National Consultant/Evaluator

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is a global champion for women's rights and gender equality, established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda. It aims to advance women's rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls. UN Women operates in multiple countries, focusing on closing the gender gap and building an equal world for women and girls. The organization collaborates with governments, women's movements, and the private sector to implement policies and programs that promote gender equality. UN Women has a significant presence in Georgia, working towards substantive gender equality and the protection of women's rights through various initiatives, including the Women's Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus project, which aims to empower women economically and socially across Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The organization emphasizes women's leadership, economic empowerment, freedom from violence, and women's participation in peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security processes, ensuring that women's rights remain central to global progress.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant/Evaluator will play a crucial role in evaluating the Women's Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus (WEESC) project, which aims to economically empower women, particularly the poor and socially excluded, in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The consultant will assess the project's results and performance, focusing on the achievement of its objectives and the effectiveness of its strategies. The evaluation will involve analyzing the relevance and coherence of the project's implementation strategy, assessing its effectiveness and efficiency, and identifying lessons learned and best practices. The consultant will work closely with an international consultant and other stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive evaluation process that includes data collection, analysis, and reporting. The consultant will also contribute to building an evidence base on effective strategies for women's economic empowerment and facilitate strategic reflection and learning for future programming in this area.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Consultant/Evaluator will be responsible for several key tasks, including:

• Supporting the International Consultant in drafting the Inception Report, which outlines the evaluation design, methodology, and evaluation questions.
• Conducting a desk review of relevant documents and data related to the WEESC project and women's economic empowerment in the region.
• Identifying and engaging with key stakeholders for interviews and focus group discussions to collect qualitative data.
• Analyzing collected data and synthesizing findings to prepare the Draft Evaluation Report, which will include case studies and recommendations.
• Presenting preliminary findings to the Management Group and incorporating feedback into the final report.
• Ensuring that the evaluation process adheres to ethical guidelines and respects the rights and confidentiality of participants.
• Collaborating with the evaluation team to ensure that the evaluation is inclusive and participatory, involving project beneficiaries and stakeholders throughout the process.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master's degree in economics, social sciences, gender studies, political science, social policy, development studies, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with seven years of relevant experience may be accepted. Candidates must have at least five years of practical experience in human rights, gender equality, and women's empowerment in Georgia, or seven years of similar experience if holding a first-level degree. Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation of strategies, policies, and projects is essential, along with excellent report-writing skills and the ability to produce clear, analytical reports. Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills are required, as well as the ability to negotiate among diverse stakeholders. Prior experience in evaluating women's economic empowerment programs and working with UN/EU agencies will be considered an asset.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced degree (Master's level) in relevant fields such as economics, social sciences, gender studies, political science, social policy, or development studies. A first-level university degree may be accepted if combined with sufficient relevant experience. The educational background should provide a solid foundation for understanding gender issues and economic empowerment.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant work experience in the fields of human rights, gender equality, and women's empowerment, particularly within the context of Georgia. Candidates with a first-level university degree must have at least seven years of experience. Experience in monitoring and evaluation of gender-related strategies and programs is crucial, along with a demonstrated ability to produce high-quality analytical reports. Familiarity with women's economic empowerment initiatives and previous work with UN or EU agencies will be advantageous.

Languages:
Fluency in Georgian and English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, but the primary requirement is strong communication skills in both Georgian and English to effectively engage with stakeholders and produce reports.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, with potential travel to project target regions in Georgia. The evaluation process will be consultative and participatory, ensuring the involvement of project beneficiaries. The consultant will work under the supervision of an international consultant and will be supported by UN Women Country Office in Georgia. The evaluation will adhere to UN Women’s ethical guidelines and standards of conduct, ensuring confidentiality and the protection of participants' rights throughout the evaluation process.