UNDP Jobs - 61570- International Consultant

International Consultant – Preparation of the Project Terminal

Location :

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Dec-2015

Application Deadline :

27-Nov-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

In accordance with UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures, all full and medium-sized UNDP support GEF financed projects are required to undergo a terminal evaluation upon completion of implementation. These terms of reference (TOR) sets out the expectations for a Terminal Evaluation (TE) Mainstreaming Agrobiodiversity into Agricultural Production Systems Ethiopia Project (PIMS #2913).

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall goal of the project is “Improved in situ conservation of agrobiodiversity resources (including crop wild relatives) secures biodiversity values, ensures food security and sustains human wellbeing”. The Objective of the project is “To provide farming communities with incentives (policies, capacity, markets and knowledge) to mainstream conservation of agrobiodiversity resources, including CWR, into their farming systems, which will be achieved through three main outcomes.

These are:

1.Enabling policy and institutional framework supporting in situ conservation of agrobiodiversity and crop wild relatives;
2.Markets provide incentive for farmer uptake of agrobiodiversity friendly practices, particularly for wild Arabica coffee, enset, teff and durum wheat; and
3. Crop Wild Relatives and farmer varieties of wild Arabica coffee, durum wheat, enset and tef are conserved in in situ gene banks and on-farm conservation sites.

The evaluation will cover all activities supported by UNDP/GEF and, where appropriate, activities supported by the host institution, Ministry of Agriculture and IBC. It will also cover activities that other collaborating partners are supporting as part of the co-finance to the project.

The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects. The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming.

Evaluation Approval and Method

An overall approach and metho for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects has developed over time. The evaluator is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects. A set of questions covering each of these criteria have been drafted and are included with this TOR (fill in Annex C) The evaluator is expected to amend, complete and submit this matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.

The evaluation must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluator is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with government counterparts, in particular the GEF operational focal point, UNDP Country Office, project team, UNDP GEF Technical Adviser based in the region and key stakeholders. The evaluator is expected to conduct a field mission to the project sites at Illubabor Zone of Oromia National Regional State, southwest Ethiopia (Yayu coffee forest); Minjar Shenkora in North Shewa Zone of the Amhara Regional State (tef enset); Gimbichu Woreda (Durum wheat); and, Kembata and Timbaro (enset).

The evaluator will review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports – including Annual APR/PIR, project budget revisions, midterm review, progress reports, GEF focal area tracking tools, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment. A list of documents that the project team will provide to the evaluator for review is included in Annex B of this Terms of Reference.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Ethics and Values:

Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation:

Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Team Work:

Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing:

Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Functional competencies:

Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver a variety of tasks on time;
Exercise sound judgment/analysis;
Ability to develop creative solutions;
Ability to provide constructive coaching and feedback for others;
Ability to liaise with a myriad of stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations and grassroots organizations;
Ability to work in culturally diverse environments and display diplomacy and tact;
Demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, tact, and courtesy in relation to implementing partners, and national and international personnel of varied nationalities and backgrounds.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University Masters degree or PhD in the area of Monitoring and Evaluation, Climate change or related areas of study.

Experience:

Senior person with a minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in evaluation services in an international or national organization that has allowed her/him exposure to a range of successful regional industrial development programmes;
Proven experience working with or in Monitoring and Evlauiotn clusters in particular is an asset;
Understanding of formulation of national plans, sector strategies and regional models would be an advantage;
Knowledge of UNDP and GEF;
Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
Technical knowledge in the biodiversity focal area;
Experience of working in Africa is desirable (for the International Consultant);
The international consultant will lead the overall Terminal Evaluation Report;
She/He will lead the total evaluation exercise and production of the final terminal Evaluation which will be submitted to UNDP and the GEF;
The Local consultant will work together with the International Consultant, arrange meetings both in Addis Ababa and at the site level.
Provided translation and other similar services for the successful report production.

The consultants shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects:

Experience with GEF financed projects is an advantage;
The international consultant is the team leader and will be responsible for finalizing the report;
The evaluator selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.

Language:

Fluency in English (written and oral).

Applicants should be guided by the full ToR which will be find theough the link:

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=26606