M&E Consultant – UNIFEM SRO
 United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
 Location: New Delhi
 Last Date: August 31, 2010
 Email: registry.unifem.in@unifem.org (Reference: DevNetJobsIndia.org)

Starting date   :  17 August  2010

Closing date  :  31 August 2010

 SSA Announcement No. UNIFEM/SRO/SSA/2010/009

Position :  M&E Consultant – UNIFEM SRO

Organization : United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

Duty Station : New Delhi, India

Duration : September 2010 - December 2010 (3 Months)

Type of Contract : SSA – (Short Service Agreement)

Terms of Reference –

I.  Background and Justification :

UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative approaches aimed at fostering women's empowerment and gender equality. UNIFEM is essentially a learning organization and strongly believes in promoting accountable and transparent processes to achieve its objectives/goals. Therefore, in its Strategic Plan (SP) for 2008-2011, UNIFEM commits itself to strengthening and sharpening the focus of monitoring and evaluation in its programmes and projects. This approach is anchored in three accountability frameworks:

·         The Development Results Framework

·         the Management Results Framework

·         the Biennium Support Budget 

UNIFEM is proposing to appoint a Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant to be assigned in its South Asia Regional Office (SARO) based in Delhi. 

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Director and the Deputy Regional Programme Director in the UNIFEM South Asia Sub Regional Office (SA SRO), the Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant will be expected to carry out the following functions :  

II. Summary of Key functions

1.  Support SA SRO in implementing Evaluation Plan

2. Coordinate the Activities of SA SRO related to Evaluation Conclave

3. Ensure continuity in Monitoring and Evaluation functions of SA SRO

4. Any other tasks assigned by the Regional Programme Director. 

1.  Support South Asia Sub Regional Office in implementing Evaluation Plan

SA SRO already has an Evaluation Plan in place. The Consultant is expected to: 

a. Lead to completion two evaluations led by SA SRO – Evaluation of SAARC Gender Info Base Programme and the Positive Women’s Network Programme. 

b. Provide support in refining TORs for Evaluations planned by Country Offices. 

c. Ensure setting up and coordinating regular inputs of Advisory Committees for all ongoing evaluations. 

2. Coordinate the Activities of SA SRO related to Evaluation Conclave  

SA SRO will be leading the introduction of three gender related sessions in evaluation during the Evaluation Conclave being organized by Sambodhi and IDRC (www.evaluationconclave.org for details). The consultant is expected to coordinate UNIFEM’s participation at the Conclave, and to specifically oversee the following: 

a. Coordinate and facilitate participants supported by UNIFEM in distribution of bursaries, DSAs and Travel arrangements 

b. Ensure local support to participants and UNIFEM staff from New York in helping them prepare for the workshop. 

c. Help UNIFEM SA SRO coordinate/ implement sessions in the Conclave that have been planned. 

3. Ensure continuity in Monitoring and Evaluation functions of SA SRO  

The M & E Consultant is also expected to coordinate with the outgoing M & E Specialist to ensure continuity in M & E functions in SA SRO, specifically on the following issues:

a. Support to SA SRO Programme and Country Office staff in day-to-day M & E related tasks such as helping in formulation of key program performance indicators, provide professional input to management reports including relevant sections of the annual reports, etc.

b. Review evaluation reports for quality assurance purposes, applying high professional standards in line with UNIFEM's Evaluation Policy and UN Evaluation Norms & Standards.

c. Provide inputs for building capacities of Programme and Country Staff, as and when needed.

4. Any other tasks assigned by the Regional Programme Director.

Deliverables :  

1. Completion of two evaluations led by SA SRO – Evaluation of SAARC Gender Info Base Programme and the Positive Women’s Network Programme.

2. Refined TORs for Evaluations planned by Country Offices

3. Set up and coordinate regular inputs of Advisory Committees for all ongoing evaluations.

4. Full coordination of UNIFEM’s participation at the Conclave.

5. Final reports and inputs related to M&E to management. 

III. Competencies/ Requirements

• Knowledge of UN context and topics. 
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of gender equality issues and more broadly, human rights issues
• Technical and professional skills:

1) Evaluation design –required competencies to identify issues that would lead to work planning items,; research relevant issues and subjects of interest for; and contribute in the development of a well-focused Terms of Reference; good understanding of various methodologies in evaluation;

2) Data collection and analysis – Has the required competencies to collect reliable, valid and accurate information in an objective way.

3) Gender analysis – has experience in conducting gender analysis; understands issues regarding gender equality and women’s rights.

• Oral and written communication: Has the required competencies to: write accurately in a clear and concise drafting style; review documents for content and style, including evaluation reports that meet UNEG reporting standards; assist with formal presentations; articulate relevant subject matter in a clear and concise way.

• Training: Has the ability to design and provide basic training on evaluation and Results Based Management, 

• Evaluation process management: Has evaluation management skills, including developing a plan and schedule, assigning tasks, ensuring milestones are met on a timely basis, ensuring project costs are within an approved budget and ensuring evaluation objectives are adequately addressed. Have competencies in working together in a professional manner with team members exhibiting patience, courtesy, cultural sensitivity and respect for others and their ideas.

Ethics: Acts according to the standards of ethical conduct for evaluators. Acts with integrity and honesty in relationships with all stakeholders 

IV. Recruitment Qualifications 

Education : Masters degree in social science or related field and/or evaluation of public policy related field; 

Experience :

·         A minimum of 7 - 10 years professional experience, preferably in the field of evaluation;

·         Experience in the management of gender equality programmes, or analytic work in gender and development, gender analysis and/or human rights;

·         Good knowledge of results based management (RBM).

·         Background in international relations and knowledge of current development issues;

·         Experience related to UNIFEM's mandate and activities an asset;

·         Field work experience desirable; 

Language Requirements:

·         Fluency in English and working knowledge of local language.   

Interested applicants should apply for the vacancy, using the “Personal History Form - P 11” and the latest CV.

Application to this vacancy should be sent to registry.unifem.in@unifem.org. Please insert Announcement Number in the Subject of the E-mail. Applications without the Vacancy Number or with the incorrect Vacancy Number will not be accepted.

NOTE : Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.