The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. We are seeking to fill the position of Senior Evaluation Officer at the P5 level, based in the Office of Evaluation at our Headquarters in Rome, Italy. This is a specialist position and requires a high level of evaluation expertise.
As a major part of WFP’s accountability framework, evaluations assess the performance and results of policies, strategies, country portfolios, programmes and activities of WFP for accountability and learning to inform future direction. The Evaluation Policy 2016-2021 aims to strengthen WFP’s contribution to ending global hunger by embedding evaluation into the heart of WFP culture, ensuring evidence-based decision making in policies and programmes. In the coming period, WFP’s Office of Evaluation (OEV) will maintain its work on a variety of complex evaluations with continued innovation and improvement in evaluation quality and relevance. The Director of Evaluation reports to the Executive Director and is independent in selection, supervision and reporting on centralized evaluations to WFP’s Executive Board. At the same time, OEV will play a leading role in embedding the standards, guidance and systems necessary for high quality decentralized evaluation, aiming for comprehensive and systematic evaluation coverage and increasing use of strategic evaluation partnerships.
This job will provide independent evaluation evidence and contribute to embedding an effective evaluation culture and function throughout WFP. The Senior Evaluation Officer will be expected to lead staff working on one or more key work-streams as well as managing directly the most complex and/or sensitive evaluations. Work streams will be designated taking account of the successful candidate’s particular knowledge, skills and experience.
Reporting to the Director of Evaluation, the Senior Evaluation Officer will be responsible for the following key accountabilities:
· Contribute to the development of evaluation strategy, policies and plans to ensure: a) timely and effective approaches to evaluating the performance and results of policies, strategies, programmes and activities; and
b) application of the normative framework, quality support, assessment mechanisms and reporting on decentralized evaluation.
b) application of the normative framework, quality support, assessment mechanisms and reporting on decentralized evaluation.
· Manage high profile and/or highly complex evaluation processes and budgets from preparation and design through to completion, meeting high professional standards in line with norms and standards and codes of conduct for evaluation in the UN system, embodied in WFP’s Evaluation Quality Assurance System (EQAS) to ensure the production of independent, credible evidence and recommendations for future directions.
· Source, recruit, manage and quality assure the work of external consultants to ensure the production of evaluations that meet EQAS requirements.
· Engage stakeholder groups, both internal and external to WFP, appropriately in the evaluation process and manage communications.
· Promote WFP’s evaluation culture of accountability and learning through analysing evidence and lessons; preparing syntheses and summaries of evaluation findings and recommendations; and presenting these, tailoring messages to specific audiences and platforms; and working with internal and external stakeholders to enhance learning from and use of evaluation evidence in policy, programme and project design.
· Lead development and implementation of a specific stream of Office of Evaluation work-plan, as assigned by the Director, providing functional supervision and/or line management to other staff working on that stream; provide coaching and guidance to staff to ensure appropriate development and enable high performance, and/or second level quality assurance on a particular type(s) of evaluation.
· Lead specific evaluation expertise group(s) to enable sharing of experience and development of good practice.
· Represent the Office of Evaluation as required in inter-agency forums on evaluation issues and in professional bodies and networks, developing strategic relationships, as appropriate, to enhance WFP performance and results.
· Take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in all areas of work, to ensure equal participation of women and men.
· Perform other related duties as required.
Qualifications & Experience Required
Education:
- Advanced University degree in Economics, Social or Political Science, International Development, Evaluation, or other fields related to food security or humanitarian food assistance, or First University degree with two additional years of relevant work experience from the minimum experience requirement stated below.
Experience:
· Eleven years or more (of which at least four international) of postgraduate professional experience both in the field and in Headquarters in international development or humanitarian work, evaluation and monitoring or assessment and/or policy studies with progressively increasing responsibilities.
· Minimum 5 years specific and first-hand experience in managing and/or conducting complex evaluations (under time and financial constraints), in particular, global evaluations of policies, strategies and themes in subject areas relevant to WFP.
- Proven experience in leading and motivating multi-disciplinary teams, including highly-skilled technical experts.
Technical Skills & Knowledge:
· In-depth and up-to-date understanding of global geo-political issues relevant to WFP’s mandate and the evaluation mandate.
· In-depth knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods and ability to guide others in selecting them.
· Broad and authoritative knowledge of diverse evaluation practices, concepts and principles.
· Advanced skills in listening, influencing and interpreting evaluation evidence, management information, etc. and ability to deliver independent and credible evaluations.
· High calibre of communication skills with the ability to create clear, influential messages to senior audiences from very complex data, using a variety of communication platforms (verbally and in writing).
· Broad knowledge of internal and external best practices and partnerships to develop and implement optimal evaluation arrangements.
Competencies:
· Ability to assimilate and analyse complex issues using independent judgement and guide other staff in their analysis.
· Ability to define and adapt an evaluation function to support and align with WFP’s strategic goals.
· Ability to think strategically and apply a high level of analytical skills to bridge macro perspectives and operational issues.
Language:
· Written and oral proficiency (level C) in English and at least intermediate knowledge (level B) of another UN official language (Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian or Chinese) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages).
Non-Rotational Nature
Mobility is and continues to be a core contractual requirement in WFP. This position is however classified as “non-rotational” which means the incumbent shall not be subject to the regular reassignment process unless the position is reclassified as rotational.
Terms and Conditions
Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year.
WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, pension plan and medical insurance. For more details please visit icsc.un.org eZ
HOW TO APPLY:
Application Procedures:
Step 1: Register and create your online CV.
Step 2: Click on “Description” to read the position requirements and “Apply” to submit your application.
NOTE: You must complete Step 1 and 2 in order for your application to be considered for this vacancy.
Deadline for applications: 30 JUNE 2016
