Improving Secretariat performance

	The opening of the new Commonwealth Information Centre: with HRH The Prince of Wales are Secretary-General Don McKinnon, Guyanaís High Commissioner to the UK, Laleshwar Singh, and Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha

A major effort has been directed at strengthening internal quality assurance procedures, and improving the ability of the organisation to monitor its work programme and to report in a more timely and efficient manner on achievements and results. The new governance procedures implemented over the past two years have contributed to this effort, including the significant level of consultation and dialogue that was put into developing the Strategic Plan for 2004/05-2007/08. These new structures provide a sound basis for improvements in internal accountability and monitoring systems, and contribute to a more effective learning culture within the Secretariat.

Improving systems for better accountability

Internal management priorities have focused on reforming the Secretariat’s financial and human resource management systems, and efforts have also been made to reduce inefficiencies and duplication in business processes. By moving to international standards of accounting and expenditure management, Secretariat operations have achieved greater transparency and improved accountability. Improvements to internal systems include restructuring the finance department and establishing a more service-oriented model for delivery of human resource management services. The Abuja Guidelines on Arrears adopted at the 2003 CHOGM were implemented and the Secretariat has developed a clearer approach to financial reporting, including shifting to accrual accounting.

An essential aspect of improved accountability is to enhance the effectiveness of the Secretariat’s programmes so that members are receiving the best possible value for money and results. Therefore, in the development of the Strategic Plan the lessons of the previous Plan were specifically taken into account, and the current Plan has clear statements on the strategic focus under each thematic area and on the results to be achieved. This framework provides a more structured approach and will enable better tracking of progress against the higher level goals and outcomes, including the MDGs.

To support the development of a results-based management culture, the framework for providing information on performance has been revised and work is continuing on changes to operational procedures. These changes will streamline the capture of programme and project information, and assist with more timely and detailed reporting on progress and achievements. An important part of systems improvement has been staff training in competencies such as the logical framework for project design, and developing guidelines on quality standards and management requirements.

Human resource systems

The review of pay, grading and terms and conditions of service (TACOS) for London-based staff, initiated in 2003, was finalised and implemented. It has produced a more rational structure and a coherent means of determining the relative weight of jobs as well as providing a consistent and relatively simple administrative means of designing the organisational and benefits structure.

Simultaneously, there has been a review of pay, grading and TACOS for locally engaged staff in the four Regional Centres of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. The next step will be to review the TACOS for London-appointed but regionally based staff, both in the CYP Regional Centres and at the Joint Office for Commonwealth Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York (the ‘Small States Office’).

In keeping with the clear direction given by Commonwealth Youth Ministers, the Youth Affairs Unit became a full-fledged Division, now led by a Director.

Enhancing effectiveness through evaluation

Improving quality and effectiveness depends on an understanding of which programmes and strategies work best. Equally, it is important to understand the reasons for lack of success. Evaluation studies are therefore essential in identifying lessons for future guidance. In 2003, a review of how well the Secretariat had taken on board the findings and recommendations of the previous five years of evaluation studies, which had covered a wide range of thematic and regional programmes, recommended the Secretariat adopt a four-year rolling programme of evaluations, aligned with its result framework. The forward evaluation programme developed in 2004/05 is therefore focused on the strategic programme priorities and is designed to provide timely assessments of programme outcomes, results and effectiveness. An integral part of this approach is the development of better guidelines and technical support to operational staff undertaking project evaluations and reviews.

The review of the Secretariat’s support to the Small States Office in New York was undertaken at the request of a number of donor governments. It resulted in an overhaul of the management and staffing structure, and of financial, operational and reporting arrangements.

Evaluations of the effectiveness of the Strategic Gap-Filling (SGF) programme and the Commonwealth Media Development Fund were also carried out. The findings of the CMDF study focused on achieving operational and managerial efficiencies. It recommended greater effectiveness through a clearer strategic focus and more carefully targeted training activities. Though still ongoing, the evaluation of the SGF programme has identified the need for greater delineation within the various strands of the Secretariat’s work in support of capacity-building and institutional strengthening. This study is expected to provoke discussion within the Secretariat and with member governments on the design of future support for strategic gap-filling using technical assistance and training options.