International UNSDCF Evaluation Team Leader

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Description

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A detailed evaluation report that will assess the contribution of the UNSDCF 2021-2025 to the national SDG implementation, document key lessons learnt and propose strategic yet actionable recommendations for informing development and implementation of the new UNSDCF. The Final CF report should be presented in English and meets the quality criteria as outlines in the UNSDCF Evaluation Guidelines. The Final Report’s length should not be no more than 60 pages (less the executive summary and annexes) Structure of the Evaluation Report The results of the UNSDCF Evaluation will be presented in the Evaluation Report as per a below standard outline.

• Section 1: Executive Summary (a brief synopsis of the evaluation).
• Section 2. Introduction (purpose, subject and scope of the evaluation, evaluation questions, and report structure)
• Section 3: Country Context (a country status update as context to the evaluation findings highlighting key developmental, humanitarian and peace challenges and opportunities, and status changes at the country level since the last evaluation was conducted).
• Section 4: Methodology (evaluation design and data collection methods, including data sources, data analysis, and steps to ensure gender, human rights and environmental responsiveness)
• Section 5: Findings (a brief, overall assessment of performance, including its relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and orientation towards the impact (whenever possible). Findings are supported by evidence and triangulated. Unintended and unexpected outcomes should be also included)
• Section 6: Conclusions
• Section 7: Recommendations (should clearly be linked to specific conclusions, addressing weaknesses identified in the conclusions)
• Section 8: Limitations and Lessons Learned – Section 9: Summary Performance Rating

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Evaluation Manager/Head of RCO, the Evaluation Team Leader will lead the entire evaluation process, working closely with the Evaluation Technical management team and two national evaluation experts. The Evaluation Team will deliver on the following tasks in line with the objectives of the evaluation and based on the Evaluation TOR:

• Assess the contribution of the CF to national development results through evidence-based judgements using evaluation criteria (accountability).
• Identify factors that have affected the CF’s contribution; answer the question of why the performance is as it is; and explain the enabling factors and bottlenecks (learning).
• Reach conclusions concerning the UN’s contribution across the scope being examined.
• Provide actionable recommendations for improving the CF’s contribution, especially for incorporation into the new CF programming cycle.

These recommendations should be logically linked to the conclusions and findings of the evaluation and should draw upon lessons learned identified through the evaluation. The Team Leader will hold the overall responsibility for the methodological design and implementation of the evaluation. She/he will conduct the evaluation process in a timely manner and communicate with the Evaluation Manager on a regular basis and highlight progress made/challenges encountered. The Evaluation Team Leader will be responsible for producing the inception report and the draft and final evaluation reports. The Team Leader is responsible for developing the evaluation methodology in accordance with the overarching evaluation approach, including an analytical framework; a strategy for data collection and analysis; specially designed tools; an evaluation matrix; and a detailed work plan. Specific duties and responsibilities will include:

• Conducting analysis of the CF’s theory of change in consultations with UN Results Groups to assess if it is sufficiently articulated for the purpose of selecting outcomes to be evaluated;
• Reviewing and finalizing the evaluation questions in consultations with the Evaluation Manager and Evaluation Technical Team (not exceeding 15). The evaluation questions should be supplemented by sets of hypotheses that capture the key aspects of the intervention logic associated with the scope of the questions;
• Conducting a detailed stakeholder mapping and analysis to identify all stakeholders to be engaged through both governance mechanisms and as potential respondents during data collection including from the public, private and non-profit sectors.
• Designing tools and methods for robust data collection, that should include a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods (including document reviews, analysis of quantitative secondary data, individual interviews with key informants and focus groups or other types of discussion to collect data).
• Based on the evaluation questions, drafting the evaluation design matrix (EDM) as part of the Inception Report. Being a centerpiece of the Evaluation, the EDM should contains the core elements of the evaluation: (a) what will be evaluated (evaluation criteria, evaluation questions and related issues to be examined – “assumptions to be assessed”); (b) how to evaluate (sources of information and methods and tools for data collection).
• Lead the preparation of the Inception Report (be a pen-holder) containing a preliminary analysis of the CF ToC or, in its absence, reconstruction of the CF ToC; an elaboration of the evaluation approach and methods, including the evaluation design matrix; and a detailed evaluation plan and timeline, including a tentative list of interviews to be arranged or plans for field visits.
• Undertake data collection mission, including field visits for data collection and analysis, meetings with key informants, validation of information
• Synthesize findings and draft the Evaluation Report based on the data collected in line with the with the UNEG quality standard requirements – Present evaluation findings and recommendations to the UNCT for their validation and finalize the Report based on UNCT and DCO feedback
• Ensure full abidance of the UNSDCF Evaluation Guidelines (July 2022) and UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation (2016). 

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, preferably economics, political science, international development, public or business administration, human rights or similar.
• Minimum 10 years of proven experience is required in conducting evaluations of complex programs and themes
• Experience and background in gender equality/gender analysis and gender responsive evaluations
• Good understanding of the SDGs, other relevant regional or global frameworks and their implications for development cooperation;
• Good understanding of multilateralism and the role of the UN System in development cooperation in the context of the country in question;
• Understanding of UN Reform and its implementation implication at the country level;
• Demonstrated analytical capacity, particularly in the case of the Team Leader, including on political economy and financing for development;
• Sound knowledge of the country context and an in-depth understanding of at least one area of work of the Uzbekistan’s UNSDCF;
• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills;
• Proven experience as an evaluation team leader with ability to lead and work with other evaluation experts.
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Languages

• Demonstrated ability to write and communicate clearly in English as a key working language. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local languages (Uzbek or Russian) is desirable

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/234570?language=en

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