Over the last decade, Bangladesh has experienced remarkable economic growth and human development. Despite progress, fragile employment and the growing frequency and intensity of disasters and climate hazards are impeding progress. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality and forced millions of people into poverty in Bangladesh. Women are facing the burden of these complicated issues, and the pandemic primarily had gendered consequences, slowing or even reversing much of the progress made toward gender equality.

SWAPNO (Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities) is a gender-based social security project that aims to lift poverty-stricken rural women (divorced/separated/widowed/having husband with disability) out of economic insecurity by providing them with productive and sustainable livelihood opportunities. In addition to self-employment, SWAPNO also helps place women in local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and private sector companies in the formal and informal sectors.

Since its inception, SWAPNO has benefited 12,492 beneficiaries in five districts. Among them, SWAPNO II has covered 3564 in Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts. The project has aided economically disadvantaged women in developing their talents, linking them to services and the local market, and ensuring their financial inclusion. This has ensured their survival, improved their resilience to shocks, and provided them more power.

Based on the success of the project and the experience gained, SWAPNO II aspires to implement the project across the 12 poorest districts of Bangladesh – Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Gopalganj, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Cumilla, and Chandpur. SWAPNO will specifically targeted women group from 18 to 30 years and 31 to 45 years to ensure employability and sustainability of project outcomes. The project will maximize the possibilities for financial inclusion while also emphasizing future employability by improving industry skills for job placements in the formal sector and local SMEs. Additionally, SWAPNO will aim to attract investors for social enterprises that offer commercially viable solutions for social problems, encourage environment-friendly business, create employment, and collaborate with the private sector. The project will put further emphasis on the importance of disaster resilience and climate change adaptation and train women to develop their life and soft skills.

SWAPNO’s strategy to support women’s access to decent employment, ensure a discrimination-free environment in public workplaces, develop adaptive livelihoods, establish localized Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), access to financial services for sustainable graduation from extreme poverty, and develop local government capacity to implement pro-poor projects. SWAPNO II will contribute to achieve the following results:

• Outcome 1: Strengthen Institutional Capacity for Sustaining SWAPNO Benefits
• Outcome 2: Increased Income and Assets Engaging Local Economy and Skill Development
• Outcome 3: Strengthened Human Capabilities and Resilience Capacity

The incumbent shall carry out the duties given below to achieve the mission:

• Undertake the processes of monitoring, develop quarterly, half-yearly and annual reporting and feedback
  systems, formal actions for record-keeping and documentation.
• Take the lead in setting up and operating the project’s M&E and MIS (Management Information System) system. Develop monitoring tools, collect the data and ensure that feedback bring to the decision-making body and set agenda for discussions on different strategic reasons.
• Take the lead in collecting MIS data from the field through MIS Associate and regional M&E officers feeding
  such data into quarterly and annual progress reports and assist in report writing.
• Take the lead to initiate, guide and facilitate baseline surveys and subsequent results appraisals and special
  studies.
• Provide assistance to scheduled Mid-Term Evaluation and End-of-project Evaluation;
• Develop the baseline modules, execute data collection methodology and implementation professionally;
• Take the lead to collect two types of data from the field: i.e. quantitative data & qualitative data;
• Helping internal evaluation committee with LGD, ERD, IMED and Planning Commission (Rural Institution
  Wing) representatives. The committee will evaluate the overall project activities annually;
• Ensure implementation of effective MIS reporting and arrange for capacity development training as required,
  through the assistance of an MIS expert.
• Together with the MIS Associate, devise the process of feeding MIS data from Union Parishad up, ensure
  implementation of effective MIS reporting and arrange for capacity development training as required.

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

Core competencies:

People Management competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management

• Results-based Management. Ability to manage programs and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.  Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
• Monitoring and evaluation. Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
  Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

2030 Agenda:  Engagement and Effectiveness

• Effectiveness. IRRF design, implementation and monitoring.
• Effectiveness. Project Quality Assurance.

Data

• Data Analysis. Ability to extract, analysis and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.

Ethics

• UN policy knowledge – ethics. Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements