Note: This post is pending classification.

Note: All recommended candidates who are not selected for this position, will be rostered for future similar vacancies.

The Position:

An Evaluation Advisor in UNFPA’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) is expected to manage centralized evaluations, provide leadership in specific functional or thematic areas, engage with partners to deliver the Evaluation Policy and contribute to the functioning of the IEO.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Independent Evaluation Office is the custodian of the evaluation function. It reports functionally to the Executive Board and administratively to the Executive Director. The office is independent from the operational, management and decision-making functions in the organization, and is impartial, objective and free from undue influence.

The IEO conducts or commissions centralized evaluations that are proposed following the approval of a new Strategic Plan. These include thematic topics or institutional themes and can be done alone or with other organizations in a joint evaluation modality. The Evaluation Advisor also engages in corporate processes, such as representing the IEO on HQ-based committees, and contributes to Division-wide planning, monitoring and reporting exercises. The IEO provides the necessary capacity development on issues related to evaluation and engage in partnerships with professional evaluation networks, such as the United Nations Evaluation Group, and supports the harmonization of the evaluation function in the United Nations system. It also promotes multistakeholder and intergenerational partnerships to strengthen national evaluation capacities, including meaningful involvement of young evaluators.

Responsibilities include: 

1. Conducting and/or managing credible, independent corporate evaluations and other evaluative studies of UNFPA’s programming and processes to international professional standards.

• Leads and manages different types of corporate evaluations as per the UNFPA Costed Evaluation Plan, including thematic, programme, institutional and joint evaluations, as well as other evaluative exercises relevant to UNFPA’s mandate;
• Develops terms of reference and budget, selects and contracts individuals or firms, constitutes and chairs evaluation reference groups, contributes substantially to the development of the scope, approach and methodology of evaluations, quality assures and pre-approves all evaluation deliverables and prepares a dissemination plan for all exercises;
• Ensures that evaluations meet high professional standards in line with the UNFPA Evaluation Policy (2024) and UNEG Norms & Standards;
• Closely liaises with other UNFPA units or external partners when conducting evaluations to ensure a high degree of utility;
• Keeps abreast of developments and innovations in evaluation and ensures that relevant evaluation techniques and approaches are applied in the conduct of evaluative exercises;

2. Contributing to strengthening evaluation practice within the UN through participation in United Nations Evaluation Group work and inter-agency cooperation.

• Contributes to United Nations Evaluation Group workplan and inter-agency cooperation as part of UNEG working groups, as required;
• Contributes to the harmonization of evaluation practices and guidelines among UN organizations;
• Contributes to global communities of practice, as relevant;
• Participates in international evaluation conferences and presents evaluative work, as required; and,
• Engages in networks with other UN organizations, bilateral donors, development cooperation organizations, professional institutions/associations on evaluation strategies, policies and practices.

3. Contributing to the management of the Independent Evaluation Office, including planning and reporting on the UNFPA evaluation function.

• Contributes to the preparation of UNFPA’s costed evaluation plans;
• Contributes to the preparation of the IEO budget, as required;
• Contributes to the IEO reporting including: annual report on evaluation to the Executive Board and presentations and updates to Executive Committee, Oversight Advisory Committee and Oversight Compliance and Monitoring Committee, as required;
• Contributes to IEO’s human resources management as required;
• Promote the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in evaluation work;
• Acts as Officer in Charge as required; and,
• Any other task as required by the Director

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Master’s degree in social sciences, public health, economics, gender studies or demography.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 10 years of experience in managing complex evaluations in the areas of gender, health and/or population dynamics, as well as UNFPA’s other core programming areas;
• Demonstrable experience in managing and conducting different types of evaluations in or for UN organizations, other multi-lateral or bilateral development organizations;
• Demonstrable experience in working collaboratively within the IEO and with external partners and experts;
• Experience conducting evaluation-related workshops and training courses – both in person and online;
• Knowledge of specialized software applied to evaluation
• Knowledge of AI applied to evaluation is a strong asset.

Languages: 

• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English required;
• Fluency in Spanish and/or French is a strong asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Developing appropriate evaluation tools and approaches
• Evaluating UNFPA activities using both formative and summative approaches
• Promoting accountability, results based-management and adaptive management
• Promoting organizational learning and use of evaluative evidence

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave, health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements