Evaluation Capacity Development and Quality Assurance Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF employs a large workforce dedicated to serving children and communities globally, fostering a culture of belonging and growth, and providing an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
The UNICEF Evaluation Office (EO) in New York HQ is responsible for global leadership and oversight of the evaluation function within the organization. The office manages independent corporate evaluations and provides technical assistance and quality assurance for evaluations commissioned at decentralized levels. The Director of Evaluation leads the global evaluation function, which aims to drive results for children through evidence-informed decision-making. The evaluation function supports learning and accountability, ensuring that UNICEF uses evaluation evidence to improve outcomes for children. The office is currently seeking an experienced evaluation capacity development consultant to refine its National Evaluation Capacity Development initiatives, particularly focusing on three key programs: InSPIRE, IMPrESS, and ExCEL. The consultant will propose innovative and cost-efficient modalities for delivering these programs while maintaining high evaluation standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for several key tasks:

• ExCEL - Executive Course for Evaluation Leaders (60%): Provide technical inputs for the new Request for Proposals for ExCEL delivery, review proposed schedules and curricula, and ensure quality assurance of ExCEL Workshop Reports.
• IMPrESS - Intermediate Moderated Programme for Evaluation Systems’ Strengthening (25%): Tailor IMPrESS for National Schools of Government, engage with stakeholders, and monitor course delivery.
• InSPIRE - Independent Self-Paced Introduction to Responsive Evaluation (5%): Conduct a curriculum alignment review against the 2023 UNICEF Evaluation Policy.
• Advisory Support to the Director of Evaluation (10%): Review the 2025 Annual Report of the Evaluation Function, focusing on Key Performance Indicators.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree in Economics, Social Science, Political Science, Education, or Training. They should have a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in evaluation and planning, with at least 5 years focused on strengthening government staff's technical and soft skills in national evaluation capacity development. Experience engaging with high-level government officials and managing training events is essential. Strong leadership skills and a proven ability to produce results are required, along with excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Educational Background:
A Master’s Degree in a relevant field such as Economics, Social Science, Political Science, Education, or Training is mandatory for this position.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 15 years of relevant working experience in evaluation, planning, or similar areas, with at least 5 years specifically in national evaluation capacity development. Experience in engaging with high-level government officials and managing training events is crucial.

Languages:
Fluency in written and oral English is required. Proficiency in another UN language, ideally French or Spanish, is also required, with a third language being highly desirable.

Additional Notes:
The contract duration for this position is 6 months. UNICEF promotes diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, or background. The organization offers reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its objectives, including discrimination and abuse. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous background checks.