Evaluation Specialist, P-4, Temporary Appointment (364 Days), Freetown, Sierra Leone # 116023

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, result.

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and  here

How can you make a difference?

The Evaluation & Research Specialist reports to the Chief of Evidence, Policy and Social Protection and provides technical and operational support to the Country Management Team (CMT) to ensure credibility, impartiality, and independence of the evaluation function in the CO.

The Specialist works in accordance with the norms and standards of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) and the UNICEF evaluation policy. She/he provides guidance to staff involved in managing evaluations in the Country and consults the supervisor when major policy decisions and actions must be undertaken.

Summary of key functions

1. Evaluation Leadership

In collaboration with the CMT and national partners, take the lead to develop and implement a plan of evaluation activities that will provide relevant and strategic information to manage the Country Programme and relevant national policies and programmes toward achieving results for children in both humanitarian and non-humanitarian situations.

 2. Evaluation Conduct and Use

Ensure that UNICEF-supported evaluations are designed and implemented to established UN quality standards, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion and used by stakeholders in order to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning.

 3. Evaluation Capacity Strengthening and Partnership Building

Ensure that evaluation capacities of Country Office staff and national partners – including government and civil society – are strengthened, enabling them to increasingly engage in and lead evidence generating processes.  Ensure that the Country Office is effectively linked to wider UNICEF capacity building developments in a way that both contributes to and benefits from organizational learning. 

 4. Research Management

Ensure that UNICEF-supported research is designed and implemented according to established UNICEF policies and procedures, and the results are disseminated in a timely fashion to stakeholders in order to improve programme performance and contribute to wider learning.

Please see attached ToR for detailed information.  ToR Evaluation Specialist.pdf

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

• An Advanced University degree in the social sciences, economics, public policy, statistics, or in research methods is required. A degree or certification/accreditation in Evaluation is a significant advantage.
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in the implementation of equity-focused evaluations and the management of the evaluation function at national and international level.
• Experience in development and/ or humanitarian settings is required.
• Experience in supporting national evaluation capacity and working with professional evaluation associations.
• Experience in evaluation design and in conducting evaluations as per UNICEF and UNEG norms and standards for Evaluation in the UN System.
• Familiarity with methods used in conducting both ‘up-stream’ evaluations (e.g. focusing on policies, strategies and systems), as well as ‘down-stream’ evaluations (e.g. focusing on delivery of programmes and projects) is an asset.
• Experience in related evidence functions is an asset, including Social Policy, Public Policy, Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis, Research, Programme Audit, and Programme Planning and Monitoring.  Experience in these areas cannot be substituted for the Evaluation experience but is an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3)
• Works Collaboratively with others (3)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (3)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (3)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (3)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)

Functional Competencies

• Analyzing (3)
• Deciding and Initiating action (2)
• Applying technical expertise (3)
• Planning and organizing (3)
• Persuading and Influencing (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Remarks:

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offers of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.

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