ORGANIZATION SETTING

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. This consultancy is located at Headquarters in the Evaluation Office which reports directly to the Executive Director. The consultant reports to the Evaluation Manager and the Director of the Evaluation Office.

THE PROJECT

Increasing environmental threats such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste management, chemicals and pollution, land use degradation, and depleting coastal and marine resources as well as uncoordinated national and regional development planning and execution among others, have been underscoring the importance of improved environmental management policies/plans and strengthened national/ regional-coordination mechanisms across the globe.

To address these growing challenges, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) implemented the project titled ‘Enforcing Environmental Treaties Implementation in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries (ACP-MEAs)’ spanning two phases (Phase I: 2009 to 2013, Phase II: 2013 to 2017). Earlier, throughout the first two phases of the Programme, environmental management issues were mainstreamed into institutions and national development plans of a large number of ACP countries and aiming to promote an integrated and synergistic approach to effectively implement the relevant Conventions on biodiversity and chemical and waste management.

Subsequently, this Programme (Phase III of the ACP MEAs Programme), was built on these achievements of the previous phases, aiming at further enhancing the mainstreaming and implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) related to biodiversity and chemicals and waste, with a focus on enforcement and compliance of MEAs, enhanced oceans governance, and the mainstreaming of biodiversity in agriculture.

The objective of this project was to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through the attainment of environmental sustainability in the ACP countries. The Programme aimed to promote the enforcement of environmental treaties and goals in ACP countries by way of influencing policies and legislative frameworks for ACP countries to effectively implement MEAs and related commitments in the chemicals and waste, marine, and biodiversity clusters of MEAs. It was also intended to empower key stakeholders to address environmental challenges and to reap the benefits of improved environmental management at the national and regional levels.

This consultancy is for the Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP project, "Enforcing Environmental Treaties Implementation in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries (ACP MEAs III) (SMA ID: 42364)”.

THE EVALUATION

In line with the UNEP Evaluation Policy and the UNEP Programme and Project Management Manual, the Terminal Evaluation is undertaken at operational completion of the project to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency), and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. The Evaluation has two primary purposes: (i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among UNEP and the main project partners. Therefore, the Evaluation will identify lessons of operational relevance for future project formulation and implementation, especially where a second phase of the project is being considered. Recommendations relevant to the whole house may also be identified during the evaluation process.

THE EVALUATION TEAM

For this Evaluation, the Evaluation Team will consist of a Principal Evaluator and an Evaluation Specialist who will work under the overall responsibility of the Evaluation Office represented by an Evaluation Manager, in consultation with the UNEP Task Manager, Fund Management Officer and the Subprogramme Coordinator.

Specific responsibilities for the Principal Evaluator:

In close consultation with the Evaluation Manager, the Evaluation Consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the Evaluation and timely provision of its outputs. More specifically:

1. Inception phase of the Evaluation, including:

• preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff;
• draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project;
• prepare the evaluation framework;
• develop the desk review and interview protocols;
• draft the survey protocols (if relevant);
• develop and present criteria for country and/or site selection for the evaluation mission;
• plan the evaluation schedule;
• prepare the Inception Report, incorporating comments until approved by the Evaluation Manager.

2. Data collection and analysis phase of the Evaluation, including:

• conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners, and project stakeholders,
• (where appropriate and agreed) conduct an evaluation mission(s) to Georgia, visit the project locations, interview project partners and stakeholders, including a good representation of local communities. Ensure independence of the Evaluation and confidentiality of evaluation interviews.
• regularly report back to the Evaluation Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered and;
• keep the Project/Task Manager informed of the evaluation progress.

3. Reporting phase, including:

• draft the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that the evaluation report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Evaluation Manager guidelines both in substance and style;
• liaise with the Evaluation Manager on comments received and finalize the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Evaluation Manager;
• prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted by the Evaluation Consultant and indicating the reason for the rejection; and;
• (where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons).

4. Managing relations, including:

• maintain a positive relationship with evaluation stakeholders, ensuring that the evaluation process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence;
• communicate in a timely manner with the Evaluation Manager on any issues requiring attention and intervention.

The Principal Evaluator shall have had no prior involvement in the formulation or implementation of the project and will be independent from the participating institutions. The consultant will sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form.

The Principal Evaluator will be selected and recruited by the UNEP Evaluation Office through a consultancy contract. Comprehensive terms of reference will be shared with the consultant separately.

• Inception phase of the Evaluation, including: preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff; draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project; prepare the evaluation framework; develop the desk review and interview protocols; draft the survey protocols (if relevant); develop and present criteria for country and/or site selection for the evaluation mission; plan the evaluation schedule; prepare the Inception Report, incorporating comments until approved by the Evaluation Manager.
• Data collection and analysis phase of the Evaluation, including: conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners, and project stakeholders, (where appropriate and agreed) conduct an evaluation mission(s) to Georgia, visit the project locations, interview project partners and stakeholders, including a good representation of local communities. Ensure independence of the Evaluation and confidentiality of evaluation interviews. regularly report back to the Evaluation Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered and; keep the Project/Task Manager informed of the evaluation progress.
• Reporting phase, including: draft the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that the evaluation report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Evaluation Manager guidelines both in substance and style; liaise with the Evaluation Manager on comments received and finalize the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Evaluation Manager; prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted by the Evaluation Consultant and indicating the reason for the rejection; and; (where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons).
• Managing relations, including: maintain a positive relationship with evaluation stakeholders, ensuring that the evaluation process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence; communicate in a timely manner with the Evaluation Manager on any issues requiring attention and intervention.

• Evaluation framework development
• Desk review and interview protocols development
• Survey protocols development
• Data collection and analysis
• Report writing
• Stakeholder management

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political science.
• No prior involvement in the formulation or implementation of the project.
• Independence from participating institutions.