The Position:

The expert will work under the overall supervision of the UNFPA CO BiH PD and M&E Programme Specialist.

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:

Although the global population has been continuously on the increase, the demographic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has had mostly a downward trend since the beginning of 1990s.

This is largely due to under-replacement total fertility rates that have reached lowest low levels of under 1.2 children per woman of reproductive age.

At the same time, migrations are on the increase, initially fuelled by conflicts in the region and afterwards due to unfavourable levels of socio-economic development of the country, high levels of corruption and strong pull factor from developed countries. This has resulted in significant changes to population structure in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Number of young people is constantly decreasing while the number of older people, due to extended human lifespan, is on the increase. Less young people means that working-age population will shrink in size as well, while less working-age population means that public services (especially health care, social protection and education) will suffer from insufficient funding if productivity is not improved.

Recently calculated population projections in Bosnia and Herzegovina show that the country might lose over 50% of total population in the next 50 years if substantive changes are not made.

In order to respond to such demographic changes and strengthen human capital in the country to be at the level favourable for socio-economic development, UNFPA provided technical and financial support to the Government of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to develop its first population development strategy.

The strategy was developed jointly by representatives of relevant government ministries and institutions led by experts in demography and economics and with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy as custodian of the process.

The strategy was finalised in its draft version in June 2024 and requires an ex-ante evaluation before being submitted to the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for review and adoption.

In line with a decision number 915/2024 issued by the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina at its 35th session of 5 June 2024, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina requested support from the UNFPA to hire an evaluation expert that will conduct ex-ante evaluation of draft FBiH population development strategy.

The main aim of this ex-ante evaluation will be improving the quality and implementation of the population strategy of FBiH through an independent opinion related to the processes and results of those processes of the preparation of the strategy, as well as providing recommendations that could strengthen the quality of the draft strategy through addressing any shortcomings in the document.

In addition, other aims of the ex-ante evaluation are to identify any lessons learned that could improve the development of future similar strategies, and ensure relevance of development goals, priorities and measures in line with SWOT analysis and current situation in the country as well as development and other sectoral strategies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the SDG Framework for BiH.

Furthermore, the aims are to ensure transparency of the process of strategic development, ensure coherence of the strategy and evaluate adequacy of the financial indicative framework of the strategy.

Scope of work:

The consultant will conduct the ex-ante evaluation of draft FBiH population development strategy based on the provisions and templates of the Guidelines for conducting evaluations of strategic documents in FBiH (1…).

In line with these guidelines, the consultant will:
Participate at the introductory meeting with representatives of the UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina aimed at gaining a common understanding of the process and expected results of the ex-ante evaluation;
Conduct desk-review of the draft population development strategy of FBiH;
Conduct desk-reviews of other relevant development strategies and policies at the level of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the state level;
Develop questionnaire and conduct interviews with representatives of all key government institutions involved in the development of the strategy;
Assess institutional and administrative capacities of all key government institutions for implementation of the strategy;
Develop initial draft evaluation report for review by the UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Present draft evaluation report to the UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Based on comments and responses from the UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, develop the final evaluation report.

The ex-ante evaluation will be based on the following evaluation criteria and evaluation questions:
RELEVANCE
To what extent strategic goals are relevant and aligned with the needs of target groups?
To what extent strategic goals are relevant and aligned with public needs?
EFFECTIVENESS
To what extent the strategy with its goals and indicators foresees progress in terms of reaching demographic resilience of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
EFFICIENCY
To what extent financial resources planned for implementation of the strategy will result in reaching the optimal level of demographic resilience of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
SUSTAINABILITY
To what extent planned strategic measures will contribute to sustainability of the achieved results upon the end of the strategy?
COHERENCE
To what extent the strategy is aligned with other relevant government strategies in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and at the state level?

You would be responsible for:

Draft evaluation report will be delivered to UNFPA as a Word Doc file by e-mail by 30 August;
Presentation of draft evaluation report to UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be organised in person in Sarajevo at latest by 13 September;
Final evaluation report will be delivered to UNFPA as a PDF file by e-mail by 20 September.

Structure of the evaluation report will be as follows:
Introduction
Executive summary
Evaluation context
Methodology
Evaluation of feasibility of realisation of strategic goals, priorities and measures
Evaluation findings
Conclusion and recommendations

The report and presentation will be delivered in BCS languages.

Expected travel:

Introductory meeting and presentation of the draft evaluation report will be conducted to representatives of UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo.

Qualifications and Experience:

At least 3 years of professional experience in the areas of strategic development and/or project/programme evaluation (preferably experience in conducting ex-ante evaluations of strategic documents);

Education:

At least a master’s degree in the field of social sciences (preferably in the field of demography, and/or statistics and/or economics);

Knowledge and Experience:

Familiarity with existing strategic documents in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and at the state level;
Good understanding of the root causes of demographic changes in South-East Europe and the effects of demographic changes on socio-economic development.

Languages:

Fluency in BHS and English languages.

Required Competencies:

Focuses on impact and results and responds positively to feedback;
Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Values:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Displays cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Compensation and Benefits:

UNFPA reserves the right to offer to the selected candidates the rate in accordance with UNFPA consultant rates and UNFPA available budget.

The payment for contractors will not exceed average UNFPA rates for international consultants.

Where the contractors fail to deliver the required quality of products, the rate payable will be reduced.

UNFPA reserves the right to assess the quality of products. Contractors have an obligation to finalise products/documents to the full UNFPA satisfaction.

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.