Current Openings at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities

Coordination and Facilitation:

•  Providing substantive and practical support to the Executive Director in implementing UNEP's mandate.
•  Under the direction of the Special Assistant, assisting in planning, coordinating and organizing the Executive Director's meetings and missions, preparing written summaries and conducting follow-up activities as appropriate; coordinating/drafting correspondence for the Executive Director's signature.
•  Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with UNEP's divisions and offices, the broader UN family, and other national and international partners on coordination and policy matters.
•  Participating in the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects; monitoring and analyzing programme/project development and implementation; reviewing relevant documents and reports; identifying problems and issues to be addressed and proposing corrective actions; liaising with relevant parties; identifying and tracking follow-up actions.

Analysis, Advice and Reporting:

•  Researching, analyzing and presenting information gathered from diverse sources.
•  Identifying, analyzing and monitoring developments and emerging issues in the global environmental field.
•  Preparing drafts and editing briefing notes.
•  Assisting in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies.
•  Undertaking survey initiatives; designing data collection tools; reviewing, analyzing and interpreting responses, identifying problems/issues and preparing conclusions.
•  Preparing various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications.
•  Providing substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences; including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
•  Undertaking outreach activities; conducting training workshops, seminars, making presentations on assigned topics/activities.
•  Participating in or leading field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries.
•  Coordinating activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements,) and preparing related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget).
•  Performing other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, law, environmental science, public administration, business administration, management, economics or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.
• Experience in international and multilateral relations is required.
• Experience in environment and/or sustainable development is desirable.
• Experience within the United Nations common system or an International organization is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage.

Deadline: 11th june 2022

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Responsibilities

Org. Setting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. This consultancy is located at Headquarters in the Evaluation Office which reports directly to the Executive Director. The consultant reports to the Evaluation Officer managing the evaluation and the Director of the Evaluation Office.

The Evaluation

In line with the UNEP Evaluation Policy and the UNEP Programme Manual, the Terminal Evaluation is undertaken at operational completion of the project to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency), and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. The Evaluation has two primary purposes: (i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among UNEP, GEF and the main project partners. Therefore, the Evaluation will identify lessons of operational relevance for future project formulation and implementation, especially where a second phase of the project is being considered. Recommendations relevant to the whole house may also be identified during the evaluation process.

Countries targeted in the Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Portfolio include Serbia, Albania, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Kenya and Cuba. This consultancy will evaluate SLM project in Cuba.

The Project - GEF 8003

The project's objective was intended to achieve 'Strengthened coordination of information and monitoring systems for management of water resources based on an SLM approach. The project was delivered on four components namely: Component 1 - Individuals and institutions have the human and material capacities to undertake SLM emphasizing in water management; Component 2 - Strengthened biophysical and information management system adjusted to user interests for better land use decision making; Component 3 - Comprehensive management model for monitoring integrated water resources management / SLM increases agricultural production in four intervention areas, with replication potential to other areas and Component 4: Project monitoring and evaluation, adaptive management and lessons learned.

The Evaluation Team

For this Evaluation, the Evaluation Team will consist of an Evaluation Consultant who will work under the overall responsibility of the Evaluation Office represented by an Evaluation Manager, in consultation with UNEP/GEF Task Manager, Fund Management Officer and Coordinator of Health and Productive Ecosystems Sub-programme.

Specific Responsibilities

In close consultation with the Evaluation Manager, the Evaluation Consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the evaluation and timely delivery of its outputs, data collection and analysis and report-writing. More specifically the following process will be applied: Inception phase of the evaluation, including:

• conduct a 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 site selection for the evaluation mission;
• plan the evaluation schedule;
• prepare the inception report, incorporating comments received from the Evaluation Office.

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, 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.
• keep the Task Manager/Project Manager informed of the evaluation progress and engage the Task Manager/Project Manager in discussions on evaluation findings throughout the evaluation process; and
• regularly report back to the Evaluation Office on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered.

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; and
• (where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons)

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 Office on any issues requiring its attention and intervention.

The evaluation consultant shall have had no prior involvement in the formulation or implementation of the project and will be independent from the participating institutions. The consultant will sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form.

The evaluation consultant will be selected and recruited by the UNEP Evaluation Office through an individual consultancy contract.

Comprehensive terms of reference will be shared with consultant separately.

Qualifications/special skills

• Academic Qualifications: A university degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required. An advanced degree is desirable.
• Experience: A minimum of 8 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global research programmes and using a Theory of Change approach; and a good/broad understanding of Sustainable Land Management is desired.
• Working knowledge of development oriented organizations is an added advantage.
• Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is a requirement.

Deadline:13 May 2022