Consultancy:
International consultant, who will work as a team leader in a team with three other national consultants, to carry out “Country Programme Evaluation (CPE)” for the UNFPA`s 6th Country Programme in Mongolia.
Duration: The consultant’s work will start in the first week of April 2020, and continues for 50 working days
Closing date: 10 February 2020 (5 pm Ulaanbaatar time)
Background:
UNFPA Mongolia is currently implementing its 6th country programme 2017-2021 (CP6) as per the UNDAF 2017-2021. The programme is in alignment with Mongolia’s Sustainable Development Vision (SDV) 2016-2030, and contributes to the two outcomes of the UNFPA Strategic Plans (SP) 2014-2017 and 2018-2021, utilizing the business model of policy and advocacy for a pink country based on evidence and international knowledge. CP6 aims at achieving the following results:
The consultant will work closely with the UNFPA Assistant Representative. The reporting requirements, formats and deadlines will be confirmed during the first briefing session when the consultant will arrive to Mongolia.
The overall supervision for the international consultant will be provided by UNFPA Assistant Representative.
• SP Outcome 2: Increased priority on adolescents, especially on very young adolescent girls in national development policies and programmes, particularly increased availability of comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health.
CPD Output 1: Enabling policy and regulatory environment is enhanced for adolescents and youth to benefit from quality sexual and reproductive health services.
CPD Output 2: Policy environment is improved for the design and implementation of life skills education and comprehensive sexuality education programmes based on human rights and gender equality.
CPD Output 3: National platforms for youth participation are strengthened and expanded to ensure the voice of adolescents and youth, especially girls, in national laws, policies and programmes.
• SP Outcome 3: Advanced gender equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and reproductive rights, including for the most vulnerable and marginalized women, adolescents and youth.
CPD Output 4: National protection systems are strengthened to address violence against women and girls realizing their sexual and reproductive health and rights, including humanitarian settings.
CPD Output 5: Multisectoral coordination and response are enhanced to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
Scope of work:
The evaluation will cover the following two programmatic areas: Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender Equality with specific focus on Gender based violence (GBV). Moreover, the evaluation will cover all programmatic interventions planned and implemented during the period from January 2017 to April 2020. Cross-cutting areas such as partnership, resource mobilization and CP communication and advocacy interventions will be covered. The CPD6 has been implemented at the national level, however, individual projects have had specific geographic focus. For example: Telemedicine project on Maternal and Child Health covered all 21 provinces while Integrated Support Programme had specific focus in Umnugobi province. Gender based project has been implemented in 7 provinces and 2 districts of Ulaanbaatar city. The evaluation will cover the national and sub-national levels (provincial and districts). Therefore, at least 2 provinces and one district of Ulaanbaatar will be selected to measure the extent of implementation of the CPD6 at the sub-national level. Sites will be selected based on the discussion with Evaluation team members.
The evaluation will unfold in phases that are outlined below:
1. Design phase
• Conduct desk review of all relevant documents available at UNFPA headquarters, regional office and country office levels regarding the country programme for the period under assessment: 2017-2020
• Develop a stakeholder map – The evaluation team will prepare a map of stakeholders relevant to the evaluation and strength of relationship to programme. The mapping exercise will include state, civil-society stakeholders and other development actors including, sister UN agencies and bilateral donors;
• Review the programme Theory of Change (TOC) – revisit the existing TOC that links planned activities to the intended results of the programme;
• Develop the evaluation matrix – finalize the evaluation questions, identify related assumptions and indicators to be assessed, and data sources (see CPE Handbook);
• Develop a data collection and analysis strategy including all data collection tools and protocols as well as a concrete work plan for the field phase, including division of labor;
• Specify limitations and challenges expected to conduct the evaluation and any mitigation efforts to be taken to overcome these.
• Share with ERG for discussion and finalization of the design report addressing all comments received.
• Clearance of the design report by the Regional M&E Advisor and CO Approval of the design report.
At this stage, the evaluators gain an in-depth understanding of both the UNFPA CP and the country context. Evaluation questions are selected and adapted and the most appropriate method of data collection and analysis are proposed. From a sampling framework of comprehensive stakeholder’s map, the evaluators select a sample of stakeholders to interview during the field phase. The methodological approach to sampling will also be described.
At the end of the design phase, the evaluation team will produce a design report, that will outline the detailed evaluation methodology, criteria, timeframes and the structure of the final report. The design report must include the evaluation matrix, stakeholders map, final evaluation questions and indicators, evaluation methods to be used, information sources, approach to and tools for data collection and analysis, calendar work plan, including selection of field sites to be visited – prepared in accordance with the UNFPA Evaluation Handbook “How to Design and Conduct a Country Programme Evaluation”. The design report should also present the programme intervention cause-and-effect logic linking actual needs, inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes of the programme. The design report needs to be reviewed by the evaluation manager and approved by the Regional M&E advisor before the evaluation field phase commences. With the assistance of the evaluation manager, the evaluators perform these tasks in close cooperation with the UNFPA CO personnel, particularly with a view to: (i) refining the evaluation questions; (ii) consolidating the stakeholders mapping; and (iii) identifying additional documentation.
2. Field phase
After the design phase, the evaluation team will undertake a three-week collection and analysis of the data required in order to answer the evaluation questions final list consolidated at the design phase. The Country Evaluation Team will collect primary data through individual interviews, group discussions and focus group discussions, and by way of consulting additional documentation. Team will also collect secondary data during the field phase. Towards the end of the field phase, the evaluators analyze and triangulate the collected data and produce a set of preliminary findings, complimented by tentative conclusions and emerging, preliminary recommendations. These provisional evaluation results are presented to the Evaluation Reference Group and the CO staff during a debriefing meeting to be scheduled at the end of the field phase.
3. Reporting phase
During this phase, the Evaluation Team will continue the analytical work initiated during the field phase, taking into account comments made by the CO staff, partners and Evaluation Reference Group under the leadership of the Evaluation Team Leader.
The evaluators submit a draft final evaluation report to the evaluation manager. The evaluation manager reviews and quality assures draft report; the criteria outlined in the “Evaluation Quality Assessment Grid” will be used to quality assure the report. Upon evaluation manager’s consideration of the draft evaluation report being of adequate quality, the report is shared with the ERG for comments while respecting the independence of the evaluation team in expressing its judgement. Based on the evaluation manager and the reference group’s comments, including comments from the regional M&E adviser, the evaluators proceed with the production of the final evaluation report.
The final report will be cleared by the CO and submitted to the Regional M&E Advisor for approval. The quality of the report will be assessed based on the criteria set out in the Evaluation Quality Assessment grid of the Evaluation Handbook (Annex 6) by the Regional M&E Advisor. Once accepted, the Regional M&E Advisor will submit the final report to EO to conduct the external quality assessment of the evaluation report.\
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered The evaluation will start in the first week of April, 2020, and continues for 70 working days. The selected consultant (Team leader) will be responsible for:
▪ Providing overall leadership on the independent evaluation of the UNFPA CPE based on inputs and insights from the other consultants in the evaluation team;
▪ Supervising and coordinating the work of evaluation team members and responsible for the quality assurance of all evaluation deliverables
▪ Developing the design report including the evaluation matrix and the work plan;
▪ Collecting information, conducting desk reviews of relevant documents and interviews with key stakeholders;
▪ Compiling the first comprehensive draft of the evaluation report, addressing the comments from ERG to produce the 2nd draft and final evaluation report in line with UNFPA evaluation quality standards;
▪ Ensuring that all the evaluation team members selected to work under his/her supervision are fully briefed about the whole evaluation process, objectives, methodology framework, evaluation tools, ethical standards, and key milestones/deliverables.
The selected consultant (Team leader) will be responsible for:
Providing overall leadership on the independent evaluation of the UNFPA CPE based on inputs and insights from the other consultants in the evaluation team;
Supervising and coordinating the work of evaluation team members and responsible for the quality assurance of all evaluation deliverables
Developing the design report including the evaluation matrix and the work plan;
Collecting information, conducting desk reviews of relevant documents and interviews with key stakeholders;
Compiling the first comprehensive draft of the evaluation report, addressing the comments from ERG to produce the 2nd draft and final evaluation report in line with UNFPA evaluation quality standards;
Ensuring that all the evaluation team members selected to work under his/her supervision are fully briefed about the whole evaluation process, objectives, methodology framework, evaluation tools, ethical standards, and key milestones/deliverables.
Qualifications and requirements
Advanced degree in evaluation, development studies, public health, population and gender studies or any other social science studies;
At least 15 years’ proven experience in conducting evaluations in the field of development for UN organizations or other international organizations;
Experience in leading complex programme and/or country-level evaluations;
Experience in the Asia region and preferably in Mongolia
Strong technical and analytical capacities and demonstrated knowledge of evaluation methods and techniques for data collection and analysis, an understanding of UNFPA mandate or the ICPD agenda
Excellent leadership, communication ability, and excellent writing skills in English
Familiarity with UNFPA or UN
Ability to lead a diverse team.
Duration and working schedule The consultant is expected to work full time for 70 working days (1 working day is ~8 hours) in Mongolia. Local travel on weekend will not add to working days. A detailed work plan with time-bound deliverables will be developed and agreed during the contracting process.
Expected travel Travel within the city will be required to meet with key stakeholders, such as government, ministries, hospitals, outpatient clinics, academic institutions, accreditation authorities and other relevant organizations. At least two project sites at provincial level are expected to be visited, and travel may happen during weekend.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested individuals are encouraged to thoroughly review the above Terms of Reference for the assignment. Please send your application electronically to the email address: vacancy@unfpa.org.mn before the deadline.
The application should include:
Completed and signed UN personal history form-P11 which is available on the above (Supplemented with CV, scanned copy of Diplomas and Certificates, and National ID).
Brief description of the approach to work
Price offer using the above Price quotation form (the price offer is subject to negotiation by UNFPA should it exceed allowed threshold)
Contact person: B.Tsetsenbaatar, E-mail: batsuuri@unfpa.org
UNFPA Mongolia Country Office
Floor 4, UN House, UN Street 14, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 14201
Tel: 976-11-353503, extension 3355
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
