Senior Planning Evaluation Expert

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which was established in 197

• ESCWA aims to promote economic and social development in the Arab region through regional cooperation and integration. The organization focuses on various areas including sustainable development, economic policy, and social justice. ESCWA operates in multiple countries across the Arab region, providing technical assistance and policy advice to member states. The organization employs a diverse team of professionals and experts dedicated to improving the living standards and well-being of people in the region.

Job Overview:
The Senior Planning Evaluation Expert will play a crucial role in providing independent senior-level peer review, substantive drafting support, and quality assurance for the Final Evaluation of Oman’s Tenth Five-Year Development Plan (2021–2025). This position requires close collaboration with the Project Manager, the ESCWA technical team, and other consultants to ensure the preparation of a coherent and analytically sound final report. The expert will participate in stakeholder consultations and contribute to strengthening the analytical, methodological, and evidentiary quality of the evaluation. The role is essential in ensuring consistency across the evaluation's findings, conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations, as well as its executive and strategic summaries. The expert will be expected to deliver high-quality outputs that reflect a deep understanding of development planning and evaluation processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Consultant will be responsible for independently peer reviewing the technical chapters of the Final Evaluation of Oman’s Tenth Five-Year Development Plan (2021–2025). This includes assessing the analytical, methodological, and evidentiary quality of the chapters, providing consolidated substantive comments, and identifying analytical and evidence gaps. The Consultant will also participate in selected stakeholder consultations and technical meetings, which will be coordinated through ESCWA and the Ministry of Economy. Close coordination with the Project Manager, the ESCWA technical team, and other consultants is essential. Additionally, the Consultant will contribute to drafting and revising the report, consolidating different technical contributions, harmonizing findings, conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations, and supporting the preparation and revision of the executive summary and strategic summary.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree or equivalent in economics, engineering, development planning, public policy, public administration, or another field relevant to national development planning and evaluation. A minimum of 15 years of professional experience in development planning, economic policy, programme evaluation, or a related field is required. Experience in drafting or evaluating national development plans, undertaking consultations with government stakeholders, and consolidating multidisciplinary analytical reports is essential. Additionally, experience in results-based planning, monitoring and evaluation, governance, or institutional performance is desirable.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as economics, engineering, development planning, public policy, or public administration. Candidates must submit a copy of their educational degree as part of the application process, and incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 15 years of professional experience in fields related to development planning, economic policy, or programme evaluation. Candidates should have substantial experience in drafting or evaluating national development plans and engaging with government stakeholders. Experience in results-based planning, monitoring and evaluation, and governance is also beneficial.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Arabic is required for this position, as these are the working languages of the United Nations and ESCWA. Candidates must demonstrate fluency in all four areas of language proficiency: speaking, reading, writing, and understanding. Knowledge of French is also advantageous, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
This position is offered on a local basis, meaning that the incumbent must have the legal right to live and work in Lebanon. The expected duration of the consultancy is one month, and the recruitment process does not involve any fees at any stage. The United Nations emphasizes that it does not charge applicants for any part of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or training.