Evaluation Specialist (Research)

Job Title: Evaluation Specialist (Research)

Organization: UNICEF

Job no: 563816
Contract type: Temporary Appointment, 8 Months
Duty Station: Bujumbura
Level: P-3
Location: Burundi
Categories: Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

Opened only for non-Burundians only

TOR TA Research and Evaluation Specialist.pdf

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, care

In Burundi, UNICEF has a very diverse portfolio of responsibilities but all with the same objective which is to assist the Government and other stakeholders to fulfill children’s economic, social, cultural, political, and civil rights. The UNICEF country program in Burundi aims to improve the lives of children and women in the following key areas: Child and maternal health, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Water, sanitation and hygiene, Social policy and advocacy, Adolescent empowerment and community resilience, and Humanitarian response.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of Chief Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, the incumbent will be accountable for the conduct of quality evaluation, research, and studies as well as strengthening the capacities of UNICEF staff and partners on this thematic with the following main responsibilities:

• Quality assurance of evaluations

UNICEF-supported evaluations attain established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders for improving programme performance and contributing to national and corporate learning.

• Technically support programme partners to formulate Terms of Reference and evaluation designs of high quality, when relevant drawing on the know-how of knowledge institutions, in compliance with the organization’s programme evaluation policies and guidelines.
• Monitor and ensure the quality of the field work and data management during the implementation phase, and the quality of the analysis and ease of understanding during the report writing phase.   
• Disseminate evaluation findings and recommendations to the intended audiences in user-friendly methods. In particular, to ensure that effective participatory feedback is provided to community and civil society stakeholders. 
• Monitor and ensure that a management response to the findings and recommendations of the evaluation is completed, recorded, and followed up for implementation. Most specifically, ensure that evaluation recommendations are submitted to the Country Management Team and follow-up actions recorded in CMT minutes. Submit electronic copies of all evaluations to NYHQ via the Evaluation Data Base web portal, with full accompanying documentation.
• The incumbent will specifically be expected to work on the following evaluations:
• Support the launch of the Early Childhood Development program impact evaluation
• Ensure the follow up and closure of the following Management Response plans (Education reform evaluation, System Strenghtening Evaluation, CLTS evaluation)
• Support the quality assurance of ongoing flagship research and studies (Operational research on the recognition/certification of non-formal and informal education skills for youth and adolescents in Burundi, Feasibility study of the systematization of the preschool class.)

• Monitor and support the implementation of a realistic plan of research and studies which contributes to organizational learning

• Regularly track progress and report to senior management on the implementation of the 2022 Plan for Research and Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation.
• Ensure that the activities in the Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation plan are recorded and updated in the Evidence Information Systems Integration (EISI).
• Assist with the peer review process of major research and study projects planned in 2022, particularly those in link with ECD, Climate Change and Adolescent agenda. (flagship research and studies of BCO in 2023 include : Operational research on the recognition/certification of non-formal and informal education skills for youth and adolescents in Burundi, Feasibility study of the systematization of the preschool class.)
• Pay attention to research, study and evaluation knowledge networks to identify innovations and lessons learned that may be relevant for the CO and partners.
• Advocate for an increased consultation and participation of children and adolescents in planning, research, study and evaluation projects.
• Provide technical and ethical guidance for children consultation (for example for the UNDAF evaluation, the Country Common Analysis, etc.)
• Reinforce the link between research, studies and evaluation projects to accountability to affected persons (AAP) initiatives.
• Organize and facilitate bimonthly meetings with the office Research, Study and Evaluation taskforce, to ensure the sharing of information among key members of the office and to monitor the proper integration of study, research and evaluations findings into programme implementation
• Monitor the implementation of the knowledge management plan
• Develop a plan to follow up and consolidate research, studies and evaluation dissemination efforts
• Collect and compile UNICEF knowledge for internal and external audience on relevant platform
• Strengthen quality assurance processes for UNICEF knowledge products
• Coordinate knowledge production and exchange with partners on priority areas.

• Coordination and Networking

The UNICEF office is linked to wider UNICEF M&E developments in way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning on effective M&E management. 

• Collaborate with Regional Evaluation Advisers and HQ Evaluation Office for overall coordination of priority evaluation activities, especially those of regional scope requiring the coordinated effort of multiple countries.  
• Partner with the Regional Evaluation Adviser to ensure that current and accurate evaluation data and results are included in regional reports, multi-country studies, and knowledge sharing networks.   
• Undertake lessons-learned reviews on successful and unsuccessful evaluation practices and experience at the national level, and ensure they are shared as appropriate. Similarly, pay attention to evaluation knowledge networks to identify innovations and lessons learned that may be relevant for the CO and partners to improve their evaluation function. 
• Support interventions related to National Evaluation Capacity Development, specifically collaborate with UN partners, VOPE and Government on the elaboration of a NECD plan for the upcoming CPD.

Performs other related duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the success of the team, including guiding, training, and coaching short-term staff, including interns and consultants, as needed. Ensuring the OIC for the Report Specialist position

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience at national and international level. Emergency experience is an asset.
• Fluency in English and good working knowledge of French. Fluency in another UN Language and in the national language of the duty station an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable  female applicants and people living with disability are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Advertised: 07 Jul 2023 South Africa Standard Time
Deadline: 21 Jul 2023 South Africa Standard Time

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