OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: Harare

Job Family: Natural Sciences

Type of contract : Consultancy

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 15-NOV-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Call for Applications – Conducting the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Zimbabwe Joint SDG Fund Programme

Background

The Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund’s – SDG Catalytic Investment (Component 2) Portfolio is aimed at assessing progress toward the achievement of the Joint Programme (JP) objectives, identifying early signs of programmatic success or failure, and providing recommendations for corrective measures to ensure that the JP is on track to achieve its intended results by the end of the programme. The review will be conducted in accordance with the principles of evidence-based analysis and stakeholder engagement, with the final report due by 31 December 2024.

Objectives and Purpose

The Mid-Term Review aims to:
• Assess the progress and results of the Joint Programme against the original objectives and targets, including financial, development, and sustainability aspects.
• Evaluate the JP’s strategy, its effectiveness, and its relevance in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Provide recommendations to improve the implementation, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Joint Programme and suggest changes if necessary to ensure the achievement of intended outcomes.

Methodology, Scope and Approach

The Mid-Term Review report must provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful.
The Mid-Term Review team will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation/design phase, the Joint Programme Document, Joint Programme reports, Joint Programme revisions, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the Mid-Term Review team considers useful for this evidence-based review.

The Mid-Term Review team is expected to follow a collaborative and participatory approach ensuring close engagement with the Joint Programme team, government counterparts, private and public sector partners, direct beneficiaries, the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund Secretariat and other key stakeholders.

Engagement of stakeholders is vital to a successful Mid-Term Review. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have programmatic responsibilities, including but not limited to public and private sector partners; executing agencies, senior officials, key experts and consultants in the subject area, Joint Programme Board, Joint Programme stakeholders, academia, local government and Civil Society Organizations, etc. The Mid-Term Review is also expected to consult donors of the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund during this exercise. Additionally, the Mid-Term Review team is expected to conduct field missions to the relevant investment sites, companies, or projects.

The Mid-Term Review team must use gender-responsive methodologies and tools and ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as other cross-cutting issues, principles of Leaving No One Behind and Sustainable Development Goals are incorporated into the Mid-Term Review report.

The final methodological approach including interview schedule, field visits and data to be used in the Mid-Term Review should be clearly outlined in the Inception Report and be fully discussed and agreed between the Participating United Nations Organizations, Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund Secretariat, other stakeholders, and the Mid-Term Review team. The Mid-Term Review report must describe the full Mid-Term Review approach taken and the rationale for the approach making explicit the underlying assumptions, challenges, strengths and limitations of the methods and approach of the review.

The Mid-Term Review team will perform the review based on the following five categories: i) Design; ii) Progress/Results to date; iii) Management efficiency; iv) Risk management and v)sustainability. Besides the five categories the Mid-Term Review report will also include an executive summary as well as a conclusion section summarizing the findings and recommendations, and a rating section based on the findings and assessments.

• Design and Relevance: Assess the alignment of the Joint Programme strategy with Sustainable Development Goals transitions, its design in addressing gender equality, youth, and “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) principles, and the robustness of the indicators and targets.
• Progress and Results to Date: Review achievements against the Joint Programme’s results framework, identify barriers to achieving objectives, assess financial leverage, and determine the potential for scaling solutions.
• Management Efficiency: Evaluate the efficiency of Joint Programme management arrangements, reporting processes, coordination mechanisms, and the quality of stakeholder communication.
• Risk Management: Validate the risk framework, identify emerging risks, and evaluate mitigation strategies.
• Sustainability: Assess the potential sustainability of the programme’s financial solutions, ownership by stakeholders, and partnerships to support the scaling and sustainability of results.

Additional information on the scope of the assessment under each category should be defined during the inception phase and explained in the MTR’s inception report, in alignment with the guidelines provided by the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund.

Deliverables and Timeline

The Mid-Term Review will be conducted over 60 working days, with key deliverables and milestones as follows:

1. Mid-Term Review Inception Report
o Description: Outline the approach, methodology, and work plan for the Mid-Term Review.
o Timing: Within 2 weeks of the start of the contract.
o Responsibilities: The Mid-Term Review team will prepare and submit the report to the Joint Programme team for feedback and validation.

2. Presentation of Initial Findings
o Description: Present the data collection, initial assessment, and preliminary findings to the Joint Programme team and reference group.
o Timing: Within 2 weeks following the submission of the inception report.
o Responsibilities: The Mid-Term Review team will share findings and facilitate discussions for feedback.

3. Draft Mid-Term Review Report
o Description: Provide a comprehensive draft of the Mid-Term Review report, inclusive of key findings, conclusions, and recommendations, along with annexes.
o Timing: Within 2 weeks of presenting initial findings.
o Responsibilities: The Mid-Term Review team will submit the draft report to the Joint Programme team for review, followed by feedback from the Mid-Term Review reference group.

4. Final Mid-Term Review Report and Audit Trail
o Description: Submit the revised report that incorporates feedback from stakeholders and provides an audit trail detailing how comments were addressed.
o Timing: Within 2 weeks of receiving feedback on the draft report.
o Responsibilities: The Mid-Term Review team will complete and submit the final report, ensuring all feedback is accurately addressed and documented.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Mid-Term Review Team Leader (Consultant 1)
o Lead the overall design, methodology, and execution of the Mid-Term Review process.
o Coordinate with stakeholders and manage data collection, field missions, and interviews.
o Oversee the preparation and submission of deliverables, ensuring the final Mid-Term Review report is of high quality, gender-responsive, and integrates Sustainable Development Goals principles.

2. Mid-Term Review Team Expert (Consultant 2)
o Support the team leader in data collection, field visits, and the preparation of the inception and draft reports.
o Contribute to detailed analysis of the Joint Programme results framework, risk assessment, and validation of findings.
o Ensure that recommendations are practical, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Ethical Standards and Confidentiality
The Mid-Term Review team is required to follow the UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation, maintaining confidentiality, data security, and ensuring that information gathered is solely used for the purpose of the Mid-Term Review. The team must respect the rights of interviewees and stakeholders, ensuring compliance with relevant legal codes.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Specific Qualifications for Mid-Term Review Team Leader (Consultant 1):
o At least 10 years of experience in sustainable development financing or investments or equivalent
o Proven track record in designing and conducting evaluations using mixed-methods approaches, with a focus on gender and cross-cutting issues.
o Experience with UN systems and results-based management is preferred.
o Strong communication and report-writing skills in English and a local language preferably.

Specific Qualifications for Mid-Term Review Team Expert (Consultant 2):
o At least 5 years of experience in development evaluations and programme assessments or equivalent.
o Knowledge of gender mainstreaming and Leaving No-One Behind principles within programmatic reviews.
o Competency in stakeholder engagement and qualitative data analysis.
o Strong analytical and writing skills.

Expression of Interest

Interested parties may submit a cover letter and CVs. Please send separately a brief technical proposal (maximum 5 pages) and financial proposal to vacancies.harare@unesco.org

Please quote “i. Mid-Term Review – Zimbabwe SDG Fund – Technical Proposal ii. Mid-Term Review – Zimbabwe SDG Fund – Financial Proposal” in the email subject lines. Submissions without proper referencing as given will be disqualified.

Only candidates who were not part of the Joint SDG Fund Programme preparation are eligible to apply