Vacancy code VA/2012/B5103/1653
Position title Terminal Evaluator, Lake Tanganyika
Level ICS-11
Department/office EMO, International Waters
Duty station Home based
Contract type International ICA
Contract level IICA-3
Duration 40 working days over 4 months
Application period 27-Dec-2012 to 06-Jan-2013
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Background Information - UNOPS
“UNOPS plays a critical role in providing management services for our life-saving, peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. I have seen many examples of how these activities help suffering people in troubled parts of the world.”
-Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General..
UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.
Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.
By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.
UNOPS employs more than 6000 personnel and on behalf of its partners creates thousands more work opportunities in local communities. With its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, a network of five regional offices and a further 20 operations and project centres, UNOPS oversees activities in more than 80 countries.
UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.
Background Information - IWC
International Waters Cluster
The UNOPS International Waters Cluster specializes in executing projects to prevent and reverse the degradation of transboundary water systems, including multi-country rivers and large marine ecosystems such as oceans, lake basins and shared groundwater resources. The cluster is executing over 30 projects for its partners, helping countries to work together and share knowledge to reduce ecological stress, such as that caused by overfishing and industrial pollution.
Background Information - Job-specific
Lake Tanganyika is a globally important hotspot of freshwater biodiversity, which contains almost 17% of the world’s available surface freshwater, and serves as an irreplaceable source of clean water, transportation and economic opportunities for an estimated 10 million people in its riparian countries.
The United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF) Project on Partnership Interventions for the Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for Lake Tanganyika aims to address major environmental challenges in the lake basin including pollution, sedimentation, habitat destruction, over exploitation of natural resources, and the effects of global climate change. The project is implemented in close collaboration with the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA), the governments of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia, as well as with a wide range of national and international partners and stakeholders.
The LTA coordinates an African Development Bank / Nordic Development fund supported Project to Support the Lake Tanganyika Integrated Regional Development Programme (PRODAP), which runs in parallel with the UNDP/GEF Project. The PRODAP focuses on addressing topics of unsustainable fisheries and pollution as well as on overall development activities. Together, these two projects comprise the Lake Tanganyika Regional Integrated Management and Development Programme (LTRIMDP).
To address major transboundary issues for sustainable management of the natural resources in the Lake Tanganyika basin,the following interventions were developed within the framework of the LTRIMDP:
Support to the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) and its Secretariat to coordinate and monitor sustainable management of the lake. (UNDP/GEF Project)
Pollution control through waste water management in Bujumbura (Burundi) and Kigoma (Tanzania). (UNDP/GEF Project and PRODAP)
Sedimentation control through catchment management interventions in the regions of Uvira (DRC), Kigoma and Rukwa (Tanzania), and Mpulungu and Kaputa (Zambia). (UNDP/GEF Project and PRODAP)
Introduction of sustainable and responsible fishery co-management regimes. (PRODAP)
Institutional support to policy process, implementation of the Convention on Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika, and the establishment and implementation of environmental monitoring programmes. (UNDP/GEF Project)
Preparation of the LTRIMDP began in 1992 with the FAO/FINNIDA funded Research for the Management of the Fisheries on Lake Tanganyika Research (LTR), during which a Framework Fisheries Management Plan (FFMP) was developed for the lake. In 1995 upon the completion of its preparatory phase (PDF-A), the Project on Pollution Control and Other Measures to Protect Biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika (LTBP) started, which was implemented by UNDP, executed by UNOPS with the financial support by GEF. The LTBP implemented a series of Special Studies as well as several management planning meetings involving national and regional stakeholders. The results of the LTBP fed into the development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and a Strategic Action Programme (SAP), which was adopted by the four governments in 2000.
From 2000 until 2003,the GEF (PDF B) funded Lake Tanganyika Management Planning Project (LTMPP) resulted in the elaboration of regional and national project proposals for the implementation of the SAP as well as the finalization of the Convention on Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika. Ratification took place by the governments of Burundi, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia in November 2008. The Convention provides for the LTA management structure to coordinate activities focusing on the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable management of the natural resources in the Lake Tanganyika basin, and forms the basis for implementation of the projects under the LTRIMDP.
The PRODAP and UNDP/GEF Project both started in 2008, with the establishment of the LTA Secretariat headquarters office in Bujumbura, Burundi. As described in the UNDP/GEF Project Document, the long-term objective of the overall LTRIMDP is improvementof the living conditions of the riparian populations through the implementation of the SAP, the FFMP and the Convention, together with ongoing and future efforts of riparian countries to bring about an integrated sustainable management and protection of Lake Tanganyika.
The project includes a Regional Component, Burundi and DRC Components, which are executed by UNOPS.Furthermore, it includes Tanzanian and Zambian Components that are executed by the governments of Tanzania and Zambia, respectively (National Execution, NEX).
Project execution for the Regional, Burundi and DRC components of the UNDP/GEF Project is the responsibility of UNOPS (through its International Waters Cluster), in accordance with UNDP and UNOPS operational and financial guidelines and procedures.
Functional Responsibilities
Objective and scope:
The project was designed to address major transboundary issues for sustainable management of the natural resourcesin the Lake Tanganyika basin. The Terminal Evaluator (TE) will cover all the five components of the project (the four Country components and the regional component). Please note that the TE for the Zambian Component has already been done through an International Consultant in June 2012. However the International Consultant undertaking the overall TE will need to consider the Zambian TE report when making his overall assessment.
The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects. The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP and/or GEF programming in the future.
An overall approach and method for conducting project terminal evaluations of UNDP supported GEF financed projects have developed over time. The evaluator is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance,effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined andexplained in the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects. A set of questions covering each of these criteria have been drafted an dare included with the TOR. The evaluator is expected to amend, complete and submit the matrix (as in the TOR) as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.
The evaluation must provide evidence‐based information that is credible, reliable and useful. The evaluator is expected to follow a participatory and consultative approach ensuring close engagement with government counterparts, in particular the GEF operational focal point, UNDP Country Office, project team, UNDP GEF Technical Adviser based in the regionand key stakeholders. The evaluator is expected to conduct a field mission to Burundi,Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia, including Bujumbura in Burundi; Uvira in Democratic Republic of Congo; Kigoma in Tanzania and Mpulungu in Zambia.
In each country, the PMU will organize a list of key institutions and individuals that will be interviewed by the Terminal Evaluation Consultants at a minimum to get a proper feel of stakeholders’ perception about the project. In addition, the PMUs will advise on at least the best 3 field sites that will be visited by the TE Consultants to cover all the key activities of the project.
The evaluator will review all relevant sources of information, such as the project document, project reports– including Annual APR/PIR, project budget revisions, midterm review report,progress reports, GEF focal area tracking tools, project files, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the evaluator considers useful for this evidence-based assessment. A list of documents that the project team will provide to the evaluator for review is included in the TOR.
Tasks:
The TE will be conducted in a participatory manner to assess project implementation and impacts. Working in collaboration with representatives of the PCU, PMU’s, UNDP Country Offices and Regional Coordination Unit, and other relevant partners, the consultant will be expected to conduct the following tasks:
Desk review of project document, work plans, outputs, monitoring reports (e.g. Inception Reports, minutes of Steering Committee meetings, other relevant meetings, Project Implementation Reports (PIRs/APRs), quarterly progress reports, and other internal documents including consultant and financial reports and the MTE reports as well as the management responses.
Review of specific products including content of the project web site, data sets, management and action plans, publications and other materials and reports.
Interviews with the Regional Project Coordinator and other project staff in the PCU.
Interviews with the National Project Managers and other project staff of the PMU’s.
Interview with the Lake Tanganyika Authority Directors.
Interviews with representatives of partner organisations involved in project implementation (ICRAF, IUCN, WWF).
Interviews with relevant stakeholders, including UNDP personnel, Partners supporting the LTRIMDP implementation including AfDB (Senior Fisheries Officer and NCU Staff), FAO, Nordic Fund, and NGOs.
Interviews with representatives of direct beneficiaries in the riparian countries
Presentation of a draft and final report.
The Evaluation will assess the key financial aspects of the project,including the extent of co-financing planned and realized
UNDP supported GEF financed projects are key components in UNDP country programming, as well as regional and global programmes. The evaluation will assess the extent to which the project was successfully mainstreamed with other UNDP priorities, including poverty alleviation, improved governance, the prevention and recovery from natural disasters, and gender.
The TE will assess the extent to which the project is achieving impacts or progressing towards the achievement of impacts. Key findings that should be brought out in the evaluations include whether the project has demonstrated: a) verifiable improvements in ecological status, b) verifiable reductions in stress on ecological systems, and/or c) demonstrated progress towards these impact achievements.
The evaluation report must include a chapter providing a set of conclusions, recommendations and lessons.
The PCU will provide the consultant with sufficient support to obtain the necessary and requested documentations as well as logistical assistance to conduct the evaluation mission.
Expected deliverables
Inception Report Evaluator provides clarifications on timing and method
Presentation Initial Findings
Draft Final Report Full report, with annexes
Final Report Revised report
The consultant would be expected to begin the desk review of project and other relevant documents prior to field visits and interviews with stakeholders and partners in the region. Detailed mission schedules will be drafted with logistical assistance by the PCU and inputs from the consultant once the candidate is selected.The TE is expected to be undertaken in two parts. Part 1 will cover the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1st February to 15th March while part 2 will cover Tanzania, Burundi and the Regional Component from 16th March to 15th May 2013. The field missions will be undertaken as follows, for DRC from 11th February to 26th February 2013 whilst that in Tanzania will be undertaken from 18th March to 3rd April 2013 while that in Burundi will be from 4th April to 11th April2013.
The draft report will need to be submitted to the UNDP Regional Office and PCU by 22nd April 2013, and be finalised before 15 May 2013.
Evaluation ethics:
Evaluation consultants will be held to the highest ethical standards and are required to sign a Code of Conduct (Annex E) upon acceptance of the assignment. UNDP evaluations are conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the UNEG 'Ethical Guidelines for Evaluations'
Payment modalities:
10 % upon submission and approval of an inception report (first week) describing outline of activities and approach.
40% following submission and approval of the 1st draft terminal evaluation report.
50% following the submission and approval (UNDP-CO and UNDP RTA) of the final terminal evaluation report.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
Advanced university degree in natural sciences.
Experience:
At least 11 years of relevant working experience in areas related to sustainable environmental natural resource management.
Familiarity with UNDP and GEF International Waters portfolio.
Previous experience with results‐based monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
Technical knowledge understanding of governance, political, economic and institutional issues associated with transboundary waters in the African region.
Substantive experience in reviewing and evaluating projects similar to that described herein, preferably those involving UNDP/GEF or other United Nations agencies and/or major donors.
Demonstrated ability to assess complex situations in order to concisely and clearly distil critical issues and draw well-supported conclusions.
An ability to assess policy and governance framework as well as institutional capacity.
Previous experience working in the Lake Tanganyika region would be advantageous.
Language Skills:
English and French required.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: 3
Contract duration: 40 working days over 4 months
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx
Additional Considerations
Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
To apply click
.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment