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QUICK IMPACT PROJECTS EVALUATION CONSULTANTS 

CONSULTANCY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
N° : ONUCI/IC/2016/06

CONTRACT DURATION: SIX WEEK

FUNCTIONAL TITLE : QUICK IMPACT PROJECTS EVALUATION CONSULTANTS (2 posts)

DUTY STATION : ABIDJAN

CONTRACT TYPE : CONSULTANT

OPEN: 12 April 2016

OPEN TO CANDIDATES OF IVORIAN NATIONALITY ONLY

DEADLINE: 18 April 2016

I.          MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Background and program description

ONUCI Civil Affairs Section is responsible for the overall management of the Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) programme. Over 600 QIPs have been implemented in Côte-d'Ivoire since 2004. Some of these projects were jointly conducted with the Mission's Force and UNPOL components, as well as UNCT members, and international and national NGOs. Quick Impact Projects -are small-scale, rapidly-implementable projects, of benefit to the population. These projects are used by UN peacekeeping operations to establish and build confidence in the mission, its mandate, and the peace process, thereby improving the environment for effective mandate implementation. UNOCI managed 94 projects with a value of USD 1,987,693.07 (99.38% of a USD 2million budget Une). The QIP Management Team (QMT) and Project Review Committee (PRC) seek to identify and support projects of various sizes (timeframe and cost) selected for maximum potential impact. Every effort should be made to ensure that the entire project management cycle (including, inter alla, project identification, review and approval, financial disbursement, and evaluation following completion) is completed quickly but without prejudice to good practice in project management. UNOCI has established a Project Review Committee that meets on a monthly basis to approve and review projects. ONUCI Civil Affairs Section is hiring two (2) experts for an internal evaluation of the implementation of Quick Impact Projects for the fiscal year 2014-2015.

Result of Service

The main outcome of this consultancy will be the production of a final evaluation report in English. Interested candidates are invited to formally confirm their ability to deliver the final report in clear, smoothly-flowing English. The results will contribute to better informed decision-making, foster an environment of learning by doing and promote greater accountability for performance. The report of this evaluation is aimed at contributing to better mission and programme planning and results-based budgeting by enhancing the linkages between outputs (the QIPs) and outcomes (the intended changes resulting from the QIP in terms of social cohesion and confidence building). The result will also provide UNOCI senior management and staff with an opportunity to review processes and implementation, ta identify lessons, to improve management and mitigate risk. This evaluation is being undertaken to provide credible and useful evaluative information on the added value of QIP in the implementation of the mandate of UNOCI and the performance of the Special Representative's good offices mandate, especially with regard to social cohesion and confidence-building.

Objectives of the evaluation team

Under the guidance of the evaluation manager, the Project Evaluation Team will conduct the evaluation, and produce the deliverables in accordance with contractual arrangements. Taking into account local and national circumstances, the main objectives of the evaluation are:

• to assess how QIPs are currently managed, how they perform and how they could be improved; to assess the overall contribution of QIPs to the Implementation of the mandate of UNOCI;
• to assess the extent to which QIPs objectives and results are relevant to peace, security, confidence-building and social cohesion;
• to assess the extent to which the QIP Management Team and the Project Review Committee comply with the relevant United Nations rules and regulations;
• To learn about pitfalls associated to QIPs and make recommendations to overcome difficulties and risks.
• Assess progress made towards the achievement of results at the outcome and output levels Determine if the results contribute to the ONUCI's overall goals of peace, security, confidence-building and social cohesion
• Assess the reasonability of the relationship between project costs and results
• Assess performance in terms of the relevance of results, shared responsibility and accountability, appropriateness of design, resource allocation, and informed and timely action.
• ldentify lessons learned and provide recommendations for guiding DPKO/UNOCI's policies and initiatives, including those promoting gender equality. 

The evaluation team will consist of two highly qualified and committed project evaluation experts, an experience team leader (consultant #1), and an evaluation specialist (consultant #2), who will develop a high-quality and useful report that will provide actionable recommendations. The team members will have evaluation experience in gender and/or development and/or humanitarian/emergency fields and prior experience in working with multilateral agencies. Team composition will reflect a very clear understanding of the United Nations system and human development principles in general and gender equality and women's empowerment. The Team Leader and the Evaluation Specialist will preferably be of different gender.

Duties of the Evaluation Team

The evaluation team, under the supervision of the team leader, who is one of the consultants, will be responsible for delivering the key outputs outlined above. The Team Leader will prepare the final report and the dissemination strategy and ensure quality and efficient conduct of work by the members of evaluation team. In close collaboration with the requesting evaluation manager, the Team Leader will lead the conceptualization and design of the evaluation, the coordination and conduct of the country visits and the shaping of the findings conclusions and recommendations of the final report. More specifically the tasks of the Team Leader include:

    Organizing and conducting the evaluation mission;

• Overseeing and ensuring quality in the preparation of the case studies and taking a lead in the analysis of evaluation evidence;
• Drafting the evaluation report and leading the preparation of specific inputs from the Evaluation Specialist, based on material relevant to QIPs, desk research, focus groups, surveys, etc.
• Preparing for meetings with the people identified as relevant for the evaluation;
• Reviewing findings, conclusions and recommendations;
• Leading the stakeholder feedback sessions;
• Briefing the requèsting evaluation manager on the content of the draft evaluation report;
• Finalizing the report based on feedback from the requesting evaluation manager;

Preparing evaluation briefs, PPT presentation;

• Working with the report editor;
• Responding to final edits on the evaluation report.

Expected Duration and Timeframe

The overall evaluation process will run through a period of six weeks from inception (briefing with the requesting evaluation manager) to submission of the final evaluation report.

Week 1

Inception, work plan and desk review (including interviews with QIP managers at UNOCI HQ)

Weeks 2, 3 and 4

Data Collection (including field visits)

Week 5

Draft final evaluation report, including a concise draft executive summary and feedback on PowerPoint presentation for senior management during a closing conference in Abidjan.

Week 6

Final edits following feedback from senior management and final report

Deliverables

The Evaluation Team will prepare successively:

• An evaluation work plan;
• A draft executive report;
• A PowerPoint presentation for senior management for purpose of feedback on the draft executive report; and
• A final evaluation report in accordance with standards identified in the DPKO/DFS in the Mission Evaluation Policy document

II.       COMPETENCIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

For the post of team leader,

At least 7 years practical experience in conducting evaluation of international policies and programs (3 years of experience in conducting evaluation missions if the Team leader is selected from the roster maintained by the Evaluation Unit of DPKO and DFS); Extensive experience acting as team leader for complex evaluations and proven ability to manage a diverse evaluation team; Previous experience in conducting joint evaluations/complex multi-stakeholder evaluations, and/or evaluation of capacity development; experience in UNDAF evaluation an asset; Excellent knowledge of the UN system, UN reform processes and UN programming at the country level, particularly of joint programming policies and processes, in development and conflict/post-conflict; Experience and knowledge on gender equality, women's empowerment and gender mainstreaming; Excellent analytical, facilitation and communications skills and ability to negotiate amongst a wide range of stakeholders; Fluent in English and knowledge of French (required).

For the post of evaluation specialist

At least 3 years of experience in conducting evaluation of international policies and programs (1 year of experience in conducting evaluation missions if the Team leader is selected from the roster maintained by the Evaluation Unit of DPKO and DFS); Knowledge of the UN system, UN reform processes and UN programming at the country level, particularly of joint programming policies and processes, in development, conflict/post-conflict; Strong analytical and communications skills; Huent in English and knowledge of French (required).

How to apply

Applications, consisting of an updated resume and a cover letter, should be sent electronically to boam@un.org   with Copy to mercyj@un.org  or submitted physical to ONUCI Headquarters. Applications from female candidates are strongly encouraged.

No fee

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or training). The United Nations does not concern itself with information of applicants' bank accounts.