Independent External Evaluator Team Member

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Description

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The key deliverables that the UNSDCF Independent External Evaluators are expected to produce are:

Inception Report An Inception Report (no more than 25 pages, excluding annexes) shall contain:

• Background on the UNSDCF evaluation context.
• The purpose, scope and users of the evaluation.
• Evaluation criteria, questions and methodology.
• The Theory of Change.
• Evaluation work plan and management arrangements.
• Main deliverables.
• Risks and limitations.

Preliminary findings The initial evaluation findings report, and a PowerPoint presentation shall be produced by the Evaluation Team to facilitate the validation workshop at the end of the data collection phase. The report should not exceed 15 pages (excluding annexes) and should include findings from the desk review and data collection, with an initial attempt to triangulate findings. The report should include a matrix of data quality for each evaluation question and point to gaps and challenges in the data collection phase. The report will include annexes including notes and summaries made during the desk review and transcripts of the qualitative data.

Draft Evaluation Report The Independent External Evaluation Team shall submit a final report with an executive summary, main report, annexes and a clear set of actionable recommendations. The report should be written in a clear and concise manner that allows readers to easily follow its logic. The report shall detail the evaluation findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The report should not exceed 60 pages (excluding annexes). The PowerPoint presentations shall be prepared and used by the Independent External Evaluation Team in their presentation of the preliminary findings to the Evaluation Steering Committee, Resident Coordinator and UNCT. For the UNSDCF evaluation, a Summary Performance Rating will be submitted by the Independent External Evaluation Team with the final UNSDCF evaluation report to facilitate regional and global performance synthesis.

Final Evaluation Report The Final Evaluation Report should incorporate feedback received from the evaluation manager, evaluation steering committee, UNCT and RC. The Independent External Evaluation Team will be expected to document all responses to feedback through a matrix in a transparent manner, where the Evaluation Manager will review and track responses to each feedback received. After improving the draft evaluation report based on the feedback, the Independent External Evaluation Team will submit a final report with an executive summary, main report, annexes and a clear set of actionable recommendations. Acknowledgment of any limitations faced during the evaluation process and identifying lessons learned for future evaluations and programming shall be included in the report. In addition to the full report, a standalone PowerPoint of the final evaluation report shall be submitted to the evaluation manager as part of the evaluation deliverables. The final evaluation report will be made publicly available.

Evaluation Brief In addition, the Independent External Evaluation Team shall submit a final evaluation brief that can be shared with a range of audiences, including the Government of China, UN partners, and other key stakeholders. The Evaluation Brief is a synthesis report describing the evaluation including an introduction, objectives and scope, methodology, findings, and recommendations. The Evaluation Brief can resemble an e-book or infographic and is intended for a broader and non-technical audience. The Brief will need to be produced using disability accessible and inclusive formats.

Duties and Responsibilities

The UN Resident Coordinator leads the UN Country Team in China, including all the UN entities present in China. The purpose of the Resident Coordinators System (RCS) is to bring together different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level, helping the UN to be a more relevant and reliable partner for governments, notably by establishing and strengthening these partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN Resident Coordinators Office (RCO) supports the roles and functions of the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team. The RCO provides inter-agency coordination support to the UN Country Team (UNCT) and its various inter-agency working mechanisms, including theme groups. Key functions of the RCO include:

• strategic analysis, planning and positioning of the Country Team
• preparation and monitoring of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF)
• support to joint UN programming and operations management
• policy guidance
• joint advocacy and communications to enhance UN coherence
• improve overall programme impact of the UN System in China The UNRCO in China is looking for the evaluation team with necessary expertise and skills to conduct the external evaluation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

UNSDCF articulates the collective vision of the UNCT in China and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the period 2021-2025. The primary objective of this evaluation is to assess the performance and outcomes of the UNSDCF in China and provide recommendations for future programming and collaboration between the Government of China and the United Nations system. The UNSDCF 2021-2025 external evaluation extends beyond a mere assessment of programmatic outcomes. It is expected to also take into account how the global challenges that arose during the implementation period (COVID-19 pandemic, slower global growth rates, etc) impacted UNSDCF implementation. The evaluation’s findings are expected to offer nuanced insights into the efficacy of the strategies employed, the transformative impacts on the most vulnerable segments of society and the alignment of the UNSDCF with the national priorities of China. The UNRCO is looking for the national consultant (the evaluation team member). The Evaluation Team Member(s) is an important part of the evaluation process. The specific responsibilities of the Team Member(s) will vary based on the specific needs of the evaluation and the Evaluation Team Leader. The general responsibilities of the Evaluation Team Member include:

• Support and contribute to the development of the evaluation framework and methodology.
• Collect and analyze data: conduct interviews and focus groups; review documents and reports; gather and analyze quantitative data.
• Write and edit reports: Interpret and present findings; Write and edit technical reports.
• Present findings to stakeholders.
• Support the team leader in the overall coordination and management of the evaluation process.
• Provide other technical and coordination support to the Team Leader as requested.

Qualifications/special skills

The detailed requirements for the Team Member(s) are: Academic

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, including evaluation, development studies, public policy, etc.
• A Master’s degree in one of these fields is preferred Professional
• At least 5 years of experience in evaluation, preferably in the development sector, with experience working on evaluations of complex programmes and themes.
• Experience in conducting research and in data collection.
• Demonstrated strong analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Previous experience working on UN evaluations is a plus. Technical
• Knowledge of the UNSDCF, the development sector, and UN Reform
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to use statistical software packages such as R, Stats, SPSS, etc.
• Ability to present findings to stakeholders in a clear and concise manner.
• Fluency in English and Chinese.

Languages

• The team member must be fluency in English and Chinese.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/232268?language=en

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