Principal Evaluator for the Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP/GCF project Enhanced Climate Resilience of Rural Communities in Central and North Benin

The Principal Evaluator will lead the terminal evaluation of the UNEP/GCF project focused on enhancing climate resilience of rural communities in Benin. The role involves managing the evaluation process, conducting desk reviews, field visits, stakeholder interviews, and delivering comprehensive evaluation reports over an 8-month consultancy period.

Responsibilities

• Manage the overall evaluation and timely provision of outputs in close consultation with the Evaluation Manager.
• Conduct preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff.
• Draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project and prepare the evaluation framework.
• Develop desk review, interview, and survey protocols.
• Plan the evaluation schedule and prepare the Inception Report.
• Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and stakeholders.
• Conduct evaluation missions to selected countries and visit project locations as appropriate.
• Ensure independence of the evaluation and confidentiality of interviews.
• Regularly report progress and inform the Evaluation Manager and Task Manager of any issues.
• Draft the Main Evaluation Report and finalize it incorporating comments.
• Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report.
• Prepare an Evaluation Brief summarizing key findings and lessons.
• Maintain positive relationships with evaluation stakeholders ensuring participatory but independent evaluation process.
• Communicate timely with the Evaluation Manager on issues requiring attention.
• Sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development, evaluation, public policy, political or social sciences, or another relevant field is required.
• A first level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in the same areas in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of professional evaluation experience is required, including demonstrated experience in leading and/or managing independent evaluations of development, environment and/or climate-related projects or programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting and leading country-level evaluations, including engagement with government institutions and other national stakeholders, is required.
• Experience using Theory of Change approaches and mixed-method evaluation methodologies is required.
• Evaluation experience of climate change adaptation projects is required, preferably including projects related to ecosystem-based adaptation, forest and landscape restoration, climate-resilient agriculture, rural livelihoods, institutional capacity development and/or climate information and knowledge management.
• Experience working in West Africa, preferably Benin, and experience managing evaluations or evaluating projects financed by the Green Climate Fund are desirable.
• Experience working with the UN system, specifically UNEP is desirable.
• Fluency in oral and written English and French is required.

Skills

• Project Evaluation
• Development Evaluation
• Environmental Evaluation
• Climate Change Adaptation Evaluation
• Theory of Change
• Mixed-Methods Evaluation
• Country-Level Evaluation
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Evaluation report writing
• Field Research
• Government Engagement
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation
• Climate-Resilient Agriculture
• Rural Livelihoods
• Institutional Capacity Building
• Climate Information Services
• Green Climate Fund Evaluation
• UN System Experience
• Bilingual: English/French
• Landscape Restoration

Languages

English, French