Lead Midterm Review Consultant – GEF FARM Programme

The consultant will conduct the Midterm Review for the FARM Global Child Project and the overall FARM Programme, assessing project and programmatic outcomes, challenges, and providing strategic recommendations. The role involves coordination with multiple child projects, stakeholder consultations, and preparation of detailed evaluation reports in accordance with UNEP and GEF guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Conduct the Midterm Reviews for the FARM Global Child Project and the FARM Programme in coordination with other child project consultants.
• Manage overall review process, including compilation, technical oversight, and finalization of evaluation reports for GEF ID 10903 and the Programmatic MTR Report.
• Track progress toward project-level outcomes/outputs and Global Environmental Benefits, generating management information for programme-level synthesis.
• Review programmatic level outcomes by assessing overall programme design, governance, coordination mechanisms, progress, coherence, and alignment with GEF, UNEP, and Global Framework on Chemicals commitments.
• Synthesize crosscutting findings from child project MTRs and identify systemic risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities for scaleup.
• Formulate strategic recommendations for the remainder of the programme.
• Conduct desk review of relevant project documentation and prepare data collection instruments.
• Conduct online interviews with key stakeholders including UNEP FARM Programme Lead, Executing Agencies, GEF Secretariat, and others.
• Draft and finalize Project MTR Report and Programmatic MTR Report following UNEP evaluation office requirements and stakeholder consultations.
• Revise reports based on comments and edit final versions.
• Submit final reports and brief presentation to the Task Manager.
• Liaise with UNEP GEF C&GC Unit teams in Nairobi and Geneva to provide regular updates.
• Arrange interpretation/translation services as needed during the MTR process.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development, chemical and waste, or other relevant political or social science areas is required.
• A first-level university degree, combined with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 15 years of technical/evaluation experience in projects and programmatic approaches is required.
• Experience evaluating UNEP and/or GEF projects is desirable.
• Good/broad understanding of agricultural chemicals and agricultural plastics management issues as they relate to policy development, institutional frameworks, and value chains, gained through evaluation or advisory work on environmental, climate, or sustainability programmes.
• Working knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Working knowledge of other UN languages, including Spanish, is an asset.

Skills

• Project Evaluation
• Programmatic Approaches
• Environmental Sciences
• Chemical and Waste Management
• Agricultural Chemicals Management
• Agricultural Plastics Management
• Policy Development
• Institutional Frameworks
• Value Chain Analysis
• UNEP Project Evaluation
• GEF Project Evaluation
• Multi-Stakeholder Consultation
• Evaluation report writing
• UN System Knowledge
• Midterm Review
• Strategic Recommendations
• Environmental Programme Advisory
• Climate Programme Advisory

Languages

English, Spanish