Evaluation Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established to lead international efforts to defeat hunger. With a mission to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all, FAO ensures that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives. Founded in 1945, FAO has grown to include 195 members, comprising 194 countries and the European Union, and operates in over 130 countries worldwide. The organization implements a diverse portfolio of projects, programs, and initiatives across various sectors, including animal production and health, fisheries, nutrition" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food and nutrition, food systems and safety, forestry, social protection, inclusive rural development, and more. FAO's Office of Evaluation (OED) plays a crucial role in evaluating the strategic alignment, implementation, efficacy, and efficiency of its work, providing credible evidence and insights to inform decisions and support oversight, thereby helping FAO achieve its mission of ending hunger.

Job Overview:
The Evaluation Officer position is situated within the Office of Evaluation (OED) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The primary focus of this role is to plan, design, conduct, and promote evaluations that contribute to enhanced results accountability to the Director-General and the Governing Bodies, as well as enriched learning within the organization. The Evaluation Officer will be responsible for composing and managing project evaluation teams, supporting evaluations of programs and projects, and assisting lead evaluators in preparing evaluation reports and related materials. This position requires a strong understanding of evaluation methodologies and tools, as well as the ability to liaise with various units within the organization and with other UN evaluation units. The Evaluation Officer will also be expected to stay updated on methodological developments in evaluation and contribute to the development of evaluation methodologies and tools.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Evaluation Officer will have a comprehensive set of duties and responsibilities, including but not limited to: designing and conducting evaluations of projects, programs, and thematic or geographic areas focused on measuring outcomes and impacts; supporting the preparation of evaluation reports and related materials such as briefs, papers, and presentations; applying rigorous analytical thinking in conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses; ensuring the quality of work conducted or managed, including reports and presentations; participating actively in multidisciplinary evaluation teams; and performing other duties as required. The role also involves keeping abreast of methodological developments in evaluation and contributing to the development of evaluation methodologies and tools, as well as liaising with other units within FAO and with evaluation units of other UN organizations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements: an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) focused on research and evaluation methods in fields such as data science, economics, econometrics, geography, political science, public policy, sociology, or statistics; at least three years of relevant experience in supporting, designing, planning, and/or conducting evaluations; working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish). Additionally, candidates should possess competencies in results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field focused on research and evaluation methods. A Ph.D. degree is highly desirable, particularly for candidates looking to excel in this role. The educational qualifications should be complemented by a strong foundation in data science, economics, econometrics, geography, political science, public policy, sociology, or statistics, which are critical for conducting evaluations effectively.

Experience:
Candidates are expected to have a minimum of three years of relevant experience in supporting, designing, planning, and/or conducting evaluations. Experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable. Additionally, work experience in fields related to FAO's mission, such as agriculture, nutrition, emergency and resilience, and climate mitigation, is highly desirable. This experience should be demonstrated in the candidate's CV and should reflect a strong analytical skill set and the ability to produce clear and concise reports.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is a working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English. Candidates must also have intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language, which can be Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate effectively in a diverse international environment.

Additional Notes:
This position is based in Rome, Italy, at the FAO headquarters. The role is full-time and involves working closely with various stakeholders within the organization and across the UN system. Candidates will be assessed against the specified qualifications and competencies, and they are required to upload a list of peer-reviewed publications, a writing sample of an evaluation conducted, a brief justification for the writing sample, a presentation based on that writing sample, and a cover letter as part of the application process. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to FAO's mission of ending hunger and to engage in meaningful evaluations that impact global food security.