Evaluation Officer (GEF Coordinator)

Job Description – Evaluation Officer (GEF Coordinator) (2302976) Job Description 2302976 Job Posting : 29/Sep/2023 Closure Date : 20/Oct/2023, 9:59:00 PM Organizational Unit : Office of Evaluation (OED) Job Type : Staff position Type of Requisition : Professional Project Primary Location : Italy-Rome Duration : Fixed-term: 1 year with possibility of extension Post Number : 2009868 CCOG Code : 1A02 IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ • 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 Members and persons 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 FAO’s values • FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination • All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks • All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality • FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production , better nutrition , a better environment, and a better life , leaving no one behind. Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production , better nutrition , a better environment, and a better life , leaving no one behind. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the Specialized Agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in more than 130 countries worldwide. To this end, FAO implements a wide portfolio of projects, programmes, and initiatives across multiple sectors. These include animal production and health, fisheries, food and nutrition, food systems and safety, forestry, social protection, inclusive rural development, information management systems/data systems for monitoring and decision making, land and water, plant production and protection, and others. FAO has a growing portfolio of work in the development and humanitarian (emergency and resilience) sectors. FAO evaluates the strategic alignment, implementation, efficacy, and efficiency of its portfolio of work through its independent Office of Evaluation (OED), which is led by the Director who reports to the FAO Governing Bodies and to the Director-General. OED evaluates FAO strategies, initiatives, programmes, and projects at global, regional, and national levels. OED seeks to generate credible and useful evidence and insights to inform decisions, support oversight, and help FAO achieve its mission. In so doing, OED provides results accountability to both Members and the Director-General. OED also participates in system-wide evaluation initiatives, thereby contributing to assessments of development and humanitarian effectiveness by the UN common system. FAO has a growing portfolio of work funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) addressing the critical nexus between agriculture, climate change and the environment. The evaluation of GEF-funded projects requires coordination and support both within OED (for evaluations conducted by its independent office) and to budget holders (in case of decentralized evaluations and reviews). The incumbent will support FAO’s efforts to coordinate and enhance the evaluation of its growing GEF project portfolio. S/he will be the FAO main focal point on GEF evaluation-related matters, and will contribute to the delivery of high-quality GEF evaluations by overseen their conduct. The position is located in the Office of Evaluation at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. OED values candidates who are highly motivated to excel and want to join OED colleagues in generating transformative knowledge for FAO, its Members, and others working in the fields in which FAO operates to achieve its mission of ending hunger Reporting Lines The Evaluation Officer (GEF Coordinator) reports to the Senior Evaluation Officer. Technical Focus Planning, coordinating and monitoring the GEF evaluation portfolio. Key Results Successfully coordinated GEF-funded evaluations. Key Functions • Act as OED focal point for GEF evaluations and coordinate and monitor the GEF evaluation portfolio. • Contribute to the selection of GEF-funded project evaluations to be undertaken by OED. • Support planning and monitoring of GEF-funded project evaluations. • Provide technical guidance and organize capacity building activities for staff involved in GEF project evaluations. • Coordinate the supervision and quality assurance of GEF project evaluations, directly supervising or providing quality assurance as needed. • Liaise with the FAO GEF Coordination Unit and with the GEF Agency to ensure that GEF standards are adequately integrated into FAO evaluations and to provide information needed by the GEF Coordination Unit. • Promote learning from GEF evaluations and coordinate the preparation of learning products and dissemination events for FAO and GEF. • Lead selection and oversight of external providers contracted to carry out GEF project evaluations. • Perform other duties as required. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING • Advanced university degree in a social science field (such as economics, sociology, or psychology) or evaluation, with a focus on research and evaluation methods. • Five years of experience conducting and managing rigorous evaluations of environmental programmes in the food and agriculture sector. • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills • Ph. D. or equivalent degree is highly desirable. • Deep understanding of the GEF Agency, its projects and its evaluation policy is a strong asset. • Extent and relevance of experience in managing or leading project funded evaluations. • Extent and relevance of experience in outsourcing evaluations to external providers. • Analytical skills and ability to write clear and concise technical reports in English. • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions . ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency . ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ GENERAL INFORMATION • FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment • Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds • Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ CONDITIONS OF SERVICE A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/salary.htm Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include: • Dependency allowances • Rental subsidy • Education grant for children • Home leave travel • 30 working days of annual leave per year • Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund • International health insurance; optional life insurance • Disability protection FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes: • elements of family-friendly policies • flexible working arrangements • standards of conduct ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ HOW TO APPLY • To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills; • Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile; • Once your profile is completed, please apply and submit your application; • Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile; • Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ • Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications; • Incomplete applications will not be considered; • Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application • Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered; • Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile • We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careersfao.org J-18808-Ljbffr