M.Junaid Akhtar Email & Phone Number

Islamabad, Islāmābād, Pakistan

As Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Manager, I lead and manage the overall MEL function whereby measuring and reporting against the project’s performance indicators as well as results chain, developing methods and milestones to monitor the project’s progress towards its goals, while contributing in refining program strategy based on lessons learnt over the period. Specific tasks include:• Assist and facilitate Team Leader / Program Director to refine the theory of change and logframe whereby defining the application of these into the MEL system. • Maintain an MEL system for the programme for collecting and reviewing data, data sources and the frequency of data collection.• Ensure qualitative and quantitative data collection and monitoring needs for the programme, based on the log frame, workplan, Value for Money (VFM) reporting needs, and requirements for dynamic decision making.• Review the MEL strategy, system and approach regularly on a 6-monthly basis, and adapting where necessary.• Develop VFM framework for the Programme and ensure regular data collection, both progress and financial data, for consolidation of progress against VFM indicators• Conduct quality assurance of all data collection processes:• Ensure timely submission of all donor reports to FCDO as per contract agreement including monthly, quarterly, annual, programme completion, value for money reports, etc. • Design, conducting and / or supervise Assessments / Evaluations during and after the implementation of programme.• Facilitate FCDO Annual Reviews as well as independent / third party Mid-Term Review and Final Evaluation of the programme by providing all the Means of Verification (MOVs) including data, reports, etc. • Develop and update risk and mitigation analysis reports (register register) in coordination with output teams and Political Economy Analysis Advisor.

Islamabad, Pakistan

As Manager - Monitoring & Evaluation, I was responsible for the development of NDRMF monitoring system leading to NDRMF strategic objectives and for utilization of its funds. In addition, the specific tasks include the following:• Lead and support the development of NDRMF monitoring and evaluation system in adherence to international best practices as well as donor requirements;• Support the development, reporting and revision of NDRMF results framework in line with the strategic objectives;• Provides advice in developing a plan to improve skills and capacity for basic results-based planning, data collection and survey methods;• Helps to develop and monitor plans for proactive interventions and support to Fund Implementation Partners with regards to RBM, in line with DRR and Climate Change initiatives; • Develop and oversee the implementation of RBM frameworks including planning, development of data collection tools, and guidance on sampling and assurances on data quality;• Supervise analysis of primary and secondary programme data, both quantitative and qualitative;• Lead in the development and contracting or delivery of program baseline, midline and end-line studies including clear Terms of Reference, appropriate resource allocations and provide quality assurance in line with best practice;• Support the monitoring of safeguarding commitments at NDRMF and FIP level through training, mentoring of staff and periodic compliance reviews;• Provide tailored support to partners including extensive support visits, oversight of data collection exercises, mentoring of relevant staff and participation in program workshops;• Promote organizational learning on monitoring and evaluation through active participation in program meetings and workshops and maintain close coordination with NDRMF relevant staff; and• Share and adopt good practices working with different partners and globally adopted new practices and approaches for researches and effective monitoring.

Lahore, Pakistan

The Program Implementation Unit is established to facilitate coordination, implementation and monitoring of different multi-sectoral projects and programmes funded by the World Bank and other donors. The PIU coordinates with the implementing departments / agencies, monitor and evaluate implementation, and report to the Bank in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Loan and Program Agreements. It consolidates reports of all implementing agencies and communicates them to the donor organizations as per their requirements. As M&E Specialist, main responsibilities and activities include:• Development of M&E framework and system, associated templates, guidelines, and facilitate implementation at the provincial level.• Compile monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports.• Monitor, validate and report progress against Disbursement Linked Indicators/milestones and department wise work plans on a quarterly and annual basis.• Report on Programme results’ related outcome indicators on an annual basis employing secondary data sources.• Regularly update departmental level M&E information provided on the programme website.• Facilitate independent reviews and evaluations of the Programme.• Prepare TORs and concept papers for short term M&E technical inputs on the programme.• Support smooth and timely implementation of programme components i.e. Policy Reforms in Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Smart Subsidies, Research and innovation, Water Regulatory Act, Improving Livestock breeding, Food Safety, etc.• Conduct case study analysis as required to capture best practices and most significant changes.• Facilitate implementing departments to design monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework and establish an ICT-based M&E system with their respective resource allocation.• Support interaction and coordination with other relevant WB and other donor supported projects and programmes operating in the province.

Lahore, Pakistan

The SNG programme focuses on improving the capacity of government institutions, especially at the district level, through the provision of technical assistance, to enable them to take evidence-based decisions that are aligned with service delivery needs. The programme has been designed to help ensure that the government services are able to meet the needs of poor and marginalized segments of society, including women and girls. As M&E Advisor, main responsibilities and activities include:• Compile SNG provincial fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports.• Monitor, validate and report provincial and district progress against log frame output indicators/milestones and provincial/district work plans on a quarterly basis.• Report on SNG impact and outcome indicators on an annual basis employing government and private secondary data sources.• Prepare TORs and concept papers for short term M&E technical inputs on the programme.• Work in support of technical/district team leads and consultants by sharing information as appropriate and contributing to the work of the programme team.• Assist in functions of the SNG programme i.e. public financial management, governance, district delivery challenge fund, social development, gender communications, anti-corruption, district needs assessments, GIS etc.• Review programme documents and papers, and provide input from M&E perspective.• Support monitoring and evaluation of district delivery challenge fund projects, including designing of M&E frameworks, tools, guidelines and M&E capacity development of grantees.

Faisalabad, Pakistan

The USPCAS – Agriculture and Food Security is one of three US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies (USPCAS). The initiative is aimed to conduct applied research that is relevant and responsive to the needs of the private and public sectors and to prepare students to be effective practitioners, leaders, and entrepreneurs in their respective fields. The M&E Specialist is responsible for scrutinizing activities to follow standard and agreed processes. In addition, the activities include:• Review project level AM&EP as well as sub-grants AM&EPs and the M&E plans.• Develop M&E plans and work plans that detail how the team will measure the effectiveness of the results it is achieving.• Strengthen project-level monitoring following the latest USAID policies, guidance documents, and procedures.• Leverage technical expertise in designing monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies.• Provide training, technical assistance, to project staff related to the evaluation of activities.• Oversee strategic, operational, and tactical planning for all monitoring, evaluation, and assessment activities.• Lead the design and field-testing of all data collection methods and protocols, data verification techniques, and other technical evaluation and analytical tasks.• Assess causal relationships among inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts.• Ensure that appropriate performance indicators are selected.• Manage the development of Performance Indicator Reference Sheets for all performance and context indicators.• Manage data capture activities to establish baseline, target, and actual values for all performance indicators.• Conduct Data Quality Analyses (DQAs) in accordance with USAID policy.• Present and disseminate findings to high-level stakeholders.• Lead the unit by reviewing reporting methods, carrying out training needs analyses, assess data quality, designing reporting tools, and advising technical offices on ways to improve field monitor performance.

United Arab Emirates

The objective of the fellowship was to assist in developing a robust monitoring & evaluation system following result based management approach generally preferred by the international development community. The fellowship was also aimed to facilitate the on-going mid-term evaluation intending to assess the progress, inform the preparation of the future Annual Work Plan, and establish a baseline for future reference. The primary activities include:• Assist in preparing a strategy for achieving the strategic objectives and key results;• Assist in developing a Results and Resources Framework for the long-term business plan;• Assist in devising an appropriate tool of analysis, identify focus areas and develop strategic objectives and key result areas;• Assist in developing an organizational log-frame integrating individual project log-frames as intermediary results chains to incorporate theory of change model;• Develop Performance Trackers to monitor the progress against defined KPIs at regular intervals to illustrate the achievements; and• Develop Training Evaluation manual based on Krickpatrick’s model to measure the impacts (i.e. reaction, learning, behavior and results) as well as improve the training delivery processes. In addition, the fellowship also supported to conduct socio-economic and production system analysis for assessing and analyzing the degree and diversity of livelihoods vulnerability and underlying causes in five countries of MENA Region. The impact of climate change on the livelihoods of the farming communities was assessed using an index based method which is then mapped at sub-national level.

Lahore

The key objective of the Urban Unit, Government of Punjab is to undertake research and policy management for optimal utilization of resources & provision of quality services for sustainable urban development leading to quality life for the people. The World Bank funded Punjab Cities Governance Improvement Project is being implemented by UU to strengthen the governance system of five City District Governments and entities for improved service delivery. It is a results based Specific Investment Credit for a results based approach and the disbursement decision is based on achievement of pre-specified results, referred to as Disbursement linked Indicators (DLIs). The DLIs reflect priority elements in furthering the government’s urban agenda, critical at the provincial level, within the existing legislative, regulative and policy framework of the government. They include intermediate outcomes, incremental steps and results contributing to improved efficiency and effectiveness during and beyond the project. My specific responsibilities are as below: • Lead and facilitate M&E staff in planning, monitoring and evaluation; • Facilitate and coordinate with other technical sections in planning, monitoring and evaluating their activities;• Responsible for project monitoring and evaluation at the provincial and district levels in Punjab;• Provide technical assistance and training in M&E and in the framework of the project implementation; • Advise project management on appropriate indicators and structure of the project result framework; • Provide support to external third party evaluations, if needed;• Help project management to utilize monitoring, evaluation and reporting for learning improved / informed decision making and program improvement; • Provide technical guidance to City Program Units and staff on project monitoring and evaluation; and• Assist with the management and execution of M&E capacity building in the framework of the project implementation.

Lahore, Pakisatn

The objective of the USAID Firms Project is to develop dynamic, internationally competitive private sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by working directly at the firm level and by improving the overall policy and regulatory environment to accelerate sales, investment, and job growth to undercut the basis of extremism. As M&E Specialist, I am responsible for implementing and coordinating the project M&E system including the following:• Develop, update and implement the PMP.• Implement the Project M&E System utilizing clearly defined objectives, activities, indicators, and results for each component in the implementation period.• Develop and implement appropriate and innovative monitoring and evaluation tools, reporting guidelines for new project activates with an aim to improve the M&E system of the Project.• Prepare SoWs, ToRs and concept papers for different M&E studies, surveys, assessments, evaluations and other relevant studies.• Review the project indicators, including agreed targets and aggressive time-frames for achieving them.• Develop systems to monitor the provision of project inputs grants and training activities and the beneficiaries receiving these products and services.• Conduct data quality assessments & data audits to ensure that the collected data is accurate and maintain the integrity of the project.• Conduct beneficiaries’ interviews, focus group discussions and verification visits to the project sites.• Assist the design and implementation of project impact evaluation, when needed.• Design and produce M&E tools for training M&E and other project staff.• Prepare regular reports of the M&E activities.• Coordinate with component and technical leads, provincial and district staff as necessary to perform M&E duties including providing guidance on priority areas for attention/action.

Rome Area, Italy

The Performance Evaluation Group is a research group devoted to the study of formal approaches to the process of monitoring and analysis of the performance of public sector institutions. Government, no matter the level (central/federal, state, or heal), should he accountable and responsible. Accountability involves, among other things, an assessment of policy outcomes, along with the means and processes used to deliver the policies.The major issues of evaluation are management rather than methodological ones; they are about how and where evaluation should be organized, located, planned and managed to best affect decision-making. They are about managing for performance, rather than simply measuring performance.The PhD programme is designed to prepare for high level of leadership in public institutions and to carry out innovative monitoring and evaluation of governance of public institutions. The course work was successfully completed through intensive lectures and assignments designed to give methodological basis, theoretical knowledge and analytical tools for the doctoral research. A comprehensive research proposal was prepared whereby defining the research objectives, methodology, literature review and data gathering as well as analysis process. The doctoral research was carried out on the “Collaborative Governance and Context Dependency In Irrigation Water Management”. The study contribute to the evolving theory of collaborative governance / coproduction by exploring the growth of the concept and integrating the definitions leading to its refinement. The study also try to bridge different theoretical streams; the institutional theory / context and path dependency which relies on the historical evolution and local conditions, the governance theory which focuses on enhanced and multidimensional role of citizens with the coproduction approach which integrates these approaches and stresses on interdependence between the actors.

Rome

Internews has been working in Pakistan since 2003, building the capacity of media organizations and universities across Pakistan to improve the quantity and quality of information-based programming through residential training and mentoring programs support to press clubs, investigative journalism immersion courses, and media law and station managers’ training. I was responsible for the strategic planning, design, development, oversight, implementation, control and reporting of all monitoring and evaluation functions for Internews Network in Pakistan while based in Rome, Italy.• Design and develop strategic plans, structures and processes for the M&E unit• Design and develop tools and structures for effective monitoring and evaluation of program activities• Manage the PMP for INPK to ensure that planned outputs and outcomes are met as planned• Develop knowledge management and information sharing processes for the unit• Manage unit and organizational communications (internal and external)• Ensure the timely completion and submission of all donor/internal narrative reports (i.e. quarterly, monthly and weekly)• Ensure that all non/routine monitoring and evaluation processes and activities are established and ongoing/completed as per program requirements• Review and manage the development and submission of YLs, GLs, M&E Plans, Activity Previews, Assessments (i.e. pre and post-training evaluations) and FERs for the OTI program• Responsible for external communications relating to M&E (i.e. responses to IMU queries)• Ensure that all M&E records/databases are updated and maintained by staff as required• Provide pertinent monitoring and evaluation data to the Chief of Party to strategically inform decisions on project implementation.• Assist Chief of Party with preparation of high quality reporting to donors that highlight project achievements and milestones.

Islamabad, Pakistan

The Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF) is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) established to reposition the Pakistan"s Economy on a more global competitive footing. The responsibilities include looking after the overall interests of the CSF as well as monitoring & evaluating all matching grants / business incubator projects.• Analyses, monitors and evaluates new and existing projects related to Matching Grants.• Ensures the collection, analysis and management of data and statistics on CSF’s Matching grants facility.• Ensures that the project monitoring and compliance should be as per USAID rules and regulations.• Prepares summary progress reports and monitors and analyses data on Matching Grants program implementation.• Design and implement monitoring and evaluation activities for the project improvement and achieving work plan and performance improvement plan objectives;• Build capacity of the project staff and partner(s) in carrying out monitoring activities during implementation of the project work plan;• Assist technical teams in the preparation of quarterly and the annual progress reports for their respective components and carry out all necessary reporting to USAID;• Monitor project performance against objectives. Work with CEO / CoP and CFO to develop and implement solutions to identified problems;• Ensure timely and quality implementation of all activities included in the tasks above;• Coordinate all the studies, facilitate access of the consultants to information and resource persons, eliminate overlap and insure coherence with the objectives and expected results; • Inform regularly the CEO and COO about progress, as well as any major problems that might be encountered which need immediate action; and • Document the methodology and outcomes of the project for subsequent dissemination nation-wide.

Islamabad, Pakistan

Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) is a registered entity, which aims at creating an enabling environment for citizen participation and community empowerment in Pakistan. DTCE has been funded by a consortium of donors under the umbrella of UNDP Support NEX Project “Support to DTCE”. Working under the supervision of CEO and responsible to coordinate and monitor the implementation of dynamic action plans regarding disaster mitigation comprising a complex portfolio of headquarters and field levels activities and undertake following tasks:• Developing and maintaining an interactive and dynamic system on Microsoft Project (MS Project) for headquarter and field level activities of DTCE executed by the functional teams in the field;• Coordinating, updating, and tracking implementation progress both at the headquarters and field level to support the management decisions, as well as monitoring progress on real time basis;• Informing headquarter and field operation teams about the pace of work as per planned time lines and performance milestones;• Taking necessary measures in consultation with the management for institutionalizing the work planning system with the organizations;• Building capacity of all staff members to effectively utilize MS Project as a planning and monitoring tool;• Developing standardize reporting format for updating work plans, in consultation with headquarter and field operation teams including the IME team;• Preparing periodic reports, updates and analysis of the implementation progress based on the work plans to facilitate decision making process at the management level; and• Providing support to CEO office in ensuring timely follow up action on the implementation of the headquarters and field operation work plans.

ADB provided the TA 4943-PAK entitled “Capacity Building for Institutions Related to Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation” focusing on training skill development and capacity building for seismic resistant housing reconstruction. As DTL / M&E Specialist, I have undertaken the following duties;• Organization of the awareness campaign to mobilize and motivate the scattered communities and settlements by influencing them through disaster related trainings to start the reconstruction process;• Increasing the overall compliance rate of seismic resistant housing reconstruction by providing assistance and technical support, through VRC meetings and mobile demonstration teams, to undertake retrofitting measures and be become compliant;• Preparation of project monitoring plan and other activities in collaboration with project partners and donors using various monitoring tools; • Setting up the M&E system including annual project reviews, participatory impact assessments, process monitoring, operations monitoring and designing reporting formats.• Ensuring that an effective and participatory M&E system is established in as decentralised manner.• Design and cost out a baseline survey and a needs assessment survey.• Design and adapt computer based support such as developing data bases and methods of data processing.• Implement M&E systems and design the framework for the physical and process monitoring of project activities. • Undertake regular field visits to support implementation of M&E to identify gaps and remove any bottlenecks. • Mobilise relevant M&E technical assistance in a timely manner, with clearly demarcated responsibilities based on the participatory and equity principles.• Compilation of monthly and quarterly as well as final project completion reports for submission to ERRA and ADB;and• Maintaining contacts with ERRA, Governments, local communities for achieving maximum results of the project.

Islamabad, Pakistan

Coinciding with Government of Pakistan’s post disaster management plan for reconstruction, the World Bank and Japan Social Development Fund in partnership with Rural Support Programmes Network aimed to build the capacity of the earthquake-affected communities. My major duties and responsibilities were as follows:• Formation of Community Outreach Teams to expand outreach of the disaster management program, by accessing and mobilizing scattered communities and settlements and influence them to actively participate;• Establishing Village Reconstruction Committees with the objective of mobilizing and empowering affected communities for reconstruction and rehabilitation;• Training of housing grant beneficiaries and skilled labours to carry out the reconstruction as per seismic resistant reconstruction;• Dissemination of the ERRA and UN Habitat information materials comprising of earthquake resistant reconstruction techniques and designs for easy understanding and general awareness; • Participate in the planning as well as inception phase of the Training Program with World Bank; • Monitoring the Training Program to ensure its implementation to achieve mutually agreed targets as per pre-defined indicators with all fairness maintaining transparency & accountability;• Prepared monitoring, assessment and planning plans and other activities in collaboration with other sectors;• Strengthened information base for programme planning and designing;• Conducted feasibility studies, cost benefits and cost effectiveness studies on programme inputs;• Interact with the Finance and Human Resources Section for ensuring proper utilization of the allocated finances and that record of financial transactions are in accordance with WB and RSPN standards operating procedures/guidelines;• Regular liaison with stakeholders to ensure the smooth and timeliness progress; and• Prepare and submit monthly, quarterly and annual programmatic progress reports to WB and government agencies.

Islamabad, Pakistan

Prepared the cost estimates and undertaking economic and financial analysis for inclusion in the PC-1 for the project “Conduction of Water from River Indus / Jhelum to Islamabad”. Also, I assisted in finalizing the draft PC -1 for submission to CDA. Specific assistance is being provided for the following:• Secured water tariff rates and conduct analysis on Project lifecycle costing and returns till the 2030;• Established scenarios for the project cash flows and recoveries coincident with variations in tariffs and interest rates;• Prepared cost estimates and budgetary requirements for incremental investment; and• Calculation of opportunity cost and benefit cost ratio for the PC-1.

Islamabad, Pakistan

The Study III was launched to address the environmental concerns of all the four provinces (above Kotri Barrage) that are related to post Indus Basin Treaty since 1960 and cover all aspects of water concerning (surface and groundwater, drinking, agricultural, industrial, nature), water quality and quantity, agriculture (crops and vegetation), biodiversity, forests, etc. Development over and above the context of IBT was also the part of Study-III. Tasks included:• Undertook data collection and analysis in all the four provinces related to socio-economic aspects;• Prepared monthly and quarterly progress reports of the study for submission to donor/GoP;• Undertook the Impact Evaluation of Delay Action Dams constructed by the Irrigation Department, Government of Balochistan; • Prepared the Scio-Economic and environmental impacts (including Health, Education, Poverty and Environmental) of Afghan Refugees’ influx in the North West Frontier Province; and• An estimate of the economic costs of environmental degradation was prepared on the basis of selected variables such as environmental health, natural resource productivity, management of urban and industrial pollution and vulnerability to natural disaster. A correlation was also presented between the economic costs of environmental degradation and costs of other activities such as mitigating measures. • A general overview of private sector investments in environmental expenditures in terms of amounts and sectors was prepared. A final analysis was made on the basis of three comparisons: (a) An analysis of the trends in total amounts and budget shares allocated for the various dimensions and classes of environmental expenditure over the last ten years, (b) An international comparison of the total amounts and budget shares of environmental expenditures with regional and income group peers (such as India, Bangladesh), (c) An analysis of the total amounts and budget shares allocated for the environmental challenges.

Afghanistan

Worked as “Program Advisor” with VARA. VARA is a humanitarian, non-profitable, non-political, non-sectarian and non-governmental organization founded by the support of UN FAO in August 1990 to participate in the developmental process of the war-torn Afghanistan. The main aim of the organization is to encourage the return of Afghan Refugees to their homeland by providing them with every possible assistance and income generating opportunities in the field of their choice / expertise through training and capacity building as well as provision of tools. Major duties were:• Monitored key field activities of the organization; • Compiled monthly and quarterly progress reports as well as prepared Annual Reports of 2003 and 2004;• Advised on technical issues related to project identification, preparation, implementation and progress reporting;• Prepared new project proposals for submission to the various Donors and their follow ups; • Designed special projects for the enhancement of livelihoods of the people through vocational training programs, infrastructure development and micro-enterprise development projects;• Responsible for monitoring, evaluation and impact evaluation of the donor assisted projects; and• Represented VARA in different meetings and at various forums nationally and internationally.

Islamabad, Pakistan

Worked with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research section of the National Rural Support Program (NRSP). The responsibilities included: • Developing Log Frame Analysis, M&E Plan & Work plan;• Developing & implement internal project monitoring system based on approved M&E Plan; • Developing quarterly assessment reports based on approved M&E Plan;• Working with external teams to conduct monitoring & evaluation exercises;• Designing, supervising & developing reports on baseline studies;• Data consolidation work on community priority needs;• Implementation of case studies to strengthen information base for program planning & designing;• Monitoring and evaluation of economic development interventions such as micro-credit projects and vocational training programmes for the betterment of people’s livelihoods • Compilation of monthly and quarterly progress reports;• Overseeing implementation of ME & R program and providing technical guidance / assistance to the regional and district staff responsible for implementation of the ME & R activities;• Liaised with the Population Council, Pakistan and Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Pakistan for various activities related to Health and Environment; • Liaison with General Manager (GM) to ensure smooth implementation of M&E activities; • Assisted technical sections in the preparation of strategic plans, project proposals, and plans of action.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management

Master'S Degree, Development Studies, B+

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Social Sciences, B