[relac] Vacancy Announcement (Re-advertisement) United Nations Population Fund

VACANCY NO.:                                        Job ID 1646

CLOSING DATE:                                        7 September 2010 (5.00 p.m. New York time)

POST TITLE:                                               Evaluation Specialist

CATEGORY:                                               ICS-11 *

POST NUMBER:                                         New

POST TYPE:                                                Rotational

DUTY STATION:                                        New York                                       

DURATION:                                                One year initially

ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:                        Evaluation Branch, Division for Oversight Services

 

 

The position of Evaluation Specialist is located in the UNFPA Headquarters in New York and reports to the Chief Evaluation Branch, New York. The incumbent will assist the Chief Evaluation Branch in complying with the UNFPA's Evaluation Policy, Oversight Policy and the DOS Charter. 

 

 

Reporting to the Chief of Evaluation Branch of the Division, the Evaluation Specialist is responsible for:

 

1.    Performing oversight engagements, including development and review of evaluation methodologies and tools for oversight engagements by DOS, monitoring of evaluation activities and their quality in UNFPA, and preparing relevant reports planned

2.     Planning and conduct of independent thematic evaluations;

3.     Advisory services and support to UNFPA-wide strategic processes related to impact measurements and to other evaluation activities carried out by management;

4.     Providing support in preparing the Biennial Evaluation Report to the Executive Board;

5.     Organizational capacity development.

 

 

 

1.    Oversight activities including development and review of evaluation methodologies and tools for oversight engagements by DOS as well as monitoring of evaluation activities and their quality in UNFPA :

§ Ensure the quality and usefulness of evaluation methodologies and tools to assess relevance, corporate strategy compliance and monitoring and evaluation capacity;

§ Ensure that evaluation methodologies and tools are systematically used in DOS oversight engagements;

§ Take part in the oversight engagements to assess the relevance, corporate strategy compliance, and monitoring and evaluation capacity in UNFPA organizational units;

§ Supervise periodic evaluation quality assessments and report to management; and

§ Report to management on any other strategic evaluation issues as a result of DOS oversight work.

 

 2.   Planning and conduct of independent thematic evaluations:

§ Conduct of independent thematic evaluations;

§ Ensure technical integrity and participatory approach of the evaluation exercises in DOS;

§ Organize meetings, workshops and other discussion fora to establish a dialogue on evaluation results (recommendations/lessons learned);

§ Ensure development of management responses to the evaluation recommendations by relevant offices;

§ Communicate the findings and recommendations of the independent evaluations widely within and outside UNFPA;

§ Report findings and use of findings and lessons learned from independent evaluations to the Executive Board.

 

3.    Advisory services and support to UNFPA-wide strategic processes related to impact measurements and to other evaluation activities carried out by management:

§ Take part in key strategic processes of UNFPA to provide technical inputs to ensure that state-of-the-art evaluation techniques and approaches are applied and that results are measurable;

§ Ensure that evaluations in UNFPA meet professional standards and are conducted in an independent, objective, impartial and credible manner;

§ Review and provide feedback on performance measurements, evaluation methodologies and tools in Strategic Plan areas, in cooperation with the Programme and Technical Divisions;

§ Provide input to review of the UNFPA’s Evaluation Policy and updating UNFPA Policies and Procedures Manual related to monitoring and evaluation, in line with the UNFPA policy and relevant UNEG norms and standards and UNDG guidelines, in cooperation with the Programme and Technical Divisions;

§ Organize the DOS review of selected evaluation terms of reference and methodologies for evaluations conducted by management for quality assurance; 

§ Review requests from other offices for advice and comment on performance and impact measurements;

§ Provide advisory services and support to UN reform and harmonization including inter-agency activities;

 

 4.   Provide support in preparing the Biennial Evaluation Report to the Executive Board;

 

5.    Organizational capacity development:

§ Keep abreast of developments in the area of evaluation through close liaison with evaluation professional associations, groups and academia;

§ In collaboration with the Learning and Career Management Branch of UNFPA and the UN System Staff College, provide technical inputs to the development and implementation of evaluation capacity development activities and training modules to improve evaluation knowledge and skills in UNFPA and among national counterparts;

§ Contribute to the organizational system on knowledge management/lessons learned and promote use of evaluation results by management in the design and appraisal of strategies, policies and new projects/programmes;

§ Communicate UNFPA evaluation principles, norms, standards, prerequisites and benefits to UNFPA staff and partners to make them widely known and recognized;

§ Share knowledge through the Evaluation Network (EVALNET) to share knowledge and generate dialogue among evaluation Specialists and focal points in UNFPA;

§ Direct and supervise the evaluation database and evaluation intranet and website for internal and external learning and communication;

§ Assist in DOS participation in the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) activities to promote professionalization and harmonization within the UN system;

§ Cooperate with other UN evaluation units and professional evaluation bodies

 

 JOB REQUIREMENTS:

 

§ Advanced university degree in public health, population/demography, international economics, and/or social science disciplines

§ Excellent technical knowledge of evaluation design, data collection, including quantitative statistical methods/methodologies and analysis and reporting and skills needed to provide substantive guidance to staff on evaluation design, methodology and reporting; specific training in evaluation an asset.

§ Excellent knowledge of emerging global issues and evaluation trends that impact on the work of the Branch and skills necessary to advance the evaluation profession and evaluation function in the organization;

§ 7 years of professional experience in programme/evaluation work at progressively increasing levels, including at least 2 years of in-depth experience in conducting evaluations in the United Nations or a similar system; field experience in developing countries; experience in evaluation in the public sector;

§ Excellent interviewing, analytical, report writing and communication skills;

§ Excellent presentation (oral and written) skills and the ability to represent the evaluation branch at senior and high level meetings and to effectively communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner to all audiences;

§ Fluency in English, working knowledge of French, Spanish or another required UN official language desirable;

§ Excellent software skills e.g. Access, Excel, statistical applications

 

 

 

Values/Guiding principles;

Developing people;

Personal leadership and effectiveness;

Building and managing relationships

 

 

Promoting accountability and results-based management

Business acumen (Audit)

Impact and influence (DOS)

Organizational awareness

Promoting organizational learning and knowledge sharing (DOS)

Job knowledge/technical expertise

 

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender quality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

 

We offer an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the position. The package includes a competitive salary plus housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.

 

 

UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.

 

Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA at http://www.unfpa.org/employment/application_guide.doc  

 

Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process.

 

Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

 

 

*This is a programme-funded post.