Consultant Jobs at UNDP in Uganda

Job Title:        Consultant: Environment/Evaluation Expert, Evaluation ofthe Small Grants Programme (Uganda Country Study)
Job Location:        Uganda
Employer:        UNDP
Type of Contract :    Individual Contract
Post Level :        National Consultant
Languages Required :    English 
Starting Date :        (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)    28-Apr-2014
Duration of Initial Contract :        April-June 2014
Expected Duration of Assignment :    22 working days between late April and early June 2014
Background
The Independent Evaluation Office of the Global Environment Facility (GEF IEO) and the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (UNDP IEO) are conducting a joint evaluation of the Small Grants Programme, entitled: Joint GEF/UNDP SGP Evaluation: Preparing for GEF-6.

The Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) corporate programme implemented by UNDP. SGP provides small grants to communities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for projects aligned with the strategic priorities of the GEF and within the framework of sustainable development. SGP targets community-level initiatives across the range of global environmental issues addressed by the GEF and seeks to integrate actions that lead to poverty reduction with a participatory approach.

The Joint GEF/UNDP SGP Evaluation is being conducted in two phases. The 1st Phase has been completed. The Phase I final report is available from:
http://www.thegef.org/gef/Program%20Evaluation%20-%20Joint%20Evaluation%20GEFEO-UNDP%20SGP
Applicants should familiarize themselves with the Phase I findings and recommendations. The 2nd Phase of the evaluation has started. Key questions for the 2nd Phase include:

    What is the niche of the SGP within the GEF in the current evolving context?
    Are SGP country programmes fully embracing the ‘upgrading’ process? In particular, what are the factors that favor or hinder progression from start-up to ‘upgrade’?
    What effectiveness and sustainability is being achieved at the project level?
    To what extent have SGP results been up-scaled, replicated or mainstreamed and what are the factors favouring or hindering this? What is the role of UNDP and other GEF Agencies in this?
    What are the details of the picture regarding co-financing and delivery?
    To what extent does SGP contribute to reducing gender inequality and promoting women’s empowerment?
    To what extent does SGP address issues of poverty, inequality and exclusion?

As part of the evaluation, in-depth case studies will be conducted in eight SGP countries. A number of different tools and methods will be used to gather data to answer the evaluation questions at the country level, including:
    Desk review of programme documents, SGP National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting minutes, reports from grantees, evaluations and other reports available in-country;
    Interviews (individual or group) with a wide range of stakeholders, including SGP staff, NSC members, government officials, UNDP and other GEF Agency officials, NGOs, CBOs and communities, using pre-determined interview guidelines (which will be provided to the consultant); and
    Field visits to a representative sample of projects (i.e. 10 to 15) to assess effectiveness, efficiency, M & E systems, gender, and poverty reduction at the project level, using standardized grant templates and protocols (which will be provided to the consultant). The main purpose of field visits will be to validate assessments based on desk reviews and conduct further interviews with local level stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities
These TOR refer to the Environment/Evaluation Expert who will perform the Country Study for Uganda. The Environment/Evaluation Expert will work closely with the UNDP IEO evaluation co-manager and the GEF IEO evaluation co-manager (the Evaluation Management Team), as well as the Lead Consultant for the evaluation during the evaluation process. The key tasks include:

•     Review reference material provided by the GEF and UNDP Evaluation Offices, the SGP Central Programme Management Team (CPMT), and national SGP staff, including but not limited to: the previous Joint Evaluation of the SGP, the Phase 1 report, the previous country study, corporate strategies, programmes, project documents related to the GEF in general and to SGP in particular, SGP country programme strategies, SGP country programme reports, National Steering Committee meeting minutes and grant project proposals and progress and completion reports;
•     Prepare a short Inception Note including finalized table of contents and timetable, and finalize in close collaboration with the Evaluation Management Team;
•     Interview the National Coordinator, other national SGP staff, NSC members, the Government GEF focal point, UNDP Country Office senior management, UNDP GEF focal point and other relevant UNDP staff, staff of other GEF Agencies, managers of other projects (e.g., other GEF FSPs, other UNDP projects), National Steering Committee members and other relevant stakeholders at the central level (capital), using established interview protocols (adapted to the context, in consultation with the Evaluation Management Team and lead consultant, as necessary);
•     Analyze project documentation and reports for a sample of projects (to be developed with the Evaluation Management Team);
•     Conduct field visits to sub-set of these sample projects (to be determined in consultation with the Evaluation Management Team and national SGP staff) and conduct interviews with NGOs, CBOs, and community members involved in project implementation, and fill out prescribed templates;
•     Prepare a draft country study report, using the outline to be provided;
•     Revise the draft country study report based on feedback from the Evaluation Management Team; and
•     Participate in team discussions and provide technical inputs, clarification and supplemental information, as required, until the completion of the report for the second phase of the evaluation.

Expected deliverables include:

•     Inception Note;
•     Draft country study report; and
•     Final country study report, after addressing the comments and concerns of the Evaluation Management Team.

Additionally, the consultant will be expected to participate in follow-up discussions for the analysis for the complete report (prepared by the Lead Consultant).

Competencies

•     Familiarity with the UN system and UNDP, and with GEF;
•     Capacity to work in a small team via telecommunications (e.g. Skype);
•     Strong communications skills, including the capacity to conduct interviews effectively to gain information;
•     Ability and willingness to travel to remote locations;
•     Capacity to organize and analyze complex information;
•     Capacity to work under time pressure;
•     Strong drafting and reporting skills in English; and
•     Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

•     A Master’s Degree in a relevant subject area.

Experience:

•     Solid background and at least 10 years of demonstrated professional experience in areas of environment and sustainable development;
•     Strong understanding of institutional, environmental and sustainable development issues at both national and local levels in the country. Non-residents with extensive knowledge of the country may also apply;
•     Experience in conducting evaluations and, in particular, demonstrated experience in evaluating demand-based community-level grant programmes or small grant components of larger projects/programmes in the areas of natural resources, environment, poverty reduction and/or sustainable rural development;
•     In-depth knowledge of the GEF, its agencies and its focal areas, particularly biodiversity, climate change and land degradation;
•     Involvement in, or familiarity with country case studies conducted in 2007 as part of the 2008 Joint Evaluation or in the first phase of the present evaluation would be an asset; and
•     Demonstrated ability to prepare quality deliverables in a timely manner.

Language:

•     Excellent written and spoken English and Swahili; and
•     Knowledge of a language widely spoken in Uganda would be an asset.

Submission details:
Qualified candidates are invited to apply by submitting a cover letter, including a proposed financial rate per day, and CV (combined in one document for uploading).

Deadline Date: 09/04/2014

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