Terminal Review Expert – China Project (GEFID 4865) at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• The Review Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Task Manager and will report directly to the Portfolio Manager of the GEF Biodiversity and Land degradation Unit, Ecosystems Division in Nairobi.
• 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 Reports; Data collection and analysis phase of the Main 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 and; Reporting phase, including:
• draft the Main Review Reports, 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 (including from the UNEP Evaluation Office) and finalize the Review Reports, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Task Manager
• prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted and 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. The consultant will prepare the following documents for both projects, in consultation and collaboration with the Project team and in line with the detailed Terms of Reference for the Review and the guidance package provided by the UNEP Evaluation Office: 
• Review Inception Report: containing an assessment of the project, project stakeholder analysis, review framework and a tentative review schedule.
• Preliminary Findings Note: typically, in the form of, a PowerPoint presentation, the sharing of preliminary findings is intended to support the participation of the project team, and act to ensure all information sources have been accessed and provide an opportunity to verify emerging findings.
• Draft and Main Final Review Report: containing an executive summary that can act as a stand-alone document; detailed analysis of the review findings organized by review criteria and supported with evidence; lessons learned and recommendations and an annotated rating table. The consultancy will be home-based with possible field visits.

Qualifications/special skills

• An advanced University degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.
• A University degree in the same areas is acceptable with two additional years of relevant experience.
• A minimum of 7 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably of evaluation and management of Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects and using a Theory of Change approach is required.
• A good/broad understanding of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources is desired.