| Description |
| The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are extending support to the Government of Uganda towards the Conservation of Biodiversity in the Albertine Rift Forests of Uganda to support the 5 pilot local governments in developing the Local Economic Development strategies as part of the District Development plan. Background The GEF project ‘Conservation of Biodiversity in the Albertine Rift Forests of Uganda’ focuses on the northern section of the Albertine rift in western Uganda. The Albertine Rift Eco-Region is the most important forest system in Africa for biodiversity, extending across the Great Lakes Region of East and Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi). The regional level conservation planning process (2001-2003) developed a Strategic Planning Framework for the Albertine Rift Forests, recognizing six planning units at landscape level. Planning processes have now started up for all six of these units. This project focuses on Planning Unit 1, the northern section of the Albertine rift in western Uganda. This area extends from Murchison Falls National Park and Budongo Forest Reserve to forests within the Tooro-Semuliki Game Reserve at the foot of Rwenzori Mountain National Park and covers six districts: Buliisa (formed in 2006), Masindi, Hoima, Kibaale, Kyegegwa (formed in early 2010) and Kyenjojo District. The forests in the northern rift have been under increasing threat from growing commercial demands and from rural communities whose high levels of poverty make them dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods. A new Land Bill, approved in early 2010, appears to strengthen the legal rights of forest encroachers. The development of the large deposits of oil and natural gas recently discovered in the rift valley is likely also to increase demands for land. Pressures on land and forest resources, coupled with weak conservation agencies at decentralized levels, and as yet unproven collaborative management strategies with local people, have led to considerable loss of forest cover on both private and public land. This TOR provides an overview of the scope of work required for midterm evaluation of the project and spells out the role to be played by the evaluation team leader.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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The International Consultant / Team Leader will have overall responsibility for the work and operation of the evaluation team, including the coordination of inputs from different team members. The Team Leader is responsible and overall accountable for the production of the agreed products. In addition to the above the Team Leader is responsible for the following:
- Review of documentation to be provided by the project (implementation/evaluation reports)
- Conduct fieldwork together with the national consultant and interview stakeholders, national and local Government officials, and communities (especially private forest owners) to generate authentic information and opinions.
- Write and compile the information and reports as needed.
- Responsible for presentation of key findings highlighting achievements, constraints, and make practical recommendations to decision makers and stakeholders.
- Finalize the Mid-term Evaluation Report. Outputs/Deliverables The Evaluation Team Leader shall work closely with the project team, UNDP staff and key stakeholders to deliver the following;
- Inception Report including detailed methodology
- Field work debriefing before draft report writing
- Draft Evaluation Report
- PowerPoint Presentation for UNDP and stakeholders
- Final Evaluation Report The expected format of the draft and final reports will be based on the structure of UNDP evaluation report guidance.
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Competencies
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Technical/Functional Competencies:
- Strong analytical aptitude and effective interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
- Effective organizational and team work capacities.
Computer proficiency:
- MS Office Personal Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards.
- Positive, constructive attitude and consistently approaches work with energy.
- Demonstrates openness to change and
- ability to receive/integrate feedback.
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Required Skills and Experience
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- PhD or MSc degree and at least 10 years experience in natural resources/forest management, protected area management, or related fields.
- Familiarity with integrated conservation development projects in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, either through managing or evaluating donor-funded projects.
- Substantive knowledge of participatory monitoring & evaluation processes is essential, and experience with CBOs/community development processes and country experience in Uganda is an advantage.
- Experience in the evaluation of technical assistance projects, if possible with UNDP or other UN development agencies and major donors.
- A demonstrated understanding of GEF principles and expected impacts in terms of global benefits is essential.
- Excellent English writing and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to assess complex situations in order to screen succinctly and clearly critical issues and draw forward-looking conclusions.
- Experience in leading small multi-disciplinary, multi-national teams to deliver quality products in high stress, short deadline situations.
- Experience and demonstrated capacity to work in rural and remote localities.
- Fluent in both written and spoken English.
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