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Title

Evaluation Consultant Team (UNDP/GEF project)
Posted
Reference   (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors Terrestrial / Aquatic Ecology & Conservation
Location Guinea - Africa
Type Temporary / Contract / Seasonal
Status Full Time
Level Mid Level
Deadline 25/09/2009
Company Name United Nations Development Program
Contact Name Human Resources
Website Further Details / Applications
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Directory Entry : UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. For environmental jobs with UNDP visit their website. Or for more environmental jobs search environmentjobs.com
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Description
In accordance with UNDP/GEF M&E policies and procedures, all projects with long implementation periods (e.g. over 5 or 6 years) are strongly encouraged to conduct mid-term evaluations (MTE). According to the project document of the above-mentioned project, two MTEs are foreseen, the first one after three years of implementation. The UNDP Country Office (CO) in Guinea is hence commending the first independent mid-term evaluation (MTE) of the above mentioned project.
Being a one of the highest priorities for conservation in West Africa and also a chimpanzee habitat within the threatened forests of the Guinean hotspot, the Mont Nimba ecosystem is home to about 85% of the species that comprise the biological diversity of Guinea. The Nimba Transfrontier Mountain Chain is also rich in iron ore. The area has been gazetted in Guinea since 1944 as a National Park and currently counts on protection from two international protected area (PA) categories: Man and Biosphere Reserve (1980) and World Heritage Site (1981). The later has however been in UNESCO’s list of sites in peril since 1992 due to a decision by the Guinean State to finally exploit iron ore resources on the Nimba Mountains after many years of State sponsored prospecting.
The project is to be implemented over a nine-year period, having started in mid-2005 and being expected to end in mid-2014. Five outcomes will contribute to the achievement of the project objective (Core areas of the Nimba Mountains Biosphere Reserve protected in a manner compatible with local sustainable development needs):
1.       Ecological integrity assured for the three Core Areas of the Nimba Mountains Biosphere Reserve
2.       Sustainable land use and agricultural revenues of local people increased on the basis of more productive practices.
3.       Local needs for animal protein more fully met using practices that do not damage wildlife
4.       Improved health conditions, in particular among the neighbouring villages subject to constraints from the Reserve
5.       Strengthened capacity of the Reserve’s management structures, mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation, and contribution to national protected area system
Project execution is assured by the Ministry of Environment through the Centre de Gestion de l’Environnement du Nimba et du Simandou (CEGENS) using UNDP’s national execution modality (NEX). In its role as GEF implementing agency, UNDP provides strategic, technical and administrative support to the Project Office based in Lola, Southern Guinea. UNDP is also investing core funds in the project, which is currently one of the largest managed by the UNDP Conakry CO. Project supervision is ensured from UNDP’s Environment and Energy Group (EEG) Regional Coordination Unit.
As for the project’s co-financiers and partners, UNESCO, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and are expected to provide advice on research, training needs and management of the project. Due to the presence of an iron ore mining enclave in the core area of the MNBR, the project is also expected to develop a partnership with the mining concession holder, Euro Mines Consortium, represented by the national company SMFG (Société des Mines de Fer de Guinée) and lead by the international mining giant BHP Billiton.
For the complete TOR for this evaluation in English and French, pls contact Mr.  Gabriel Legba-Mony gabriel.legba-mony@undp.org in the UNDP CO Guinea, or Ms. Fabiana Issler fabiana.issler@undp.org  in UNDP EEG Regional Coordination Unit.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The project MTE serves as an agent of change and plays a critical role in supporting accountability. Its main objectives are:
* To strengthen the adaptive management and monitoring functions of the project,
* To ensure accountability for the achievement of the GEF objective,
* To enhance organizational and development learning,
* To enable informed decision-making.
As an integral part of the project cycle, the evaluation will analyze the achievements of the project against its original objectives. The evaluation will consider the effectiveness, efficiency, relevant, impact and sustainability of the project. It will also identify factors that have facilitated or impeded progress towards the achievement of the objectives and correct the course of the project, so that it can perform better and achieve its objectives in a cost-effective manner.
In this attempt to correct the course of the project, the MTE in expected to touch upon issues of performance, project design, project strategy, reporting, M&E, use of technical assistance, the relationship with the mining company, with UNDP and relevant government bodies, as well as the effective use of financial resources.
While a thorough assessment of the progress of implementation to date is important, the evaluation is also expected to result in a set of practical recommendations addressed to the project’s key stakeholder and lessons learned to assist in defining the future direction of the project.
The evaluation will be carried out by the team through documentation review, interviews and field visits to the NMBR, Nzerekoré and Lola.
The engagement of one international evaluator and two national evaluators has been budgeted for the proposed evaluation team. The team is expected to combine international calibre evaluation expertise with knowledge of the environment sector in Guinea. The team will be assisted by the Environment Unit of the UNDP Office and by project staff in Nimba.
Encompassing approximately seven (07) effective working weeks of minimum 6 days each between September 2009 to January 2010 (taking into account translation and review times and possible delays in the conclusion of these tasks due to the holiday period), evaluation consultants will produce the following main MTE products:
        Mid-term evaluation report: Based on the above points, the evaluation should provide a document of approximately 40 pages indicating what project activities, outputs and impacts have been achieved to date, and specifically: (1) Assess the extent to which the project objectives have been met and where gaps are evident; (2) Draw lessons learned from the experiences of the project, in particular those elements that have worked well and those that have not; (3) Provide recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, impact, implementation, execution and sustainability of the project. The MTE report will be made available in French and English (the UNDP will arrange the translation and evaluators will help review the translation). Whether the original language of the report is English or French will depend on the profile of the international evaluator. Regardless, the report is to be made available in both languages.
         A Power-Point presentation (in French) of the findings of the evaluation: Depending upon the complexity of the evaluation findings, the UNDP Office in Guinea could consider organizing a stakeholders’ meeting (e.g. an extraordinary project steering committee meeting) at which to make a presentation of preliminary findings to the partners and stakeholders.

 

Competencies

  • Professional maturity, high ethical values and strong analytical skills
  • Ability to communicate effectively in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences
  • Skills in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations
  • Skills in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others
  • Skills in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise

 

Required Skills and Experience

The engagement of one international evaluator and one national evaluator has been budgeted for the proposed evaluation team. The team is expected to combine international calibre evaluation expertise with knowledge of the environment sector in Guinea. The team will be assisted by the Environment Unit of the UNDP Office and by project staff in Nimba.
Team Qualities:
  • Recent knowledge of result-based management evaluation methodologies
  • Recent knowledge of participatory monitoring approaches
  • Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios
  • Recent knowledge of the GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy
  • Experience applying UNDP’s results-based evaluation policies and procedures
  • Competence in Adaptive Management, as applied to conservation or natural resource management projects
  • For the international consultant, experience in biodiversity issues and rural development
  • For the national consultant, familiarity with the NMBR and, more generally, in protected area policies and management structures in Guinea
  • Demonstrable analytical skills
  • Experience with multilateral or bilateral supported conservation projects
  • Both team members with excellent French communication skills (oral, written and presentation)
  • At least one team member with excellent ability to speak and write English.
Individual consultants are invited to submit applications together with their CV for a position. Applications are welcome from anyone who feels they can contribute to the team because they possess three or more of the listed expertise topics. Obviously, the more qualities that can be demonstrated, the better the chances of selection are.
Joint proposals from two independent evaluators are welcome. Or alternatively, proposals will be accepted from recognized consulting firms to field a complete team with the required expertise within the evaluation budget.
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