Mid Term Review Evaluation Expert – North Macedonia SLM Project

Result of Service

The Mid Term Review Report of “Promoting Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Through Strengthening Legal and Institutional Framework, Capacity Building and Restoration of Most Vulnerable Mountain Landscapes” in North Macedonia. Project guides the execution of the project in its remaining term (GEF ID 9759).

Work Location

Home Based

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme 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." 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. UNEP's Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy post is located in UNEP / Ecosystems Division / GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit. The consultant will as well as work under the direct supervision of the Task Manager,(based in Geneva, Switzerland) and the overall guidance of the Portfolio Manager,of the GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit based in Nairobi. Duties and Responsibilities The project “Promoting Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Through Strengthening Legal and Institutional Framework, Capacity Building and Restoration of Most Vulnerable Mountain Landscapes” in North Macedonia will build upon existing government efforts and programs for land management by targeting those areas of the current efforts where gaps have been identified, which left unaddressed, will limit the wider effectiveness of overall efforts. Importantly the project will address the gaps not only within the national policy, legislative and institutional framework, but also through practical on-ground efforts to halt and reverse LD and deforestation in a cost-effective, socially acceptable and sustainable way within the selected pilot sites. It will contribute significantly to introducing, testing and demonstrating new methods and approaches to combatting land degradation and deforestation issues in North Macedonia, and generate new experience and awareness that will potentially have far reaching impacts for the on-going efforts. The project objective is to develop and strengthen national policy and institutional capacity for SLM and to promote SLM practices in north-western mountainous ecosystems of Macedonia while supporting sustainable local development. This project proposes an integrated land management approach, ensuring SLM through comprehensive legal and institutional strengthening, addressing degraded land directly with rehabilitation and restoration pilot activities and gain the necessary skills and know-how for scaling-up activities. Achieving these objectives requires collaboration with a wide range of stakeholder. Three components are being implemented: • Component 1 – Strengthened legal and institutional framework and capacity building for SLM and SFM. This component will enable a strengthened legal and institutional framework for SLM and SFM at national scale through review of existing national SLM and SFM legislation and institutional set-ups in North Macedonia. • Component 2 – Implementation of sustainable land and forest management practices for reducing the effects of land degradation in three pilot sites in the most vulnerable mountainous region (testing and demonstration in selected pilot sites in the most vulnerable mountainous regions, as basis for lessons learned, replication and upscaling). This component aims at increasing uptake of SLM and SFM measures, which will eventually lead to reductions in land degradation and enhance ecosystem services. • Component 3 – Knowledge management, and public awareness. The third component of the proposed GEF project will improve understanding of benefits of SLM and SFM practices to scale up the SLM/SFM for future activities and sites. It will bring together the results of the project, more efficient approaches to rehabilitation of degraded land and sustainable land management by private sector landowners and users. The GEF-Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit is seeking to recruit a consultant to conduct the Mid Term Review of the project to assess the achievements of the project to date, the challenges faced and engage with project counterparts to overcome the issues. Specifically, the consultant will be required to complete the following tasks: Inception phase: • Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff. • Prepare the review framework in line with UNEP's evaluation guidelines. • Identify stakeholders. • Develop the interview/questions matrix. • Plan the review schedule. • Prepare the Inception Report. Data collection and analysis phase of the review, including: • Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders. • Regularly report back to the Task Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered. Reporting phase, including: • Draft the Review Report, ensuring that the review report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Task Manager guidelines both in substance and style. • Liaise with the Task Manager on comments received and finalize the Review Report, ensuring that comments are considered until approved by the Task Manager. • Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted indicating the reason for the rejection. Managing relations, including: • Maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders, ensuring that the review process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence. • Communicate in a timely manner with the Task Manager on any issues requiring its attention and intervention. The consultant will prepare the following documents, in consultation and collaboration with the Project team: 1. Inception Report: containing an assessment of project, project stakeholder analysis, review framework and a tentative review schedule. 2. Preliminary Findings Note: typically, in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, the sharing of preliminary findings is intended to support the participation of the project team, act to ensure all information sources have been accessed and provide an opportunity to verify emerging findings. 3. Draft and Final Review Report: containing an executive summary that can act as a stand- alone document; detailed analysis of the review findings organized by review criteria and supported with evidence; lessons learned and recommendations and an annotated ratings table.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required. A University degree in the same areas is acceptable with two additional years of relevant experience. - A minimum of 7 years of technical / evaluation experience, including of evaluating large, global programmes, including overseeing project teams, managing complex budgets, interacting with oversight personnel or committees, and demonstrating adaptive management when necessary is required. -Hands-on experience in managing national and international natural resources projects concerning biodiversity, natural resources management, protected area management, environmental information management, capacity building etc. is highly desirable. - Working experience in an international environment is desirable. -Experience in the project target area in North Macedonia is an asset.

Languages

-English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English with strong writing and editing skills is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.