International Senior Consultant - Independent External Evaluator Team Leader

Result of ServiceThe key deliverables that the UNSDCF Independent External Evaluators are expected to produce are: i. Inception Report An Inception Report (no more than 25 pages, excluding annexes) shall contain: • Background on the UNSDCF evaluation context. • The purpose, scope and users of the evaluation. • Evaluation criteria, questions and methodology. • The Theory of Change. • Evaluation work plan and management arrangements. • Main deliverables. • Risks and limitations. ii. Preliminary findings The initial evaluation findings report, and a PowerPoint presentation shall be produced by the Evaluation Team to facilitate the validation workshop at the end of the data collection phase. The report should not exceed 15 pages (excluding annexes) and should include findings from the desk review and data collection, with an initial attempt to triangulate findings. The report should include a matrix of data quality for each evaluation question and point to gaps and challenges in the data collection phase. The report will include annexes including notes and summaries made during the desk review and transcripts of the qualitative data. iii. Draft Evaluation Report The Independent External Evaluation Team shall submit a final report with an executive summary, main report, annexes and a clear set of actionable recommendations. The report should be written in a clear and concise manner that allows readers to easily follow its logic. The report shall detail the evaluation findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The report should not exceed 60 pages (excluding annexes). The PowerPoint presentations shall be prepared and used by the Independent External Evaluation Team in their presentation of the preliminary findings to the Evaluation Steering Committee, Resident Coordinator and UNCT. For the UNSDCF evaluation, a Summary Performance Rating will be submitted by the Independent External Evaluation Team with the final UNSDCF evaluation report to facilitate regional and global performance synthesis. iv. Final Evaluation Report The Final Evaluation Report should incorporate feedback received from the evaluation manager, evaluation steering committee, UNCT and RC. The Independent External Evaluation Team will be expected to document all responses to feedback through a matrix in a transparent manner, where the Evaluation Manager will review and track responses to each feedback received. After improving the draft evaluation report based on the feedback, the Independent External Evaluation Team will submit a final report with an executive summary, main report, annexes and a clear set of actionable recommendations. Acknowledgment of any limitations faced during the evaluation process and identifying lessons learned for future evaluations and programming shall be included in the report. In addition to the full report, a standalone PowerPoint of the final evaluation report shall be submitted to the evaluation manager as part of the evaluation deliverables. The final evaluation report will be made publicly available. v. Evaluation Brief In addition, the Independent External Evaluation Team shall submit a final evaluation brief that can be shared with a range of audiences, including the Government of China, UN partners, and other key stakeholders. The Evaluation Brief is a synthesis report describing the evaluation including an introduction, objectives and scope, methodology, findings, and recommendations. The Evaluation Brief can resemble an e-book or infographic and is intended for a broader and non-technical audience. The Brief will need to be produced using disability accessible and inclusive formats. Work LocationBeijing, China Expected duration9 months. The UNSDCF evaluation has an expected timeline of about nine months, from the initial preparatory phase until the report is finalized. However, the actual evaluation process is expected to be completed in six months. Some additional review should be anticipated until the draft is finalized and approved with an English, proof-read report, including full layout submitted within two months after the report is drafted. Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe UN Resident Coordinator leads the UN Country Team in China, including all the UN entities present in China. The purpose of the Resident Coordinators System (RCS) is to bring together different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level, helping the UN to be a more relevant and reliable partner for governments, notably by establishing and strengthening these partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN Resident Coordinators Office (RCO) supports the roles and functions of the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team. The RCO provides inter-agency coordination support to the UN Country Team (UNCT) and its various inter-agency working mechanisms, including theme groups. Key functions of the RCO include: • strategic analysis, planning and positioning of the Country Team • preparation and monitoring of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) • support to joint UN programming and operations management • policy guidance • joint advocacy and communications to enhance UN coherence • improve overall programme impact of the UN System in China The UNRCO in China is looking for the evaluation team with necessary expertise and skills to conduct the external evaluation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). UNSDCF articulates the collective vision of the UNCT in China and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the period 2021-2025. The primary objective of this evaluation is to assess the performance and outcomes of the UNSDCF in China and provide recommendations for future programming and collaboration between the Government of China and the United Nations system.The UNSDCF 2021-2025 external evaluation extends beyond a mere assessment of programmatic outcomes. It is expected to also take into account how the global challenges that arose during the implementation period (COVID-19 pandemic, slower global growth rates, etc) impacted UNSDCF implementation. The evaluation’s findings are expected to offer nuanced insights into the efficacy of the strategies employed, the transformative impacts on the most vulnerable segments of society and the alignment of the UNSDCF with the national priorities of China. The UNRCO is looking for the international senior consultant (Independent External Evaluation Team leader). The UNSDCF Independent External Evaluation Team leader plays a critical role in ensuring the success of the evaluation process. The responsibilities of the Team Leader are: • Overall responsibility for the technical quality and relevance of the evaluation. This includes ensuring that the evaluation is well-designed, methodologically sound, and produces results that are useful and relevant to the UN Country Team and other stakeholders. • Responsibility for the methodological aspects of the evaluation, including developing the evaluation framework, designing data collection instruments, and overseeing the data analysis. • Responsibility for organizing and coordinating the work. This includes developing the work plan and timeline, liaising with stakeholders, providing support to the other team member(s), and ensuring that the evaluation is completed on time and within budget. • Ensuring the overall consistency of the evaluation process, including ensuring that the evaluation is conducted in a fair, impartial, and transparent manner. • Quality assurance. This means ensuring that the evaluation meets the highest standards of quality and that the findings are reliable and credible. • Managing the evaluation team, including ensuring that the other team members work effectively together and produce results and findings that are consistent with the evidence. • Ensuring all required deliverables as outlined are provided in accordance with the agreed upon specifications and timeline. • Ensuring that the evaluation findings are utilized to guide the development of the USDCF for 2026-2030. Qualifications/special skillsThe individual in this role must have strong technical evaluation skills, as well as the ability to manage and coordinate a complex evaluation project. The Team Leader must be able to work effectively with a variety of stakeholders, including UN agencies, government officials, and civil society organizations. Below are the detailed requirements for the Independent External Evaluation Team Leader: Academic • Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as evaluation, development studies, public policy or other. PhD in a relevant field is preferred. Professional • A minimum of 10 years of experience in conducting evaluations in the development sector. Experience conducting UNSDCF or UNDAF Evaluation is preferred. • Experience in leading and managing complex evaluation projects. • Experience in gender equality/gender analysis and gender responsive evaluations. • Solid understanding of the SDGs, other relevant regional or global frameworks and their implications for development cooperation. • Solid understanding of multilateralism and the role of the UN System in development cooperation in the context of China. • Understanding of UN reform and its implementation implications at the country level. • Demonstrated analytical capacity, with experience in political economy and financing for development preferred. • Knowledge of the China country context and an in-depth understanding of at least one area of work of UNCT members. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. • Ability to work independently and as part of a team. • Sound judgment and decision-making skills Technical • Demonstrated proficiency in the use of a wide array of evaluation methods and tools. • Demonstrated ability to write clear and concise reports. • Demonstrated ability to present findings to diverse stakeholders in a clear and concise manners. • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Chinese is strongly preferred. LanguagesFluency in English is required. Knowledge of Chinese is strongly preferred. Additional InformationThe Team Leader and all Team Members must ensure they have no conflict of interest, such as recent or expected employment by UNCT members or implementing partners, private relationships with any UNCT members, their staff, government counterparts, or participation in the design, implementation or advising of the UNSDCF being evaluated, among others). Any potential conflict of interest should be declared by the candidates during the application process. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.