The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the world's environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the environment.
Role Overview
This position is for an International Consultant tasked with conducting the Mid Term Review (MTR) of the GEF-7 Sustainable Cities Project in Brazil. The consultant will be responsible for leading and authoring the review in accordance with GEF and UNEP policies, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the project's performance and impact to date.
Specific Tasks and Responsibilities
The consultant will undertake the following key duties:
- Coordinate, author, and lead the mid-term review for the aforementioned project in accordance with GEF and UNEP policies.
- Take overall responsibility for undertaking the review and preparing the final report in English.
- Undertake interviews with all key stakeholders, including in-person interviews in Brasilia and site visits in Florianópolis.
- Evaluate all elements of the project in accordance with UNEP Evaluation Office guidelines.
- Ensure all deliverables adhere to UNEP Evaluation Office templates, where applicable.
- Develop mid-term review findings and recommendations based on sound evidence and analysis, and clearly document these in the final reports.
- Ensure information is triangulated (i.e., verified from different sources) as far as possible, and where verification is not possible, the single source will be mentioned (while anonymity is protected).
- Clearly spell out analysis leading to evaluative judgments.
The review findings shall be based on:
- A Desk Review of:
- Relevant background documentation, including the project document and appendices (workplans, budget, supervision plans, and revisions).
- Theory of change, problem tree, and logical framework.
- Project reports: half year progress reports, project implementation reports (PIRs), expenditure reports, financial statements, audits, inventory reports, progress reports from collaborating partners, meeting minutes, relevant correspondence, and Tracking Tool.
- Evaluations/Reviews of similar projects.
- Interviews (individual or group) with:
- UNEP Task Manager (TM) and team members.
- Project Manager (PM) and team members.
- UNEP Administrative Officer (AO).
- Project steering committee.
- Identified stakeholders, including governmental agencies and officials, representatives from technology and educational institutions, distribution utilities, banks, associations, and NGOs.
- Other data collection tools: If needed, to be agreed upon between the Task Manager, the Project Manager, and the terminal review consultant during the inception phase.
Performance Indicators
Performance will be measured by:
- Delivery of the three reports in accordance with the deadlines.
- Reports following templates as shared by UNEP.
- Reports being considered high-quality (as determined by UNEP based on comparison with reports of other terminal evaluations and reviews).
Qualifications and Special Skills
Academic:
- An advanced university degree in economics, environmental sciences, management, or a related discipline is required.
- A first level degree with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of technical experience on cities, including a strong background in urban planning, architecture, sustainability, and green infrastructure is required.
- Experience in the evaluation and monitoring of development projects in Latin America, including assessments of project documents such as concept notes, progress reports, work plans, and financial documents (budgets and expenditure reports), is required.
- Experience working on projects funded by the GEF, multilateral development banks, other bilateral funding entities, or projects implemented by UNEP is desirable.
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