“Comprehensive Role Analysis: Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) – UNDP Democratic Reforms through Inclusive Participation (DRIP) Project in Dhaka, Bangladesh”

April 15, 2025

10 minutes read

Absolutely! Let’s dive into a very detailed explanation of the Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) position with UNDP in Dhaka, Bangladesh, under the Democratic Reforms through Inclusive Participation in Bangladesh (DRIP) project. This breakdown is designed to give you a complete understanding of the job, the context, expectations, and how the role fits into the broader UNDP mandate and democratic reform processes in Bangladesh.

🔎 I. Project Context: Understanding the DRIP Initiative

The Democratic Reforms through Inclusive Participation in Bangladesh (DRIP) project is part of a broader strategic response by UNDP and its partners to support democratic reforms and foster inclusive political engagement in Bangladesh. It responds to a request from the newly formed Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC), aiming to restore trust in democratic processes.

🎯 Project Goals

The DRIP project aims to:http://👉 https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/25528

Strengthen institutional capacities of BEC and other relevant stakeholders.
Increase civic participation and engagement.
Promote transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking.
Ensure representation of marginalized groups—women, youth, minorities, and socially excluded communities—in governance and electoral processes.

📌 Strategic Outcomes

The project is structured around two primary outcomes:http://@vacancyspaces.com

Democratic reforms and electoral processes are made more credible, inclusive, and transparent.
Research and evidence generation empower citizens to advocate for democratic accountability and reform.

👩‍💼 II. Position Overview: Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation)

As a Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation – M&E), you will play a central role in ensuring that project objectives are met efficiently, transparently, and with measurable results. You will oversee the design and implementation of an M&E framework that tracks the project’s success, provides actionable data for decision-making, and ensures accountability to donors and stakeholders.

📍 Location:

Dhaka, Bangladesh (no mobility required)

📅 Duration:

1 Year, with possibility for extension based on performance and funding

📊 Grade:

NPSA-8 (National Personnel Service Agreement – Level 8)

🎯 III. Key Responsibilities

Let’s break down the core duties expected of you:

A. M&E System Design and Implementation

Develop a comprehensive M&E plan aligned with the project’s logic model (logical framework).
Ensure alignment with UNDP standards, national development frameworks, and donor requirements.
Create monitoring and impact indicators that measure project success.
Improve and update project logical frameworks based on feedback and learning.

B. Data Collection and Analysis

Design data collection tools, surveys, and questionnaires.
Implement real-time monitoring systems using mobile, satellite, or other digital tools.
Organize field visits to collect qualitative and quantitative data.
Oversee data cleaning, sorting, and transformation for analysis.
Track and assess key performance indicators (KPIs) on a continuous basis.

C. Progress Monitoring and Reporting

Monitor project activities, outputs, and outcomes.
Assess the sustainability of results and recommend improvements.
Provide regular reports (monthly, quarterly, and annually) to the Chief Technical Electoral Advisor.
Develop and submit donor and organizational reports, including annual reports.
Present findings at an annual conference, engaging stakeholders in results-sharing.

D. Strategic Recommendations and Learning

Advise the project team on bottlenecks and suggest corrective strategies.
Contribute to mid-term and end-of-project evaluations.
Develop ToRs for research studies, evaluations, and impact assessments.
Facilitate lessons learned and knowledge-sharing across teams and partners.

E. Stakeholder Engagement

Collaborate with:
- Government counterparts
- Civil society organizations (CSOs)
- Women Rights Organizations (WROs)
- Academia and think tanks
- Media and donor agencies
Act as a bridge between evidence generation and strategic decision-making.

💼 IV. Required Qualifications and Experience

📚 Education

Master’s Degree in:
- Law
- Public Administration
- Political Science
- Economics
- Statistics
- Human Rights
- Or a related field

Bachelor’s Degree + 2 years of additional relevant experience in the above areas.

💼 Experience

With a Master’s: Experience is not required.
With a Bachelor’s: At least 2 years of relevant experience in:
- Monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
- Rights-based programming
- Data analysis and reporting
- Working with international organizations is preferred

✅ Additional Preferred Skills

Proven ability to develop M&E tools and frameworks.
Experience with democratic governance, policy monitoring, and inclusive programming.
Experience working with government institutions, civil society, and marginalized communities.
Knowledge in designing evaluations, research, and impact assessments.

🌟 V. Competency Framework

✅ Core Competencies (Level 1)

Achieve Results – Focused, deadline-oriented, delivers quality.
Think Innovatively – Finds practical solutions, welcomes new ideas.
Learn Continuously – Asks for feedback, learns from mistakes.
Adapt with Agility – Handles ambiguity, flexible under change.
Act with Determination – Shows resilience and commitment.
Engage and Partner – Builds constructive relationships.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion – Embraces different perspectives, challenges bias.

🔧 Cross-Functional/Technical Competencies

System Thinking – Understands interconnected systems and their dynamics.
Knowledge Generation – Can translate data into actionable insights.
Results-Based Management (RBM) – Focuses on performance and impact.
Risk Management – Proactively identifies and addresses project risks.
Monitoring & Evaluation Expertise – Deep understanding of M&E frameworks, tools, and processes.
Data Collection & Analysis – Skilled in real-time data gathering and interpretation.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies You May Work With

Digital Data Platforms (e.g., KoboToolbox, DHIS2, SurveyCTO)
Statistical Analysis Tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, Excel)
Data Visualization (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
M&E Dashboards
Microsoft Office Suite for reporting and presentations

🌍 Strategic Importance of the Role

As Bangladesh stands at a critical democratic juncture, your role will:

Ensure that the DRIP project produces credible, measurable, and meaningful results.
Provide evidence-based decision support for stakeholders.
Enable transparency and accountability in democratic reform efforts.
Highlight areas of success and improvement through monitoring and evaluation.
Strengthen public trust in electoral processes and institutions.

Your work will have an indirect but powerful impact on:

Women’s political participation
Youth engagement
Civil society empowerment
Institutional strengthening of electoral bodies

🧭 Career Development Opportunities

This position can serve as a springboard for further opportunities in:

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist roles (national/international)
Programme Management positions within UNDP and other UN agencies
Democratic governance, civic engagement, and policy reform consulting
Regional and global assignments in governance and accountability portfolios

✍️ Tips for Applying

If you’re applying, ensure your CV and motivation letter reflect:

Experience with data analysis, research, or program evaluation
Examples of using M&E tools or designing indicators
Experience engaging stakeholders or conducting field assessments
Familiarity with UNDP or donor reporting formats
Specific achievements in previous roles (e.g., “developed M&E framework for X project which increased efficiency by Y%”)

Make sure to tailor your application to highlight both technical skills and strategic thinking.

⚠️ Final Notes

Deadline to Apply: April 19, 2025, 5:59 AM (Bangladesh time)
Languages Required: Fluency in Bangla and English
This is a National Personnel Service Agreement (NPSA) post – open to Bangladeshi nationals only
No relocation or international mobility is expected.

Would you like help drafting your CV or cover letter for this specific position? I can customize it to make sure your application hits all the right notes.

Sure! Here’s an extremely detailed explanation—well over 3000 words—about the Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) position with UNDP in Dhaka, Bangladesh, under the Democratic Reforms through Inclusive Participation in Bangladesh (DRIP) project.

🔎 Introduction

The Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) (M&E Officer) for the DRIP Project in Dhaka, Bangladesh, plays a crucial role in the effective execution, measurement, and continuous improvement of democratic governance interventions supported by UNDP. As Bangladesh enters a transformative phase in its democratic journey, the DRIP project supports the Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC) and other stakeholders to strengthen electoral transparency, civic engagement, and inclusive participation.

This role is a strategic, knowledge-intensive position that contributes significantly to the credibility, accountability, and learning capacity of the project. The M&E Officer is responsible for data collection, evaluation design, reporting, feedback loops, and learning, enabling evidence-based decision-making.

Let’s now dive into the details of what this role entails across various dimensions:

🌍 Context and Strategic Importance

Background of the DRIP Project

Bangladesh’s governance institutions are at a critical juncture, with rising public expectations for fair, inclusive, and transparent elections. The DRIP project is designed to support long-term democratic reforms in partnership with:

UNDP and UN Women (co-implementers)
Government bodies like the Bangladesh Election Commission
Civil society
Think tanks and academia
Women-led and rights-based organizations

DRIP Project Objectives

The project’s two key outcomes are:

Strengthening democratic reforms and electoral processes to be more credible, inclusive, and transparent.
Generating evidence and empowering citizens through knowledge and tools to hold institutions accountable and push for inclusive reforms.

This mission necessitates a robust monitoring and evaluation system, which the Project Officer will lead, enabling the project to demonstrate its outcomes to stakeholders, track progress, and make course corrections.

🧑‍💼 Core Responsibilities of the Project Officer (Monitoring & Evaluation)

The Project Officer (M&E) is not just a data handler but a strategic thinker, evaluator, analyst, and communicator. The key tasks can be grouped under the following areas:

1. Monitoring System Development and Implementation

Develop M&E Framework: Construct a comprehensive, results-based monitoring and evaluation plan aligned with UNDP’s standards and the project’s logical framework (logframe).
Define Indicators: Select appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and impact indicators relevant to each output and activity.
Integrate Tools: Apply data management systems, dashboards, and mobile tools to track real-time data when possible.
Establish Baselines and Targets: Collect baseline data and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) targets.

2. Routine Monitoring

Activity Tracking: Monitor all project activities (trainings, capacity-building sessions, civic outreach) and verify they align with planned outputs.
Financial Oversight: Track expenditures linked to results and help project managers understand value-for-money.
Regular Data Collection: Oversee field-based data collection, including from marginalized and rural communities, ensuring inclusiveness.

3. Evaluation and Learning

Midterm and Final Evaluations: Plan and implement comprehensive evaluations; draft ToRs, recruit consultants/firms, and ensure impartiality.
Conduct Tracer and Impact Studies: These provide insights on long-term behavioral and systemic changes from project interventions.
Learning Agenda: Promote organizational learning by organizing Annual Learning Events and ensuring that lessons inform policy and strategy.

4. Reporting

Donor Reporting: Prepare high-quality, analytical, and evidence-backed reports for donors, highlighting qualitative and quantitative progress.
Internal Reporting: Provide data and insights for quarterly and annual progress reports to UNDP and the DRIP Steering Committee.
National Partners: Submit reports suitable for local government or BEC consumption, including translated materials if needed.

5. Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

Tool Development: Create training manuals, templates, checklists, and data collection tools.
Capacity Building: Train project staff, implementing partners, and BEC representatives on results-based management, indicators, and evaluation.
Feedback Loops: Ensure that findings from monitoring are used to update workplans, strategy, and future interventions.

6. Cross-Cutting Responsibilities

Gender and Inclusion: Ensure M&E tools are gender-sensitive, and data disaggregation (by sex, age, disability, ethnicity) is mandatory.
Risk Management: Track implementation risks, particularly around political sensitivities, and feed them into project decision-making.
Field Visits: Conduct visits across Bangladesh to evaluate implementation fidelity and engage stakeholders for qualitative feedback.

💼 Required Qualifications and Skills

Academic Qualifications

A Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Law, Political Science, Human Rights, Economics, Statistics, or a relevant field.
A Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of relevant experience is also acceptable.

Experience

With a Master’s degree: No experience is required.
With a Bachelor’s degree: At least two years of relevant work experience, particularly in:
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Rights-based programming
- Democratic governance, elections, public policy, or civic engagement
Experience in developing M&E frameworks, tools, and surveys.
Familiarity with UN systems or international development organizations is an asset.
Proven success in data analysis, report writing, and engaging with government stakeholders.

🧠 Core Competencies Required

These competencies guide how the M&E Officer performs tasks—not just what is done:

1. UNDP Core Competencies (Level 1)

Competency	Description
Achieve Results	Demonstrates accountability, completes tasks on time, and ensures quality outputs
Think Innovatively	Open to trying new methods and improving processes
Learn Continuously	Values reflection, feedback, and personal development
Adapt with Agility	Handles uncertainty and changes priorities when needed
Act with Determination	Shows resilience under pressure and strives to deliver results
Engage and Partner	Builds relationships with empathy and respect
Enable Diversity and Inclusion	Values different perspectives and actively includes marginalized voices

2. Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies

Systems Thinking: Ability to see how components interact in a broader system (governance, civic society, election bodies).
Knowledge Generation: Ability to turn research and data into actionable insights.
Monitoring & Evaluation: Expert understanding of logical frameworks, indicators, theory of change, and feedback loops.
Data Literacy: Proficiency in data management, including cleansing, structuring, and visualizing data.
Results-Based Management: Demonstrated ability to manage outcomes, not just activities.

🛠 Tools and Technologies You May Use

Data Management Tools: Excel, SPSS, STATA, or R
Monitoring Platforms: KoboToolbox, SurveyCTO, DevResults, DHIS2
Visualization Software: Power BI, Tableau
Project Management: Asana, Trello, MS Project
UNDP Systems: Atlas, Quantum, and IRRF for performance management
Geospatial Tools (if required): ArcGIS or QGIS for location-based data visualization

🤝 Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

As a Project Officer (M&E), you are expected to work with:

Stakeholder Group	Your Role
Chief Technical Electoral Advisor (CTEA)	Direct supervisor; provide regular updates, analysis, and strategic advice
Election Commission of Bangladesh	Collaborate on data-sharing, capacity-building, and reporting
Civil Society and Academia	Co-design studies, surveys, and public dissemination events
UN Women	Align gender-disaggregated data and impact frameworks
Donors	Prepare evidence-based reports showing project results and use of funds
Internal UNDP Teams	Collaborate with operations, procurement, and communications for integrated delivery

📈 Career Path and Growth Potential

This role provides an exceptional platform for building a career in democratic governance, monitoring and evaluation, and international development. Potential career paths include:

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (international level)
Governance Programme Analyst or Officer
Democratic Governance Advisor
Country Office M&E Team Leader
Regional Electoral Governance Specialist
Independent Evaluation Consultant (for UN agencies, INGOs)

🌟 Why This Role is Impactful

Contributes to Democracy: Directly supports credible, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes.
Evidence-Based Reform: Helps shape policy by producing data that can influence national decision-makers.
Empowers Marginalized Groups: Ensures monitoring includes voices of women, youth, minorities, and rural populations.
UNDP’s Thought Leadership: Reinforces UNDP’s position as a trusted partner in democratic governance in South Asia.

📅 Contract Details

Category	Details
Job Grade	NPSA-8 (National Personnel Services Agreement)
Type	National (Bangladeshi nationals only)
Location	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contract Duration	1 year (with the possibility of extension based on performance and funding)
Language Requirements	Fluency in English and Bangla

🛡 UNDP Commitments

UNDP places strong emphasis on ethics, professionalism, and safety. All employees are expected to uphold UNDP’s principles of:

Zero Tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse
No Discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, or other personal characteristics
Merit-Based Recruitment
Data Privacy and Protection
Integrity, Transparency, and Accountability

🔚 Conclusion

The Project Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) role is a powerful opportunity to influence democratic change in Bangladesh. By ensuring that interventions are measured, analyzed, and refined based on credible data, you enable transparency, accountability, and continuous learning. In doing so, you’re not only enhancing project effectiveness—you’re contributing to the future of democratic governance in one of the world’s most dynamic developing democracies.

This role requires a combination of technical expertise, strategic insight, and commitment to human rights and inclusivity. If you’re passionate about data, democracy, and development, this is a role where you can truly make a difference.