Mid Term Review Evaluation Expert – Congo Basin Project at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Specifically, the consultant will be required to complete the following tasks: Inception phase:

• Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff.
• Prepare the review framework in line with UNEP's evaluation guidelines.
• Identify stakeholders.
• Develop the interview/questions matrix.
• Plan the review schedule.
• Prepare the Inception Report. Data collection and analysis phase of the review, including: Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders.
• Regularly report back to the Task Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered. Reporting phase, including: Draft the Review Report, ensuring that the review report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Task Manager guidelines both in substance and style.
• Liaise with the Task Manager on comments received and finalize the Review Report, ensuring that comments are considered until approved by the Task Manager.
• Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted indicating the reason for the rejection; and Managing relations, including:
• Maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders, ensuring that the review process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence.
• Communicate in a timely manner with the Task Manager on any issues requiring its attention and intervention.

Qualifications/special skills

• A Masters or equivalent in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.
• Minimum of 7 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach; and a good/broad understanding of [natural resource management] is desired. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• Hands-on experience in managing national and international natural resources projects, in particular concerning biodiversity, natural resources management, protected area management, environmental information, management, capacity building etc. is highly desirable. - Working experience in an international environment is desirable.
• Experience in the project target area in Congo is an asset.