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Qualifications

1.             Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the WHO country function evaluation, to review Country Cooperation Strategy 2021-2025.

The evaluation of WHO contribution in Jordan will serve a dual and mutually reinforcing purpose of organizational learning and accountability for results towards external and internal WHO stakeholders, providing an opportunity to: (i) Synthesize insights gained from what worked and what could be done differently; and (ii) offer evidence-informed insights to support the development of new strategic direction, including the new Country Cooperation Strategy. Thus, this will be a formative (forward-looking) evaluation to support the WCO and national stakeholders’ strategic learning and decision-making for the next CCS. Additionally, this evaluation is expected to have a secondary summative (backward-looking) perspective, to support enhanced accountability for the achievement of planned results or lack thereof and learning from experience.

Building on an analysis of existing secondary data from key documents and complemented by perspectives of key stakeholders, the objectives of this evaluation are to:

a.       assess the achievements against the objectives formulated in the CCS and corresponding expected results developed in 2020/2021, 2022/2023, and 2024/2025 WCO biennial work plans, while pointing out the key success factors, gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

b.       outline key WHO contributions to the four strategic priorities and define strategic shifts needed to improve WHO’s strategic positioning in Jordan going forward

c.       identify lessons learned from WHO’s work, to support the Jordan WCO and partners in the development and resourcing of the next CCS and operational planning mechanisms

2.             Background  

In line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2018 evaluation policy[1] and implementation frameworks[2], the independent evaluations of WHO contribution at the country level are included in the biennial WHO organization-wide evaluation work plan, approved by the Executive Board. These evaluations aim to review WHO’s performance and contributions to countries holistically, taking into consideration national priorities and needs, as well as partners’ contributions, to promote the national public health agenda and the population’s well-being. Furthermore, they focus on the results achieved at the country level using the inputs from all three levels of WHO, documenting key contributions, gaps, lessons, and the strategic direction WHO needs to take going forward to better support the member state. The WHO 13^th General Programmes of Work (2019–2023[3]/ extended to 2025[4]) and key country-level strategic instruments, including the WHO-Jordan Country Cooperation Strategy[5] (CCS), UN Sustainable Development Framework in Jordan[6][7], WHO Country Office (WCO) biennial work plans and national health strategies[8] form key reference strategic and operational documents. This evaluation of the WHO programme in Jordan is timely as the WCO is nearing the end of the implementation of its current CCS and will soon be embarking on a new process of re-aligning its strategies to the recently approved WHO’s 14^th General Programmes of Work[9]. Thus, the evaluative evidence from this exercise aims to inform Jordan WCO’s strategic direction going forward, including by feeding into the development of the upcoming CCS cycle, whose development process is anticipated to start by December 2024/January 2025.

Hence, the senior evaluation consultant will perform on the following tasks during the suggested timeline below. She/He will be working closely with evaluation team at WHO country office Jordan, Regional Office and HQ. The senior evaluation consultant will be supported by a national consultant for technical assistance and in country field missions.

3.             Work to be performed.

Output 1: Conduct data collection and perform data analysis, using a mixed methodology approach to ensure triangulation of information through a variety of means: Desk review of 2020/2021, 2022/2023, and 2024/2025 WCO biennial work plans, while pointing out the key success factors, gaps, challenges, and opportunities for improvement, quantitative data collection from WHO, Stakeholders interviews, Focus group discussions.

Deliverable 1.1: Summary notes on the document reviews data collection interviews and focus group discussions conducted

Output 2: Support senior evaluation specialist during the in-country mission for data collection from WCO, external stakeholders and health service providers.

Deliverable 2.1: Summary notes from stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions and field visits.

Output 3: Support senior evaluation specialist in conducting stakeholder consultation workshops to validate the evaluation outcome.

Deliverable 3.1: Workshop reports with identified key lessons learned and recommendations provided.

Output 4: Contribute to the final evaluation report according to WHO Evaluation Practice Handbook and Implementation Frameworks, with varied visualization approaches applied.

Deliverable 4.1: Final evaluation report, executive briefs, presentations with varied visualization approaches

4.             Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: University degree in international development, programme management, Economics, or Public Health.

Desirable: Master’s degree in international development, programme management, Economics, or Public Health.

Experience:

Essential:

At least 5 years of experience in conducting evaluations preferably in the areas of public health/economics or development.

Experience in country-level strategic / programme evaluations, with a focus on the Middle East.

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

•          Demonstrated knowledge of public health, humanitarian and emergency programmes

•          Proven experience in understanding evaluation principles, collecting qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis of data and experience in handling data limitations

•          Understanding of health equity, gender equality, human rights and other equity issues in programmes

•          Previous experience with evaluation for UN and/or other multilateral organizations

•          Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds to conduct data collection in different settings

•          Excellent analytical and communication skills in English and Arabic.

Languages and level required:
Excellent writing, analytical, and communication skills in English and Arabic.

5.             Location

Amman – Jordan (Off-site)

6.             Planned timelines (Subject to confirmation)

30 working days

Start date: 1 September 2024

End date: 31 January 2025

7.             Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

8.             Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel.

Additional Information

·         This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. 
• A written test may be used as a form of screening. 
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