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.
The role of the Principal Evaluator is to manage the terminal evaluation of a specific UNEP Project, ensuring timely provision of outputs in close consultation with the Evaluation Manager. This role is executed under a consultancy contract. The Principal Evaluator must be independent from the participating institutions and have had no prior involvement in the project's formulation or implementation.
Specific Responsibilities for the Principal Evaluator
In close consultation with the Evaluation Manager, the Evaluation Consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the Evaluation and timely provision of its outputs, specifically covering four main phases:
1. Inception Phase of the Evaluation, including:
- Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff.
- Draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project.
- Prepare the evaluation framework.
- Develop the desk review and interview protocols.
- Draft the survey protocols (if relevant).
- Develop and present criteria for country and/or site selection for the evaluation mission.
- Plan the evaluation schedule.
- Prepare the Inception Report, incorporating comments until approved by the Evaluation Manager.
2. Data Collection and Analysis Phase of the Evaluation, including:
- Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners, and project stakeholders.
- (Where appropriate and agreed) conduct an evaluation mission(s) to Georgia, visit the project locations, interview project partners and stakeholders, including a good representation of local communities.
- Ensure independence of the Evaluation and confidentiality of evaluation interviews.
- Regularly report back to the Evaluation Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered.
- Keep the Project/Task Manager informed of the evaluation progress.
3. Reporting Phase, including:
- Draft the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that the evaluation report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Evaluation Manager guidelines both in substance and style.
- Liaise with the Evaluation Manager on comments received and finalize the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Evaluation Manager.
- Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted by the Evaluation Consultant and indicating the reason for the rejection.
- (Where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons).
4. Managing Relations, including:
- Maintain a positive relationship with evaluation stakeholders, ensuring that the evaluation process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence.
- Communicate in a timely manner with the Evaluation Manager on any issues requiring attention and intervention.
The consultant will sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form. The Principal Evaluator will be selected and recruited by the UNEP Evaluation Office through a consultancy contract. Comprehensive terms of reference will be shared with the consultant separately.
Qualifications and Special Skills
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.
- A first level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in the same areas in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
Experience:
- A minimum of ten (10) years of experience of technical / evaluation experience preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach is required.
Knowledge:
- A good/broad understanding of environmental governance (especially in relation to biodiversity or chemicals or pollution or ocean governance) is desirable.
- Knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is desirable.
