Consultant for Independent Evaluation of Harare Sustainable City Initiative

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable towns, cities, and human settlements. Established to serve as the United Nations focal entity for sustainable urbanization, UN-Habitat supports Member States, local authorities, communities, and partners through a combination of normative and operational work at various levels, including global, regional, national, and local. The organization operates in numerous countries, including Zimbabwe, where it collaborates with the government and other UN agencies to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). UN-Habitat's mission is to contribute to sustainable urban development, aligning its efforts with national development priorities and global commitments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. The organization is involved in various initiatives aimed at improving urban living conditions and promoting sustainable practices.

Job Overview:
The position involves conducting an independent evaluation of the Harare Sustainable City Initiative (HSCI), which focuses on promoting carbon-neutral urban basic services and energy-efficient built environments. The consultant will work closely with a team leader and other stakeholders to assess the project's overall performance, relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, coherence, sustainability, and impact. The evaluation will be informed by the HSCI Theory of Change and will aim to provide actionable recommendations for future interventions. The consultant will also evaluate how cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and human rights have been integrated into the project activities. This role is crucial for enhancing accountability and learning within the UN-Habitat framework and ensuring that the project meets its objectives in improving living conditions for vulnerable communities in Harare.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including: assessing the overall performance of the project in terms of outputs and outcomes; evaluating the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, coherence, sustainability, and likelihood of impact of the project; analyzing the adequacy of resources and working arrangements; assessing the effectiveness of partnerships at various levels; evaluating the integration of cross-cutting issues; identifying lessons learned and areas for improvement; assessing the potential for scaling up project outputs; and evaluating the effectiveness of the project exit strategy. These responsibilities require a comprehensive understanding of project evaluation methodologies and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced academic degree in urban planning, economics, project management, international development, program evaluation, statistics, or survey research. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted. A minimum of five years of professional experience in evaluation and results-based management is required, along with experience working with local governments, particularly in conducting evaluations. The ability to present credible findings and recommendations supported by evidence is essential, as is familiarity with the work of the United Nations and UN-Habitat's mandate.

Educational Background:
An advanced academic degree in relevant fields such as urban planning, economics, project management, international development, program evaluation, statistics, or survey research is required. A first-level university degree may be accepted in combination with additional qualifying experience, demonstrating the candidate's capability in the field.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of professional experience in evaluation and results-based management. Experience working with local governments, particularly in conducting evaluations, is essential. The role requires a strong background in project evaluation methodologies and the ability to derive actionable insights from data.

Languages:
Fluency in written and oral English is required, along with proficiency in Shona. Knowledge of French is also beneficial, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
The position is home-based and expected to last for four months. The United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring that applicants are not required to provide any financial information or pay any fees related to their application.