Specialist for the Final Project Evaluation for the Caribbean Biological Corridor

Result of Service The Evaluation Specialist will:

• Conduct a preliminary desk review and introductory review with project staff.
• Carry out an assessment of project design quality and draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project.
• Prepare an evaluation framework, developing desk review and interview protocols.
• Develop and present criteria for country and site selection for the evaluation mission.
• Prepare an inception report based on the aforementioned criteria, incorporating comments received from the Evaluation Office.
• Conduct in-depth interviews with project implementing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders.
• Conduct an inception mission, as well as an evaluation review mission, to interview project partners and stakeholders and visit project locations.
• Share preliminary findings with the project team.
• Ensure that draft review report has feedback from primary stakeholders, in particular in determining any significant errors as well as providing feedback on proposed recommendations and lessons to be considered for incorporation in the final report.
• Regularly report back to the Evaluation Office on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered.
• Ensure the final evaluation report is coherent, consistent and complete, ensuring comments from relevant parties, including the Evaluation Manager, are incorporated.

Outputs:

1. Conduct an introductory review with project staff followed by a preliminary desk review of the project’s project progress reports, finalized products, outcomes, outputs and results achieved. 2. Carry out an assessment of project design quality and draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project. 3. Prepare an evaluation framework, developing desk review and interview protocols. 4. Develop and present criteria for country and site selection for the evaluation mission. 5. Prepare an inception report based on the afore-mentioned criteria, incorporating comments received from the Evaluation Office.

6. Conduct in-depth interviews with project implementing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders. 7. Conduct an inception mission, as well as an evaluation review mission, to interview project partners and stakeholders and visit project locations. 8. Share preliminary findings with the project team.

9. Share the main evaluation review report for feedback to primary stakeholders, in particular in determining any significant errors as well as providing feedback on proposed recommendations and lessons to be considered for incorporation in the final report.

10. Prepare a final evaluation report that is coherent, consistent and complete, ensuring comments from relevant parties, including the Evaluation Manager, are incorporated.

Deliverables:

Product No. 1: Inception Report for the project.

Detailed inception report assessing project design quality, reconstructed Theory of Change, stakeholder analysis, review framework and review schedule.

Product No. 2: Main Evaluation Report to be presented to primary stakeholders for feedback and comments.

Product No. 3: Final Main Evaluation report of the CBC project that incorporates comments from primary stakeholders, detailing an assessment and performance of the implementation of project activities.

Work Location Home based

Expected duration 4 months

Duties and Responsibilities 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 UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LAC Office), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The project “Strengthening the Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBC)” is framed within the “Environmental governance” sub-programme. It seeks to build a strong and sustained collective, institutionalized regional approach to the conservation, management and governance of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Caribbean Islands hotspot, focusing initially on Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with a progressive and well-structured expansion to other countries and territories. It will build and demonstrate significant positive linkages between conservation, connectivity, livelihoods and poverty reduction through selected field activities and a targeted communication programme. It will deliver a sustainable and integrated knowledge management system on biodiversity and biological connectivity, joint and harmonized policies and instruments, adequate and compatible capacity among participating countries and institutions, as well as sustained cooperation mechanisms between countries and institutions at political, scientific, technical and civil society levels. Selected field actions in this project will help raise awareness of the CBC, while alliances with programmes and stakeholders engaged in broader field actions will support achievement of the objectives of the CBC.

The specialist will provide a final evaluation of the “Strengthening the Caribbean Biological Corridor” project, as mandated by the donor, the European Union. This evaluation will provide an assessment of the performance and implementation of project activities as described in the agreement and project document with the donor.

The consultant will be under direct supervision of the Environmental Governance Regional Coordinator at the UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office, and will work from home.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: - Experience with projects from big donors desirable. - Experience managing partnerships. - Working knowledge of development oriented organizations is an added advantage. - Excellent communication skills. - Good management and organization skills. - Knowledge of the UN system, and UNEP, is desirable.

Academic Qualifications: - An advanced university degree (MA, MSc or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.

Experience: - At least 8 years in technical/evaluation experience, including evaluation of large, regional or global programmes is required. - Knowledge and experience using a Theory of Change approach (desired) - Experience in the Latin America and Caribbean region is desirable. - Broad understanding of biodiversity and conservation projects, with demonstrated experience in the field desired.

Language: - Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Excellent writing skills in English required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

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.