator framework and online archiving of MOVs/evidences. In collaboration with data providers, identify data sourcing methods, develop monitoring tools, and agree on all aspects of budget, frequency, reporting, etc.;
• Lead the collection and documentation of baseline information and provide monitoring data to key project management processes;
• Customize internal and external systems for team and partners to systematically and efficiently capture MERL data and information, including meta data and verifiable supporting documentation, in line with MERL requirements;
• Guide project staff in the reporting of project activities and undertake quality assurance of project activities.
• As required, support the development by each assembly of their own performance management/monitoring systems in accordance with their strategic and operational plans;
• Lead the preparation of timely and quality corporate and regular reports to donor, Project Management Unit, overall GEPP programme and other partners as may be required;
• In close coordination with the UNDP Communications Team and the Results and Quality Team, systematically document and disseminate project results and lessons.
2. Development of Project MERL Plan based on MERL Framework:
• Produce the project's MERL Plan in accordance with the project's MERL Framework;
• Guide and coordinate the review and analysis of the project results table including: