Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. This consultancy is in UNEP’s Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Mitigation Unit, and will be home based. UNEP’s Climate Change Division works with a portfolio of Global Environment Facility (GEF) medium-size and full-size climate change mitigation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The projects, which are in different stages of development (design, implementation, closure), are executed by different partners (Ministries, NGOs, etc.) throughout the region. The Climate Change Division, in its role as implementing agency, provides oversight and ensures adherence to GEF guidelines. Under the supervision of the Latin America and the Caribbean Task Manager for GEF mitigation projects, the consultant will undertake the Mid-term Review (MTR) of the Brazil GEF-7 Sustainable Cities project: Promoting integrated metropolitan planning and innovative urban technology investments in Brazil (CITinova II). An MTR is undertaken approximately half-way through project implementation to analyze whether the project is on-track, what problems or challenges the project is encountering, and what corrective actions are required. The project is completing three years of implementation and is expected to conclude technical operation in July 2028. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation acts as the Execution Agency, in partnership with UNEP Brazil and Funbio. The consultant, in close consultation with the Task Manager, will be responsible for overall management of the review and timely delivery of its outputs, described below.

Responsibilities or duties

Specific tasks and responsibilities: • Coordinate, author and lead of the mid-term review for the aforementioned project in accordance with GEF and UNEP policies. • Overall responsibility for undertaking the review and preparing the final report in English. • Undertake interviews with all key stakeholders, including in-person interviews in Brasilia and site visits in Florianópolis. • Evaluation of all elements of the project in accordance with UNEP Evaluation Office guidelines. • Ensure all deliverables adhere to UNEP Evaluation Office templates, where applicable. The consultant will develop mid-term review findings and recommendations based on sound evidence and analysis and clearly document these in the final reports. Information will be triangulated (i.e. verified from different sources) as far as possible, and when verification is not possible, the single source will be mentioned (whilst anonymity is still protected). Analysis leading to evaluative judgements should always be clearly spelled out. The consultant shall base the findings of the mid-term and terminal reviews on the following: A desk review of: • Relevant background documentation, inter alia: • Project document and appendices. This includes, among others, relevant workplans, budget and supervision plans, as well as any revisions introduced after approval. • Theory of change, problem tree and logical framework. • Project reports, including: half year progress reports, project implementation reports (PIRs), expenditure reports, financial statements, audits, inventory reports, progress reports from collaborating partners, meeting minutes, relevant correspondence and Tracking Tool; • Evaluations/Reviews of similar projects. • Interviews, both individual or in group, with, including but not limited to : o UNEP Task Manager (TM) and team members; o Project Manager (PM) and team members; o UNEP Administrative Officer (AO); o Project steering committee o Identified stakeholders, including governmental agencies and officials, representatives from technology and educational institutions, distribution utilities, banks, associations, and NGOs. Other data collection tools: If needed, to be agreed between the Task Manager, the Project Manager and the terminal review consultant at the inception phase.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Academic: • An advanced university degree in economics, environmental sciences, management, or a related discipline is required; • A first level degree with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;

Experience needed

• Minimum of 5 years of technical experience on cities, including a strong background in urban planning, architecture, sustainability, green infrastructure. • Experience in the evaluation and monitoring of development projects in Latin America including assessments of project documents such as concept notes, progress reports, work plans, and financial documents (budgets and expenditure reports) is required; • Experience working on projects funded by the GEF, multilateral development banks, other bilateral funding entities, or projects implemented by UNEP is desirable.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

Languages • English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency (both oral and written) in English and Portuguese required.

• Coordinate, author and lead of the mid-term review for the aforementioned project in accordance with GEF and UNEP policies.
• Overall responsibility for undertaking the review and preparing the final report in English.
• Undertake interviews with all key stakeholders, including in-person interviews in Brasilia and site visits in Florianópolis.
• Evaluation of all elements of the project in accordance with UNEP Evaluation Office guidelines.
• Ensure all deliverables adhere to UNEP Evaluation Office templates, where applicable.
• Develop mid-term review findings and recommendations based on sound evidence and analysis and clearly document these in the final reports.
• Base the findings of the mid-term and terminal reviews on a desk review of relevant background documentation, including project documents, theory of change, problem tree, logical framework, project reports, and evaluations/reviews of similar projects.
• Conduct interviews, both individual or in group, with key stakeholders including UNEP Task Manager and team members, Project Manager and team members, UNEP Administrative Officer, Project steering committee, and identified stakeholders.
• Utilize other data collection tools if needed, to be agreed between the Task Manager, the Project Manager and the terminal review consultant at the inception phase.

• Strong background in urban planning, architecture, sustainability, green infrastructure.
• Experience in the evaluation and monitoring of development projects in Latin America.
• Experience in assessments of project documents such as concept notes, progress reports, work plans, and financial documents (budgets and expenditure reports).
• Fluency in English (oral and written).
• Fluency in Portuguese (oral and written).

• An advanced university degree in economics, environmental sciences, management, or a related discipline is required.
• A first level degree with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.