Background

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) is dedicated to the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The mandate and functions of UN-Women call for the promotion of organizational and UN system accountability and learning on gender equality, among others, through evaluations.

One of the requirements of the UN Women evaluation policy is that evaluations should be conducted in a systematic manner, applying sound approaches and methods to ensure the quality and credibility of findings, recommendations and lessons generated to inform programme management and contribute to gender equality results. In response to this, the Independent Evaluation Service (IES), since 2013, has rolled-out the Global Evaluation Reports Assessment and Analysis System (GERAAS) to enhance the quality and credibility of both corporate and decentralized evaluations. The system was inspired by similar good practices enforced by other UN entities and consistent with the UNEG Norms and Standards.

The GERAAS is an approach to rating evaluation reports using UN Women, UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) and UN System Wide Action Plan (UN-SWAP) Evaluation Performance Indicator. The system serves as a key instrument to increase the application of sound approaches and methods to continuously improve the quality and credibility of evaluation methods and reports within UN-Women. As part of this process, the IES through an external independent consultant assesses the quality of corporate and decentralized evaluation reports and makes available assessment findings to senior managers, programme units, and the UN Women Executive Board. Approximately between 30-40 evaluations get commissioned and completed by UN Women offices each year.   

Duties and Responsibilities

The IES is seeking to procure the services on an individual consultant to conduct the meta-evaluation of final evaluation reports as they are available [1].

The consultant will:  

1. Review final evaluation reports as they are available and provide structured written feedback (on average 35-40[2]): The quality assessment uses UNEG evaluation report standards as a basis, while ensuring reflection on specific standards relevant to UN Women. The consultant will provide structured written feedback to the office/s concerned based on a template provided for the purpose. It is expected that one report can be reviewed in one day.
2. The above assessment also includes reviewing and rating final evaluation reports using the UN Women quality assessment grid and the UN SWAP assessment tool. The UN SWAP Evaluation Scorecard is a reporting tool organized around three criteria that capture the overall elements related to integrating gender equality perspectives in the final evaluation report. This requires quantitative scoring of individual evaluation reports based on scorecard and a summary report (maximum 2-page) by the end of January 2020, informing whether UN Women is meeting the requirements and criteria as set out within the UN SWAP Evaluation Performance Indicator.
3. Prepare a meta-evaluation report. The meta-evaluation report is expected to include a global analysis of trends, key weaknesses and strengths of the reports reviewed against the eight parameters/standards, including good practices on evaluation reports; actionable recommendations to improve the GERAAS system as well as the quality of evaluation reports. A maximum of 15-20 pages report is expected by the end of February 2020.

4. Language consideration

The maximum number of evaluation reports to be reviewed is between 30-40. A large majority of the reports are in English.  Other reports are in other languages (French and Spanish).  It is a sole responsibility of the consultant to review and analyze the evaluation reports in different languages.

5. Management of the consultancy

The Chief, of the UN-Women Independent Evaluation Service is responsible for the overall management of the meta-evaluation with the day to day support of an Evaluation Specialist/Analyst of the Independent Evaluation Service. The IES will assure the quality of the draft and final products and the consultant is expected to respond to this quality assurance feedback before submission of the final products.

The consultant will assume sole responsibility in ensuring the consistency, quality and timely delivery of expected products, and overall coordination with UN-Women IES.

The work is home-based and mainly based on desk review of evaluation reports. No travel is required.

[1] Majority of evaluation reports are in English language, but some are also in Spanish and French.

[2] The number of reports varies from one year to another. The cost required will be adjusted accordingly, if needed.  

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills in the area of evaluation, 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;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Proven organizational skills and ability to handle a large volume of work; and
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling UN values and ethical standards, including UNEG norms;
• Acts as a team player and exercises diplomacy, tact and politeness; and

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• A Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field (e.g. social science, evaluation, public administration).

Experience

• At least a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the areas of managing strategic and programme evaluation, meta-evaluation and analysis.
• Excellent and proven knowledge of evaluation methodologies and approaches.
• Proven experience with meta-evaluation and meta-analysis of evaluation reports, preferably with UN agencies and development partners.
• Experience and background in gender equality/gender analysis and gender responsive evaluations.
• Familiarity with UNEG evaluation standards.
• Knowledge and expertise of other or similar quality assurance systems.

Languages

• Fluent analytical and writing skills in English required. Working knowledge of Spanish and French are required (or the consultant is expected to engage such skills, as needed, at their own expense). 

Application instructions

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of at least two (2) professional references;
• A brief cover letter (250-400 words) explaining your interest in this assignment and mentioning details of any potential conflict of interest in having conducted any UN Women managed evaluations in 2019;
• An all-inclusive lump sum fee of [state amount in words and in numbers indicating currency] for all deliverables specified for this consultancy.
• Candidates not sending any of the requested information will be disqualified. Please note that the system can only accept one uploaded document therefore all documents must be combined into a single document for upload.