[Hiring] Evaluation Specialist @Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Role Description

The Office of Evaluation (OED) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) anchors the evaluation function in the Organization. Evaluation in FAO provides results accountability to both member countries and the Director-General, giving more in-depth understanding and objective basis for their decision-making and oversight. Evaluation also contributes to corporate learning, feeding lessons into a robust feedback loop. Evaluation provides a sound basis for improvements in the Organization's programmes in terms of their relevance to countries, definition of objectives, their design and implementation. The Office also participates in system-wide evaluation initiatives, thereby contributing to assessments of development effectiveness by the United Nations (UN) system.

OED is seeking expressions of interest from senior evaluators and subject-matter specialists to support the evaluation of the GEF-7 Common Oceans Programme “Sustainable utilization and conservation of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction” and of its child projects.

The Common Oceans Programme is a GEF-7 global programme promoting the sustainable use of living marine resources and biodiversity conservation in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Its five child projects cover:

• Sustainable fisheries management
• Marine biodiversity conservation
• Ocean governance and cross-sectoral cooperation
• Ecosystem stewardship
• Programme-level coordination, monitoring and knowledge management

The evaluation will assess both the GEF Programme as a whole and the contribution of its child projects to programme-level results, including:

• Programme coherence
• Integration
• Theory of Change
• Monitoring and evaluation arrangements
• The added value of the programmatic approach

The evaluation specialists will also directly evaluate the child projects implemented by FAO. Candidates must not have been directly involved in the design, implementation or operational management of the Common Oceans Programme and its child projects.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in evaluation, social sciences, environmental sciences, fisheries, marine sciences, international development, public policy, economics or another field relevant to the assignment. Consultants with a bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant and proven experience in evaluation and research including in technical area relevant to the GEF Common Oceans Programme.
• Working knowledge of English (level C).

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in conducting or contributing to complex thematic, programme, portfolio, country or project evaluations.
• Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the main thematic areas covered by the Common Oceans Programme, including:
• Regional fisheries management organizations and their processes
• International and regional ocean governance and cross-sectoral cooperation, including relevant international agreements
• Sustainable fisheries management, including tuna and/or deep-sea fisheries
• Integrated ecosystem and precautionary approaches to fisheries management and marine biodiversity conservation (including reduction of bycatch)
• Fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance and tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing
• Marine governance and ecosystem-based management
• Capacity building, knowledge management, partnerships and private-sector engagement related to sustainable marine resource management
• Experience with Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects and programmes, including familiarity with GEF International Waters.
• Proven knowledge of research and evaluation methods, including Theory of Change, results frameworks, result-based management, and monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as assessment of institutional and environmental outcomes.
• Extent and relevance of experience in international cooperation and multi-stakeholder settings.
• Experience conducting or contributing to evaluations of GEF-financed interventions is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills.

Benefits

• For candidates considered for a senior evaluator role, demonstrated experience leading complex evaluations and multidisciplinary teams is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of another FAO official language is an asset.
• Experience in GEF project design, monitoring and/or evaluation is an asset.