Background

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducts “Independent Country Programme Evaluations (ICPEs)” that were until 2016 called “Assessments of Development Results” (ADRs). To further strengthen the use of evaluation findings and learning, IEO will carry out a Synthesis of all ADRs conducted between 2002 and 2016 to identify and capture evaluative knowledge and lessons learned from these 105 evaluations.

The objective of the ADR synthesis is primarily to promote learning, collective reflection and to improve UNDP’s effectiveness. The ADR synthesis aims to enhance the general understanding about UNDP’s contributions to development results highlighting the strategic implications of aggregative findings from a large group of independent country programme evaluations from the past 15 years of UNDP work at country level.   

The ADR synthesis will collect, consolidate and analyze existing evaluative evidence to generate key lessons and insights on key barriers and facilitators in achieving expected results as well as opportunities and challenges for improving UNDPs operations and corporate performance and effectiveness.

The ADR synthesis will follow a methodology that will be primarily desk review-based.   Desk review will include filtering, (nvivo) coding, categorizing, and organizing the information of 105 ADRs, ADR lessons in IEO Annual Reports on Evaluation and previous syntheses conducted.

An outcome/goal/thematic area aggregation based analysis with a qualitative approach will be used to code and synthesize findings and related sources. Where relevant and data allow, quantitative approaches will also be applied.

Since the analysis will cover a large scope of 15 years from 2002 – 2016 and 94 countries, codification of data and analysis will be guided and organized by corporate cycles linked to specific corporate strategic documents (MYFF 2000-2003/MYFF 2004-2007, Strategic Plan 2008-2013, Strategic Plan 2014-2017), key broad thematic areas (Poverty, Governance, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction), income groups (lower income, middle income), other status variables (SIDS, conflict situations…) and UNDP regions (Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the CIS, Africa and Arab States). 

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities:

  • Review and improve the draft methodology developed by IEO and develop the necessary instruments for desk review and analysis; (Expected input: 3 days);
  • Undertake desk review and code in Nvivo 105 ADRs, ADR lessons in IEO Annual Reports on Evaluation since 2002 and previous syntheses conducted. (Expected input: 25 day); and
  • Filter, categorize, organize and analyse the coded information and prepare a synthesis report covering a set of questions and criteria following the ADR scope.  (Expected input: 12 day).

Deliverables

  • Final methodology note, tools and instruments for desk review, analysis and synthesis;
  • Coded documents in nvivo; and
  • Analysis and synthesis report covering a set of questions and criteria following the ADR scope.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Demonstrated grasp and understanding of evaluation and development issues, in general, and preferably in the UN system;
  • Strong analytical skills, including ability to rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information with a discerning sense for quality of data;
  • Good mastery of information technology required for organized presentation of information;
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality;
  • Proven organizational skills and ability to handle a large volume of work; and
  • Strong written communication skills.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Acts as a team player and exercises diplomacy, tact and politeness;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

  • A social or behavioral science education at master’s level or above.

Experience

  • Over 10 years of research or evaluation experience;
  • Over 2 years of experience coding data in nvivo or over 5 years using other coding software;
  • Experience with program evaluation and/or mastery of techniques and methods of data desk review and quantitative and qualitative analysis; and
  • Experience in conducting evaluations of UNDP country programmes will be an asset.

Language

  • Fluency in English is essential; and
  • Fluency in or the ability to easily read French and Spanish a significant advantage.

Application Instructions

Application Instructions

The following documents should be uploaded as one document onto the UNDP Jobs site:

  • Personal CV or P11, including comprehensive past work / assignment details and working languages, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of at least three (3) professional references;
  • A brief cover letter outlining a general, proposed approach to meeting the requirements specified in the TOR; and
  • A completed Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal Form that indicates your daily rate for this consultancy.

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system allows a maximum upload of one document.