Midterm Review Consultant

Contract

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Result of Service

The objectives of the work are to support the UNEP/Industry and Economy Division/Chemicals and Health branch/ GEF C&WU by conducting Midterm Review for the project “Communication Coordination and Knowledge Management” (GEF ID 10266). The Review Consultant will be responsible, in close consultation with the UNEP Project Manager, for overall management of the Review and timely delivery of its outputs, described above. The Review Consultant will ensure that all review criteria and questions are adequately covered.

Work Location

The work will be home-based with at least one visit to Geneva to meet with the GGKP team to present the findings of the mid-term review.

Expected duration

5.5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Setting: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP's Economy Division is to encourage decision-makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit of the Chemicals and Health Branch is responsible for the development and management of all GEF projects implemented by UNEP in the Chemicals and Wastes focal area. The Programme Management Officer is primarily responsible for the supervision of and support to the GEF Unit Task Manager (GEF implementation) team based in Geneva and Nairobi and home based for consultant. The team is responsible for the identification, development and implementation of projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by UNEP. UNEP is the implementing agency (IA) for GEF projects and is tasked to carry out Midterm Reviews (MTR) of eligible projects as per the GEF and UNEP evaluation rules. To carry out such reviews of project, UNEP requires the services of specialized consultants to measure progress made towards the achievement of outcomes and to provide necessary recommendations. To this end, project entitled “Communication, Coordination and Knowledge Management” (GEF ID 10266) requires carrying out an MTR. It is a Child Project under the GEF/UN Environment “Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in SIDS (ISLANDS)” a GEF programmatic Chemicals and Waste focal area initiative in thirty three beneficiary countries across the Atlantic, Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean regions: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia (federal states of), Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome e Principe, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. This MTR will analyse whether the child project is on-track, what problems or challenges the project is encountering, and what corrective actions are required. The MTR will assess project performance to date (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency), and determine the likelihood of the project achieving its intended outcomes and supporting their sustainability. Reporting Lines: Under the overall supervision of the GEF C&W Unit portfolio manager, the consultant shall report directly to the GEF C&W Task Manager on day-to-day basis. Final deliverables shall also be approved by the C&W Portfolio Manager. Specific duties and responsibilities: All the activities related to the MTR are to be carried out as per UNEP Evaluation Policy and the UNEP Programme Manual. The Mid-Term Review will use a participatory approach whereby key stakeholders are kept informed and consulted throughout the review process. Both quantitative and qualitative review methods will be used as appropriate to determine project achievements against the expected outputs, outcomes and impacts. It is highly recommended that the Review Consultant maintains close communication with the project team and promotes information exchange throughout the review implementation phase in order to increase their (and other stakeholder) ownership of the review findings. The Review Consultant should provide a geo-referenced map that demarcates the area covered by the project and provide geo-reference photographs of key intervention sites (e.g. sites of habitat rehabilitation and protection, pollution treatment infrastructure, etc.) The findings of the Review will be based on the following: - A desk review of: • Relevant background documentation, inter alia: • Project Document and Appendices • Project design documents (including minutes of the project design review meeting at approval); Annual Work Plans and Budgets or equivalent, revisions to the project (Project Document Supplement), the logical framework and its budget; • Project reports such as annual program report, quarterly progress and financial reports, progress reports from collaborating partners, meeting minutes, relevant correspondence etc.; • Budget revisions • Evaluations/Reviews of similar projects. • Project Review meeting summary - Interviews (individual or in group) with: • UNEP ISLANDS Lead, UNEP Project Manager and team members; • Representatives of Implementing Agencies (FAO, UNDP and IDB) and respective executive agencies • ISLANDS child projects project managers, communication officers; • UNEP Fund Management Officer (FMO); • GEF Secretariat; • GGKP team members • Executing agencies for the regional child projects. • Convention Secretariats • GEF independent evaluation office • Sample of government representatives from the child projects. - Field visits: at least one visit to Geneva to meet with the GGKP team to present the findings of the mid-term review. - Other data collection tools: to be determined by the Review Consultant at the inception phase. The Review Consultant will prepare: • Inception Report: (see Annex 3 of these TOR for guidance on structure and content) containing confirmation of the results framework and Theory of Change 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, act as a means to ensure all information sources have been accessed and provide an opportunity to verify emerging findings. • Draft and Final Review Reports: (see Annex 4 for guidance on structure and content) containing an Executive Summary that can act as a stand-alone document; detailed analysis of the review findings organised by review criteria and supported with evidence; lessons learned and recommendations and an annotated ratings table. Review of the draft Review Report. The Review Consultant will submit a draft report to the UNEP Project Manager and revise the draft in response to their comments and suggestions. Once a draft of adequate quality has been peer-reviewed and accepted, the Project Manager will share the cleared draft report with key project stakeholders for their review and comments. Stakeholders may provide feedback on any errors of fact and may highlight the significance of such errors in any conclusions as well as providing feedback on the proposed recommendations and lessons. Any comments or responses to draft reports will be sent to the Project Manager for consolidation. The Project Manager will provide all comments to the Review Consultant for consideration in preparing the final report, along with guidance on areas of contradiction or issues requiring an institutional response. At the end of the review process and based on the findings in the Review Report, the UNEP Project Manager will prepare a Recommendations Implementation Plan in the format of a table, to be completed and updated at regular intervals, and circulate Lessons Learned.

Qualifications/special skills

A first-level university degree in environmental sciences, international development, chemicals and waste, knowledge management, communication, Small Island Developing States, or another relevant political or social sciences area is required. The years of experience are reduced by two for candidates who possess an advanced degree in the related field. A minimum of 5 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating evaluating large, regional, or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach. A good/broad understanding of Development in a Small Island Developing States context is desired. Working knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is an added advantage.

Languages

For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is a requirement. Knowledge of any other UN language is an added advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.