National Evaluation Consultant

 

This position is located under the Climate Technologies Innovation Unit (TCS/DSE/CTI), which is responsible for supporting Member States with access to and uptake of low-carbon, climate-friendly and clean energy technologies and innovations promoting those among firms and entrepreneurs. In addition, the Unit is responsible, in close collaboration with other relevant entities in the Organization, for facilitating the transfer of and establishing markets for low-carbon technologies, ensuring wide use by industry and local communities, thereby contributing to climate mitigation and resilience in recipient countries. The Unit positions UNIDO strategically in the global cleantech innovation support and coordinates partnerships with the technology mechanism of the UNFCCC.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The UNIDO/GEF project, “Accelerating cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship in SMEs to support the transition towards circular economy and create green jobs” in South Africa, seeks to support low-carbon economic growth by promoting clean technology innovations and entrepreneurship through a Cleantech innovation platform and accelerator programme. The project is designed in line with the framework of the Global Cleantech Innovation Program (GCIP) for SMEs and as a Child Project linked to it.

The project focuses on responding to the increasing global demand for environmental sustainability, climate action, and to unleash the potential of cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship to help transform South Africa’s priority sectors and systems. By using a cross-sectoral and multi tired approach the project combines a competition to identify the most promising innovation entrepreneurs (start-ups and SMEs) across the country and through a local business acceleration programme to further enhance productivity and competitiveness of selected entrepreneurs/businesses by connecting them to potential investors, customers and partners, whilst simultaneously developing the cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in the country.

GCIP South Africa has three components, in line with the GCIP Framework, which have been designed based on the current needs of developing countries and GCIP partner countries including South Africa, as well as recommendations from the GEF’s independent evaluation of GCIP conducted in 2018, and with feedback from the previous nine GCIP country projects implemented between 2013 and 2019.  As part of the GCIP Framework, GCIP South Africa receives support from the GCIP global coordination child project (GEF ID: 10461) and the global project executing entities (global PEEs), including the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN), the Cleantech Group (CTG), and UNIDO.

 

Component 1:

Transforming early-stage innovative cleantech solutions into commercial enterprises.

This component enhances the capacity and competitiveness of cleantech SMEs to leverage market opportunities embedded in climate change mitigation. Key activities include:

• Providing acceleration support and training related to entrepreneurship and business skills to very early-stage innovative cleantech solutions.
• Providing targeted technical assistance to the SMEs that were accelerated and have traction and sales evidence, but which still need specialized enterprise growth support. Furthermore, SMEs in the expansion stage receive tipping-point investment facilitation services to raise investment.

 

Component 2:

Cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems strengthening and connectivity

This component is central to the GCIP program, focusing on creating conducive cleantech innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems within partner countries by strengthening national ecosystems, identifying synergies across them, and fostering knowledge exchange and partnerships. Key activities at the national level include:

• Supportive Policies & Regulations: Creating an environment conducive to cleantech through targeted policies and regulations.
• Capacity Building: Empowering national institutions, industry players, and business platforms to effectively support cleantech entrepreneurs.
• Ecosystem Strengthening: Identifying and addressing critical gaps within national ecosystems to foster a thriving cleantech landscape.

 

Component 3:

Programme coordination and coherence

This component focuses on ensuring consistent program execution and high standards across GCIP countries. This is achieved through:

• Programmatic guidelines: Developing and sharing program-level guidelines for national projects to follow, ensuring coherence and best practices. The national child projects adapt the guidelines, setting up cohesive practices and sustainability plans.
• Knowledge management: Creating a global strategy for sharing knowledge, communication, and advocacy, implemented in each country.
• Web platform: Establishing a central platform to coordinate and consolidate GCIP operations across all projects.
• Impact measurement: Defining a standardized methodology for assessing environmental impact (including greenhouse gas emissions) in all projects.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Implementing a consistent framework for program monitoring and evaluation in each project.

 

PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES, USERS AND SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION

Purpose

The purpose of this mid-term review (MTR) is to provide UNIDO, as the implementing agency, and the designated national Project Executing Entity (national PEE), with feedback on the project’s performance, to date, and to identify at this mid-way point risks to project sustainability, effectiveness, efficiency and progress towards results, including youth and gender mainstreaming.

Objectives

The MTR’s objectives are:

• Assess the project’s performance and progress towards the achievement of the expected results as outlined in the project results framework.
• Assess remaining barriers concerning project design, project management and performance of executing partners in order to identify the necessary changes to set the project on-track to achieve its expected results in a timely manner.
• Identify lessons learned and develop recommendations, together with a follow-up plan for necessary corrective actions.
• Assess the national PEE’s performance and review risks included in UNIDO’s Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers HACT micro assessment and measures taken to mitigate them.
• Assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to embed the Project Management Unit (PMU) within the institutional structure of the national PEE.

 

This review will mainly focus on the achievement of the expected results indicated in the project logical framework and on the aspects of relevance, effectiveness in delivery, efficiency, impact, sustainability, project management as well as programmatic coherence and cross-cutting issues, such as youth and gender mainstreaming.

This MTR needs to support UNIDO on the following aspects:

• What are the MTR’s main findings? 
• Provide information on progress, challenge, and outcomes regarding engagement of stakeholders in the project/program based on the description included in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan or equivalent documentation submitted at CEO Endorsement/Approval. 
• Provide information on progress on gender-responsive measures and any intermediate gender result areas as documented at CEO Endorsement/Approval, including gender-sensitive indicators contained in the project results framework or gender action plan or equivalent. 
• Provide information related to progress on the implementation of the project’s Knowledge Management Approach approved at CEO Endorsement/Approval. 
• Update of Co-financing table since CEO Approval/Endorsement.
• Update of the project’s Core-Indicators.

More guidance on the evaluation approach and methodology can be found in Section IV of the TORs of the Cluster evaluation and in the related Annex 1 with regards to detailed questions to assess evaluation criteria.

 

MTR Users

The direct users of the MTR results (conclusions, lessons learnt, and practical recommendations) are the UNIDO project manager and the project team, the executing entity for the project and the GEF Secretariat. 

In addition, lessons learnt must be shared within UNIDO to further develop the project approach and to feed into project design and formulation of similar /projects, to enhance learning within the Organization. 

Scope of the MTR

As per the GEF Evaluation Policy and GEF Policy on Monitoring, implementing agencies must conduct an external evaluation at project mid-term.

Under the current GCIP framework, eight MTRs (GCIP Kazakhstan, GCIP Nigeria, GCIP Moldova, GCIP South Africa, GCIP Cambodia, GCIP Türkiye, GCIP Morocco and GCIP Global) are being conducted. Since all GCIP Country projects follow a similar design, a simultaneous evaluation process will enable identification of similarities and differences in the execution as well as comparison of findings.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSABILITIES

As evaluation team member for South Africa, the National Evaluation Consultant will evaluate the GCIP South Africa country project (GEF ID 10456) according to this terms of reference (TOR), in the context of the larger cluster evaluation being carried out in parallel by the International Evaluation Consultant/Team Leader). The National Evaluation Consultant has the following main tasks:

Main Duties

1. Coordination Meeting Desk review and Analysis

• Review project documentation (incl. familiarization with GEF programmes and strategies, relevant GEF policies such as those on project cycle, M&E, co-financing, fiduciary standards, gender and environmental and social safeguards) and relevant country background information.
• Analyse project documentation to identify relevant evidence regarding required areas for evaluation (where project performance ratings are required); refer to MTR ratings table and Evaluation Matrix provided by the Team Leader.
• Analyze and assess the adequacy of legislative and regulatory framework, specifically in the context of the project’s objectives and targets.
• Determine key data to collect in the country and adjust key data collection instruments in local language (interview protocol) as required.
• If needed, recommend adjustments to the tools to ensure their understanding in the local context.

Deliverables/Outputs to be achieved

• Attend coordination call with Team Leader.
• Adjustment of evaluation questions/interview protocol provided by the Team Leader to ensure relevance for the national context.
• A list of key evidence from project documentation for assessment of project performance on areas that require rating (see MTR ratings table).
• A brief assessment of the adequacy of the country’s legislative and regulatory framework in the context of the project (to contribute to MTR report section on Country Background).
• Assessment of the progress, challenges, and outcomes regarding engagement of stakeholders in the project based on the description included in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.

Expected duration: 6 working days (home based)

Location: South Africa

 

1. Interviews

• Identify relevant project stakeholders (in consultation with the PMU/national PEE) for consultation.
• Conduct interviews with project stakeholders (up to 20) using the interview protocol and Evaluation Matrix provided by the Team Leader.

Deliverables/Outputs to be achieved

• List of core project stakeholders to be interviewed.
• Detailed evaluation schedule that meets the timeline agreed with Team Leader for provision of inputs to the MTR report.
• Detailed notes of the interviews in English, clearly structured according to the required evaluation criteria, with own observations and assessment – as input to the Team Leader for development of the MTR’s findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Expected duration: 11 working days (home based)

Location: South Africa

 

1. Inputs to MTR Report

• Prepare inputs/analysis/sections to the MTR report according to the MTR ratings table sections.
• Provide input and clarifications regarding comments from UNIDO and stakeholders on the draft MTR report to the Team Leader, who will use these inputs in revising the relevant sections.

Deliverables/Outputs to be achieved

Inputs to the following sections of the MTR report

• Brief country background
• Sector-Specific Issues
• Project Summary
• Relevance
• Effectiveness and progress towards results
• Efficiency
• Project Implementation Management (project management; results-based work planning, M&E systems, reporting)
• Financial management and co-finance
• Stakeholder engagement and communication
• Scale-up, Sustainability and Resilience
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Environmental and Social Safeguards
• Performance of Partners (UNIDO, national PEE, global PEEs)
• Remaining barriers to achieving the project’s expected results
• Lessons learnt and emerging good practices
• Recommendations
• Appendices.

Expected duration: 7 working days (home based)

Location: South Africa

 

1. Final MTR Report

• Contribute to the finalization of the MTR report based on comments and suggestions received through the Team Leader and UNIDO.
• Contribute to the presentation of the MTR’s findings, conclusions lessons, and recommendations.
• Prepare a 2-page summary of the main takeaways from the evaluation.

Deliverables/Outputs to be achieved

• Input submitted to the Team Leader for Final MTR Report.
• Input to presentation of the MTR’s findings, conclusions, lessons, and recommendations to national stakeholders at the end of the evaluation.
• 2-page summary of main takeaways from the evaluation.

Expected duration: 7 working days (home based)

Location: South Africa

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in engineering, social sciences, development studies, economics, business administration and international relations or other relevant discipline with specialization in area relevant to the Unit is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• At least five (5) years professional experience in the field of program planning, management, monitoring and evaluation (of development projects) is required.
• Ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, and to uphold high-quality standards for evaluation is desirable.
• Excellent analysis and report writing, communication, and interviewing skills in English is desirable.
• Experience in the evaluation of GEF projects and knowledge of UNIDO activities is desirable.
• Effective prioritization and organizational skills with an ability to work according to the agreed schedule and deadlines is desirable.

 

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

 

Impartiality: Ability to ensure the integrity of the review process, including the ability to build trust and ensure confidentiality, is desirable.

 

Absence of conflict of interest:  According to UNIDO rules, the consultant must not have been involved in the design and/or implementation, supervision and coordination of and/or have benefited from the project (or theme) under evaluation. The consultant will be requested to sign a declaration that none of the above situations exists and that the consultant will not seek assignments with the manager/s in charge of the project before the completion of her/his contract with UNIDO.

 

REQUIRED VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

 

Core values:

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

 

Key competencies:

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential – and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.