SCOPE OF WORK: Measuring progress and determining success at achieving the objective requires rigorous and consistent measurement of key performance indicators across the project countries and over the lifespan of the project.  This requires the consistency of methods in data collection and accurate measurement and aggregation of indicators across project countries.  The key indicators to be assessed include: (i) incidences of bribery/informal payments by traders; (ii) incidence of harassment of small scale traders; (iii) value of goods handled through improved border crossings; (iv) direct project beneficiaries disaggregated by gender; (v) number of value chains supported; and (vi) changes in profit margins. Additional intermediary indicators will be considered to assess overall project performance under the various program components. The main function of Monitoring and Evaluation Expert under the COMESA component is to consolidate country Monitoring and Evaluation report into regional report. The Expert is also expected to provide technical assistance to project countries to improve their M & E capacity.   The Monitoring and Evaluation Expert will be part  of  the  COMESA  GLTFIP  implementation team.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  The main role of the full time Monitoring and Evaluation Expert will be to support implementation of the COMESA component of the GLTFIP on Monitoring and Evaluation.  The Monitoring and Evaluation Expert will also aggregate and prepare consolidated regional reports generated from the country bi-annual reports received from implementing member states to coincide with World Bank ISR reporting requirements in May and November of each year. The Monitoring and Evaluation Expert should submit updated results framework with indicators updated from each of the project countries quarterly and bi-annually and based on a Results Framework that is being used to monitor implementation of the annual work programme. It is the responsibility of the Monitoring and Evaluation Expert to ensure methods of data collection and aggregation are in line with the Monitoring and Evaluation Manual and therefore must validate results with country teams before regional reports are generated.  The specific roles of the Monitoring and Evaluation Expert will be to:

• Prepare and implement the COMESA level Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, including production of the overall M&E Mannual for the programme;
• Ensure the development of a state of the art online based M&E system that allows the uploading and analysis of project M&E data on a regular basis;
• Monitor and ensure the consistency of methods of data collection at border posts and across country teams;
• Support Country Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists in the Monitoring and Evaluation data collection, aggregation and development of project performance reports. This includes ensuring that the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists understand indicator calculations and definitions and ensuring that raw data is valid and aggregated accurately from field surveys;
• Support the Regional Trade Information Desk Office Coordinator to determine indicators of effectiveness of Trade Information Desks and performance of Trade Information Desk Officers interventions at all project borders;
• Coordinate with country Monitoring and Evaluation teams to receive data and reports in order to consolidate data into a project-wide report. This will require the consolidation of data from each country team to analyse and calculate indicators for the project-level Results Framework;
• Coordinate with country Monitoring and Evaluation teams on the timing of the quarterly and bi-annual field surveys and data collection and to follow up with the teams to ensure Monitoring and Evaluation reports and indicators updates are provided in a timely manner in order consolidate  reports and update the Results Framework in time for World Bank internal reporting deadline (June and December of each year);
• In collaboration with the COMESA Statistics Division, be responsible for the regional data analysis, presentation and dissemination through production of biannual, annual and other relevant reports;
• To observe data collection and participate in Monitoring and Evaluation related workshops as needed;
• Review the Monitoring and Evaluation manual regularly to ensure that it is updated to reflect any updates to procedures, methodologies, survey instruments, etc.  and provide technical guidance in the implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation Operations Manual;
• Provide technical support in capacity building of Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists at country level and in coordination of Monitoring and Evaluation activities at regional level, and cross-party coordination especially with regards to standardisation of methodologies and measurement timing. He/she will provide training and capacity building to the national M&E team and will help design the best methodology to collect and secure the data;
• Regularly follow-up on projects implementation progress as per the key performance indicators and agreed targets;
• Support collection of data on status of complaints and topical issues raised by traders and disseminate the information and lessons learnt at the regional level;
• Facilitate feedback on project performance to Project Steering Committee (PSC);
• Work with the Regional Trade Information Desk Office Coordinator to monitor and assess the STR. This includes the  average value of STR transactions, estimation of the value of non-STR transactions conducted by small-scale traders and common commodities traded under the STR; and
• Prepare Monitoring and Evaluation updates and briefs in advance of Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC)meetings and follow up/implement recommendations and feedback to project teams and border posts.