National Consultant for Sri Lanka UNSDCF Evaluation 2023-2027

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, currently comprising 193 member states. Its mission is to promote peace, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and cooperation among nations, addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. The UN operates in various sectors, including humanitarian aid, development, and human rights, with a workforce of over 44,000 employees worldwide. The organization is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and works in numerous countries to support national development priorities.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant for the UNSDCF Evaluation in Sri Lanka will play a pivotal role in assessing the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the period 2023-202

• This evaluation is essential for fostering learning, enhancing accountability, and informing strategic decision-making within the UN Development System. The consultant will work closely with the Team Leader and will be responsible for providing in-country expertise and local stakeholder knowledge to support the evaluation process. The consultant's contributions will include designing the evaluation framework, developing data collection tools, and ensuring the technical rigor of the evaluation. The evaluation aims to assess the UN's collective contributions to national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on key areas such as recovery from economic challenges, institutional resilience, and inclusive governance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support with Strategic Oversight and Methodological Leadership: The consultant will contribute to the design of the evaluation framework, ensuring it is contextually grounded and culturally appropriate. They will assist in developing data collection tools and maintain consistency and transparency throughout the evaluation phases.
• Support for Planning, Team Coordination, and Stakeholder Engagement: The consultant will help develop a detailed evaluation work plan, facilitate access to national stakeholders, and lead stakeholder consultations.
• Support to Evaluation Quality and Ethical Integrity: The consultant will uphold ethical principles and ensure diverse perspectives are included in data collection.
• Contribution to Reporting and Deliverables: The consultant will contribute to all evaluation deliverables, draft sections of reports, and prepare presentations for stakeholders.
• Contribution to Report Finalization and Strategic Recommendations: The consultant will assist in drafting conclusions and recommendations, ensuring they are actionable and aligned with national priorities.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in fields such as Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies, Economics, Law, or Social Sciences. Candidates must have at least 7 years of professional experience in development programming, evaluation, or policy analysis, particularly in Sri Lanka or the South Asia region. Experience in evaluating UN programs or government development programs is essential, along with familiarity with UNEG norms and evaluation methodologies. Knowledge of UN programming principles, including human rights-based approaches and gender equality, is also required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in relevant fields such as Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies, Economics, Law, or Social Sciences. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of development programming and evaluation.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7 years of professional experience in development programming, evaluation, or policy analysis, specifically within Sri Lanka or the South Asia region. Candidates should have experience evaluating UN programs, government development programs, or donor-funded country programs. Familiarity with UNEG norms and standards is also necessary, along with experience in at least one of the six UNSDCF outcome areas.

Languages:
Excellent command of English, both verbal and written, is mandatory. Proficiency in a local language, either Sinhala or Tamil, is required to facilitate effective stakeholder consultations with national counterparts.

Additional Notes:
The expected duration of the consultancy is 4 months, from June 20 to October 20, 202

• The position is part-time and involves working closely with a Team Leader (International Consultant) and other stakeholders. The United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring a transparent and fair hiring process.