Senior Evaluation Consultant

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Key deliverables: 1. Initial review of documents, participation in preliminary meetings, and inputs on the finalizations of data collection instruments 2. Notes and summaries based on the desk review, interviews and focus group discussions 3. Inputs for the drafting of the final report

Work Location

Home based with potential travel to Amman, Jordan

Expected duration

15 December 2023 - 30 April 2024

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND

The Evaluation Division of UNRWA’s Department of Internal Oversight Services (DIOS) will be undertaking a series of real time operational reviews of the Agency’s response to the complex emergency and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The reviews will serve a dual purpose: to capture lessons being learned given the extraordinary context and distinctive operational environment shaping UNRWA’s response, and to provide insights on factors hindering operations to inform improvements to the Agency’s activities.

UNRWA has an emergency management framework to guide its response activities. This framework has been systematically refined and adapted following each major Gaza crisis informed by internal reviews and lessons learned activities, emergency simulations, and from results of externally led boards of inquiry. However, this emergency framework is being tested by the unprecedented military offensive taking place in Gaza and the limits on fuel and humanitarian aid being made available to the Gaza Strip. The effects of the war — including mass displacement (1.7 million people since 7 October), overstretched shelters (hosting nearly 9,000 IDPs per shelter) and widespread destruction to infrastructure and Agency installations — have eclipsed the emergency scenarios forecast. Furthermore, there is a high risk of escalation necessitating expanded humanitarian actions in the Lebanon and West Bank fields of operation.

Against this context, the DIOS Evaluation Division will be conducting, through a phased and iterative approach, real-time operational reviews to capture lessons and insights from emergency management and humanitarian response activities in Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon. The reviews will explore the distinctive context and challenges influencing the Agency’s work to capture lessons to guide future operations, and they will provide recommendations for corrective actions based on learning on bottlenecks and constraints influencing the response. The aim is to provide rapid feedback to colleagues involved in the Agency’s emergency response and to enhance the coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of the current and subsequent phases of the Agency’s work.

Starting in December 2023, DIOS will conduct a series of operational reviews with aims to provide coverage across key critical operational areas and themes, including for example internal and external coordination, shelter response, protection, water and sanitation, health services, procurement and logistics, surge management and communication.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall guidance of the Evaluation Team Leader, the consultant will serve as a core team member and contribute to the preparation, research and reporting phases of the real time operational reviews of the UNRWA emergency response to the Gaza crisis.

The consultant will be expected to complete the following activities and deliverables in support of each operational review:

1- Preparation and research phase (December 2023 - January 2024) • Participate in briefings with relevant UNRWA emergency team members and conduct an initial review of documents. • Support in developing and finalizing specific components of the operational review, including the methodology and approach and data collection tools. Lead specific data collection activities, including specific desk-based research. • Lead or co-lead key informant interviews and focus group discussions. • Provide overall guidance and technical support to the team from an emergency humanitarian perspective. • Contribute to the final analysis and discussion of findings within the team to reach preliminary conclusions and recommendations.

2- Reporting phase (January - April 2024): • Participate in meetings and briefings to discuss preliminary findings, as needed. • Draft specific sections of the results reporting and provide inputs to draft reports. • Support the incorporation of feedback from key stakeholders to draft reports.

Qualifications/special skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED EXPERIENCE • Crisis evaluation experience – Demonstrated experience in leading or participating in evaluative activities to inform lessons in humanitarian response to complex emergencies. • Humanitarian or development programme experience – At least 10 years of relevant professional experience and depth of understanding of humanitarian and development operations in protection, food security, water and sanitation, shelter, health and/or education. • Expertise in data collection and analysis – In-depth knowledge and proven experience in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and tools, and in the analysis of results with the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from data. • Communication and reporting skills – Excellent English communication skills and proven experience in producing high-quality, accessible evaluation reports and summaries that convey complex information clearly to various stakeholder groups. • Educational qualifications - An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in international development, humanitarian assistance or other related fields.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS • Professional work experience in the MENA region; • Knowledge of the United Nations humanitarian mandates; • Familiarity with UNRWA and its programmes; and • Understanding of the Palestinian refugee context would be advantageous.

COMPETENCIES • Professional foundation and technical skills in evaluation, including quality standards, real-time evaluation approaches, methods and data analysis, reporting findings, conclusions and recommendations; • Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and on a team; • Management skills including work planning; • Demonstrated communication and facilitation skills; • Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings; • Excellent writing skills in English.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

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.