Project Evaluation Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UN-Habitat is the United Nations agency for human settlements, established by the UN General Assembly. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable communities, towns, and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat supports Member States in developing sustainable cities and human settlements through normative and operational work at various levels, including global, regional, national, and local. The organization contributes to linking policy development and capacity-building activities to promote cohesive social, economic, and environmental policies in human settlements, in line with international practices and covenants. UN-Habitat also leads the monitoring and reporting on global progress regarding the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safer, resilient, and sustainable. The organization’s work is supported by global agreements, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The Adaptation Fund, established in 2007 by the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), finances concrete adaptation projects and programs in developing countries vulnerable to climate change effects. UN-Habitat collaborates with various partners, including governmental and municipal stakeholders, to enhance climate resilience and sustainable development.

Job Overview:
The Project Evaluation Consultant will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive independent final evaluation of the project titled 'Increasing the Resilience of Displaced Persons and Host Communities to Climate Change-Related Water Challenges in Jordan and Lebanon.' This project is funded by the Adaptation Fund and aims to address the compounded impacts of climate change and the Syrian refugee crisis, focusing on water scarcity and urban resilience. The consultant will produce an inception report, draft and final evaluation reports, and a presentation of key findings. The evaluation will provide evidence-based conclusions, lessons learned, and strategic recommendations to inform future climate resilience and water management programming for UN-Habitat, the Adaptation Fund Board, and national partners in Jordan and Lebanon. The evaluation will assess the project's relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, impact outlook, and coherence, covering the entire project lifecycle from planning to implementation and adaptive management processes. The consultant will engage with stakeholders and beneficiaries to ensure a participatory evaluation process and will be expected to present findings and recommendations to UN-Habitat and other stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's primary duties include assessing the performance of the project against its objectives, expected accomplishments, and outputs. The evaluation will focus on the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, impact outlook, and coherence of the project in addressing climate change-related water challenges. Specific responsibilities include evaluating project management arrangements, execution modalities, partnerships, and coordination mechanisms, as well as assessing compliance with Adaptation Fund policies. The consultant will identify lessons learned and provide strategic recommendations for enhancing climate resilience in Jordan and Lebanon. The evaluation will cover the entire project lifecycle, including planning, inception, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management processes. The consultant will also be responsible for developing a comprehensive evaluation report and presenting findings to stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in environmental studies, climate change, water resources, sustainable development, or a related field. A first-level university degree with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in evaluating major multidisciplinary projects is required. Extensive experience in monitoring and evaluation, with the ability to present credible findings and provide evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, is essential. The consultant must have access to both Jordan and Lebanon and be able to conduct field visits in both countries. Experience evaluating climate change adaptation and/or water management projects, as well as previous experience with Adaptation Fund projects, is desired. Technical knowledge of climate change adaptation, particularly in water management and resilience, is also preferred. Familiarity with UN-Habitat's mandate and operations is an advantage.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in environmental studies, climate change, water resources, sustainable development, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 7 years of professional experience in the evaluation of major projects with multidisciplinary components. Experience in monitoring and evaluation, particularly in the context of climate change adaptation and water management, is highly desirable. Previous experience evaluating projects funded by the Adaptation Fund is also preferred.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Arabic (both oral and written) is required for this position. Knowledge of French is an asset, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
The expected duration of the consultancy is 4 months on a part-time basis. The position is home-based, and the consultant will be required to conduct field visits in both Jordan and Lebanon. The evaluation process will be managed by the regional project coordinator, ensuring impartiality and adherence to evaluation standards. The final evaluation report will be shared with the Independent Evaluation Unit for review.