Consultant for Independent Evaluation of Harare Sustainable City Initiative

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is a global entity established to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns, cities, and human settlements. UN-Habitat was founded in 1978 and has since grown to operate in over 90 countries, employing thousands of professionals dedicated to improving urban living conditions. The organization works closely with member states, local authorities, communities, and various partners to implement its mission, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN-Habitat's work encompasses a wide range of activities, including policy development, capacity building, and technical cooperation, all aimed at fostering sustainable urbanization and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas.

Job Overview:
The consultant will be responsible for 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. This evaluation is crucial for assessing the project's effectiveness and impact on the targeted vulnerable community groups in Harare, Zimbabwe. The consultant will work closely with the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG), which includes representatives from Sida, the UN-Habitat Evaluation Unit, and other key partners. The evaluation will analyze the project's performance in achieving its objectives, including improving access to sustainable waste management, clean energy, and resource efficiency in the built environment. The consultant will also assess how well the project has integrated cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and human rights into its activities, providing actionable recommendations for future interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the HSCI project, focusing on several key areas: 1) Evaluating the overall performance of the project in terms of outputs and outcomes achieved. 2) Assessing the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, coherence, sustainability, and potential impact of the project. 3) Analyzing the adequacy of resources and working arrangements that influenced project effectiveness. 4) Evaluating the collaboration between UN-Habitat and its partners at various levels. 5) Assessing the integration of cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and youth involvement in project activities. 6) Identifying lessons learned and areas for improvement, along with making actionable recommendations for future projects. 7) Evaluating the potential for scaling up project outputs to support municipal and national development processes. 8) Assessing the effectiveness of the project's exit strategy to ensure sustainability of outcomes.

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 seven years of professional experience in results-based management, particularly in policy development and analysis or capacity building, is required. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to present credible findings supported by evidence, including through visual aids such as charts and infographics. Experience in conducting and managing evaluations, particularly in sustainable development, is highly desirable. Familiarity with the United Nations' work and UN-Habitat's mandate is also an asset.

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 if accompanied by additional qualifying experience.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least seven years of professional experience in results-based management, with a strong focus on policy development and analysis or capacity building. Ten years of evaluation experience, particularly in sustainable development, is highly desirable, along with a proven track record of conducting and managing evaluations effectively.

Languages:
Fluency in written and oral English is required for this position, as English is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Proficiency in French is also beneficial and considered a good asset for this role.

Additional Notes:
The position is home-based and expected to last for four months. There are no fees associated with the recruitment process, and the United Nations does not request any financial information from applicants at any stage.