EVALUATION SPECIALIST (SEVERAL POSITIONS)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background, and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations, and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

The Office of Evaluation (OED) anchors the evaluation function in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Evaluation in FAO provides results accountability to member countries and FAO’s Director-General, and the evidence base to guide their decision-making and oversight. Evaluation also contributes to corporate learning, by offering a basis for improvements in the Organization's programmes in terms of their relevance to countries, definition of objectives, their design and implementation. OED also participates in system-wide evaluation initiatives, thereby contributing to assessments of development effectiveness by the United Nations (UN) system.

Purpose of the Call

In 2021-23, several evaluations requested by FAO’s Governing bodies, Management and resource partners will be conducted by OED andor decentralized offices. These evaluations include:

 Evaluation of FAO Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean
 Country programme evaluations in Dominican Republic, Brazil, Paraguay and El Salvador
 Project and programme evaluations in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular of GEF-funded initiatives

The purpose of this call is to identify a list of potential candidates that may be suitable for different tasks in relation to the above evaluations.

Reporting Lines

The evaluation specialists will be under the supervision of the evaluation manager assigned to the specific evaluation.

Technical Focus

The evaluation specialists will work in evaluations in various priority areas of FAO. Technical areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: food security, nutrition, rural development, agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry, climate change adaptation and mitigation. Also, they may work in the evaluation of cross-cutting themes (such as gender equality, indigenous people, capacity development and south south cooperation) and organizational structures.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The evaluation specialists will carry out specific tasks in accordance with the evaluation’s Terms of Reference, including:
 Leading and / or participating in inception phase tasks and drafting of inception reports, including evaluation framework and timeline;
 Lead and/or contribute to the development of the evaluation methodology and tools;
 Participate in field missions (when feasible) and/or briefing, debriefings and feedback sessions, including virtually;
 Conduct data collection (face-to-face when feasible, and virtual) and analysis;
 Lead and/or contribute to the drafting and finalizing of the evaluation report and/or relevant sections;
 Lead and / or contribute to the production of any other evaluation products (briefing notes/handouts, PowerPoint presentations, among others)
 Prepare and lead participatory feedback processes with key stakeholders such as FAO staff, government decision makers and development partners.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

 University degree in evaluation, agriculture, environmental studies, social and economic development, public policy, international affairs or related fields;
 Relevant experience in policy, programme or project evaluation, as follows:
o At least one year for a junior specialist
o At least five years for a mid-level specialist
o At least ten years for a senior specialist
- Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) for COF.REG. For PSA.SBS the working knowledge of only one language might be required.

FAO Core Competencies

 Results Focus
 Teamwork
 Communication
 Building Effective Relationships
 Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in designing, planning, leading, and conducting development and humanitarian evaluations and/or organizational assessments.
• Knowledge of technical work in areas such as food security, nutrition, rural development, agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry, climate change adaptation and mitigation, social cohesion and peacebuilding, etc.
• Knowledge of the socio-economic-political-cultural context of the region and/or of particular countries.
• Knowledge of FAO’s and resource partners’ policies
• Proven knowledge/experience on the theme under evaluation (for senior specialists only)
• Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese and/or French would be a plus.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency