Team Leader/International Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the United Nations, which is an intergovernmental organization founded in 194

• Its mission is to promote international cooperation and to create and maintain international order. The UN has a vast network of operations across the globe, with numerous specialized agencies and programs working in various fields such as humanitarian aid, development, and peacekeeping. The organization employs thousands of staff members worldwide and operates in nearly every country, addressing a wide range of global challenges.

Job Overview:
The Team Leader/International Consultant will be responsible for leading the evaluation of the Kyrgyzstan United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the period 2023–202

• This role requires strategic oversight and methodological rigor to ensure that the evaluation process is conducted effectively and that high-quality evaluation products are delivered in accordance with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) norms and standards. The consultant will manage a small evaluation team, which includes national and thematic consultants, and will coordinate closely with various stakeholders, including the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), government counterparts, civil society organizations, and development partners. The evaluation will involve designing and implementing the evaluation methodology, developing data collection tools, conducting stakeholder consultations, and preparing evaluation deliverables such as inception reports, draft reports, and final reports. The consultant will also conduct field missions to gather data and assess results at the decentralized level, ensuring that the evaluation generates evidence-based findings and actionable recommendations to support accountability and organizational learning.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Team Leader/International Consultant will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including leading and coordinating the overall evaluation process for both the UNSDCF 2023–2027 and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Portfolio 2021–202

• Specific duties include designing and finalizing the evaluation methodology and workplan, ensuring the evaluation adheres to human rights-based, gender-responsive, and conflict-sensitive approaches, supervising national consultants, conducting desk reviews of relevant documents, leading stakeholder consultations and focus group discussions, assessing the effectiveness and impact of the Cooperation Framework and PBF portfolio interventions, analyzing the contributions of the UN Country Team to national development priorities, identifying lessons learned and good practices, and preparing high-quality deliverables that meet UN standards. The consultant will also present findings to stakeholders and facilitate validation discussions, ensuring that all feedback is incorporated into final products.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in fields such as international development, public policy, political science, economics, evaluation, social sciences, or peace and conflict studies. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic planning, formulation of strategic country documents, and conducting evaluations in the international development or humanitarian sector is required. Experience in complex evaluation settings and leading United Nations system-wide evaluations is essential. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in results-based management, strategic planning, and evaluation methodologies, as well as strong knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN reform processes. Familiarity with UNEG norms and ethical evaluation practices is also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree, specifically a Master’s degree or equivalent, in relevant fields such as international development, public policy, political science, economics, evaluation, social sciences, or peace and conflict studies. This advanced education is crucial for understanding the complexities of international development and evaluation processes.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategic planning and evaluation within the international development or humanitarian sector. Candidates should have proven experience leading evaluations, particularly within the United Nations system, and should be familiar with the challenges and dynamics of working in complex settings. Experience in Central Asia or similar contexts is highly desirable, as is the ability to lead multidisciplinary and multicultural teams effectively.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of Russian and/or Kyrgyz is considered an advantage, as it would facilitate communication with local stakeholders and enhance the evaluation process.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to last for a duration of 6 months, with the work being home-based but requiring travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for stakeholder consultations, data collection, and workshops. The position is part-time, and the consultant will be expected to coordinate closely with various stakeholders, including UN agencies, government counterparts, and civil society organizations. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring that the hiring process is transparent and accessible.