Programme Planning and Monitoring Officer

UNICEF works to protect and promote the rights of every child, ensuring children have access to quality healthcare, nutrition, education and a safe environment free from violence. The UNICEF South Africa Country Programme 2026–2030 supports national priorities through investments in children, child survival and adolescent well-being, education and child protection.

The Programme Planning and Monitoring Officer will be based in Pretoria, South Africa, strengthening the Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation function within Programme and Programme Effectiveness. Working under the guidance of the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, the role will support programme planning, results-based monitoring, corporate and donor reporting, knowledge management, evidence use and programme review processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development, revision and monitoring of annual and rolling workplans, ensuring alignment with the Country Programme Document, UNSDCF and results-based management principles.
• Support annual, mid-year, mid-term and end-year programme reviews, including consolidation of inputs and follow-up on agreed actions.
• Contribute to the preparation and quality assurance of corporate reports, including results reporting, the Country Office Annual Report and Situation Reports.
• Support implementation of results-based monitoring frameworks and track output and outcome indicators, targets, data sources and means of verification.
• Facilitate the collection, validation, analysis and presentation of quantitative and qualitative programme performance data.
• Contribute to programme monitoring visits, partner reviews and verification processes to assess implementation progress and identify bottlenecks.
• Maintain monitoring databases, trackers, dashboards and information management systems, including the Data for Children Dashboard.
• Support drafting, review and quality assurance of donor reports and proposals and maintain donor reporting schedules and records.
• Support knowledge management through document organization, staff guidance, learning events and exchange of good practices.
• Contribute to inter-agency monitoring and evaluation processes and joint UNSDCF planning and reporting.
• Maintain effective working relationships with government, civil society, academia, UN entities and other partners.

Profile Required

Experience

Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience, including experience in:

• Programme planning, monitoring and evaluation, results-based management, reporting and/or knowledge management.
• Developing or maintaining results frameworks, indicators, workplans, monitoring tools, databases, dashboards or performance trackers.
• Collecting, validating, analysing and presenting quantitative and qualitative programme data.
• Drafting and quality-assuring programme, corporate and/or donor reports and proposals.
• Facilitating programme reviews, learning events, capacity-building sessions or multi-stakeholder coordination.
• Using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Familiarity with SharePoint or other enterprise content management systems, Power BI or similar data visualization tools is an asset. Experience within the United Nations or another international development organization, and familiarity with UNICEF or UN planning, monitoring and reporting processes, are desirable.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Public Policy, Development Studies, Statistics, Economics, Public Administration, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research Methods, or another relevant field with a research component.
• Postgraduate studies or specialized training in Monitoring and Evaluation are desirable.

Languages

• Fluent English – required
• Knowledge of another official South African language or another official UN language is desirable.

Special Notice

UN Volunteers serve full-time in their professional expertise, supported by a benefits package, including a monthly living allowance (MLA) to ensure a secure standard of living at their duty stations.

Check out UNV's Entitlement Calculator on UVP, the Unified Volunteering Platform, and learn more about related benefits.