Consultant (Evaluation Lead)

Job Description

Call For Applications

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

The IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok, Thailand is covering 40 countries across the Asia and Pacific region. The key responsibility of the ROAP is to formulate regional strategies and plans of action and to provide programmatic and administrative support to the countries within the region. 

Context:

The project is implemented across Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, reflecting the diverse migration dynamics across South and Central Asia. It forms part of a regional programme supporting countries affected by protracted Afghan displacement and mixed migration movements, combining institutional capacity strengthening with community-based interventions to improve migration governance, protection systems, access to essential services and long-term resilience for Afghan populations and host communities.

The programme seeks to strengthen national and local institutions responsible for migration governance while improving access to protection, health, livelihoods, legal assistance and other essential services for Afghan migrants and vulnerable host communities. It also promotes evidence-based decision-making through strengthened migration data systems and analytical capacities, enabling governments, IOM and humanitarian and development actors to respond more effectively to evolving migration trends.

The project is structured around three mutually reinforcing outcomes: 

• Outcome 1: Government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations and service providers possess strengthened institutional and technical capacities to improve migration governance, protection systems, emergency preparedness and service delivery for Afghan populations and host communities. 

• Outcome 2: Afghan populations and host communities experience improved access to protection, health, livelihoods, education, legal assistance, community development opportunities and social integration, contributing to enhanced resilience and social cohesion. 

• Outcome 3: Government institutions and humanitarian and development actors have improved access to reliable migration data, displacement analysis and evidence to support informed policy formulation, operational planning and resource allocation. 

The evaluation will cover the project implementation period from April 2023 to December 2026, assessing implementation from project inception until the agreed evaluation reference period. It will examine progress across all project outcomes, outputs and major intervention areas, with attention to implementation quality, operational efficiency, institutional strengthening, partnership effectiveness and the continued relevance of the intervention within the evolving regional migration context.

The consultant will contribute to the final evaluation commissioned and managed by IOM’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, in coordination with the Regional Office in Vienna and the participating Country Offices implementing the regional programme. The consultant will work under the supervision of the designated Evaluation Manager and in coordination with an Evaluation Reference Group, which will provide technical inputs and review key deliverables in line with IOM Evaluation Policy, IOM Evaluation Guidelines, and the norms and standards of the United Nations Evaluation Group.

The evaluator shall maintain impartiality throughout the assignment and shall be responsible for the analysis, findings, conclusions and recommendations presented in the evaluation outputs. The evaluator must not have participated in the design, formulation, implementation or management of the project and must not have any conflict of interest related to the intervention under review.

Responsibilities

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

This is a Category B consultancy for the conduct of a final evaluation of the regional project “Improving Migration Governance and Access to Services for Displaced Afghans in Pakistan and Central Asia”, implemented under the Canadian Immigration and Migration Capacity Building Program initiative funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The consultant  will conduct an impartial, objective and evidence-based final evaluation of the project, assessing implementation progress, emerging results, relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability considerations, cross-cutting issues, and lessons learned. The evaluation will generate evidence-based recommendations addressed to IOM to support decision-making, adaptive management, future programming and organizational learning. Recommendations shall be prioritized and clearly linked to supporting findings and conclusions, indicating their operational and strategic relevance for IOM.

Under the overall supervision of the Evaluation Manager, and in consultation with the Evaluation Reference Group, the consultant will be responsible for producing the following tangible and measurable outputs.

Deliverable A: Inception Report and Data Collection Toolkit 

The consultant will prepare an inception report setting out the evaluation approach, refined evaluation questions, methodology, sampling strategy, workplan, data collection tools, stakeholder consultation plan, limitations and mitigation measures. The inception report shall include an evaluation matrix mapping evaluation questions to judgement criteria, indicators, sources of information, data collection methods, respondent groups and analytical approaches. 

The inception phase may include a workshop or structured discussion to validate or, where necessary, reconstruct the project’s Theory of Change. The final list of evaluation questions and the detailed methodology will be confirmed during the inception phase in consultation with IOM. 

The data collection toolkit shall include the relevant instruments for qualitative data collection, such as interview guides, focus group discussion guides and consultation tools, as well as any templates required for the review and analysis of project documentation, monitoring data, secondary data and other available evidence.

Deliverable B: Final Evaluation Package 

The consultant will prepare and submit the final evaluation package, including: 

• A draft evaluation report for review by IOM and the Evaluation Reference Group; 

• A final evaluation report incorporating comments and including an audit trail; 

• A concise evaluation brief, using the applicable IOM template where relevant; 

• A presentation of key findings, conclusions and recommendations; 

• A facilitated discussion with IOM on findings, conclusions and the co-creation or refinement of actionable recommendations; 

• Any agreed annexes, including the list of documents reviewed, stakeholders consulted, data collection tools and supporting evidence. 

The final evaluation report shall include an executive summary, evaluation context and purpose, methodology, limitations, findings, conclusions and recommendations. Findings shall be clearly linked to evidence, conclusions shall be linked to findings, and recommendations shall be concise, feasible, prioritized, actionable and addressed to IOM.

Evaluation Approach and Methodology

The evaluation will apply a utilization-focused and theory-informed approach, using primarily qualitative methods, complemented by analysis of available project monitoring data, documents, reports and secondary datasets where relevant and feasible. The detailed methodology will be refined during the inception phase and approved by IOM before primary data collection begins.

The evaluation is expected to include, as appropriate:

• Desk review of project documents, strategic frameworks, monitoring data, donor reports, financial information, DTM products, analytical reports and other relevant evidence;

• Key informant interviews with IOM staff, government counterparts, donors, UN agencies, implementing partners, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders;

• Focus group discussions or structured consultations with beneficiaries and community representatives, where feasible and ethically appropriate;

• Review and analysis of project monitoring systems, outputs and evidence generated during implementation;

• Case studies or focused lines of inquiry illustrating notable practices, innovations, implementation challenges or emerging results;

• A workshop or structured discussion to validate or reconstruct the Theory of Change, where required;

• A validation or recommendation workshop to discuss draft findings, conclusions and recommendations with IOM.

The evaluation shall use triangulation across evidence sources and clearly distinguish between verified findings, interpretations, assumptions and limitations. The consultant shall identify methodological constraints, potential sources of bias and mitigation measures in the inception report. The evaluation shall comply with IOM Evaluation Guidelines, UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation, UNEG Ethical Guidelines, IOM Data Protection Principles and all applicable safeguarding requirements, including informed consent, confidentiality, secure data management and the “Do No Harm” principle. 

Indicative Evaluation Criteria and Questions 

The evaluation shall be guided by the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, IOM Evaluation Guidelines and UNEG norms and standards. The evaluation will assess the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability, as well as selected cross-cutting issues relevant to the intervention. The questions below are indicative and will be refined during the inception phase.

Relevance

• To what extent did the project design, intervention logic and Theory of Change remain appropriate to the needs and priorities of Afghan populations, host communities, government counterparts and other relevant stakeholders across the countries of implementation? 

Coherence 

• To what extent was the project coherent with national priorities, regional frameworks, IOM strategies and complementary interventions implemented by governments, UN agencies and development partners? 

Effectiveness 

• To what extent did the project achieve, or make progress towards, its intended outputs and outcomes across the three result areas? What factors facilitated or constrained progress? 

Efficiency 

• To what extent were project resources, implementation arrangements, coordination mechanisms and monitoring systems used effectively to deliver timely and high-quality results? 

Sustainability 

• To what extent have project capacities, systems, partnerships and approaches been institutionalized and how likely are they to be sustained beyond the project period? 

Cross-cutting Issues 

• To what extent were gender equality, disability inclusion, human rights, accountability to affected populations, protection mainstreaming, PSEA, conflict sensitivity, and localization integrated into project design and implementation, where applicable? 

Ethics and Evaluation Standards 

The evaluator shall comply with: 

• IOM Evaluation Policy and Evaluation Guidelines; 

• UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation; 

• UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation; 

• IOM Data Protection Principles; 

• Applicable safeguarding requirements, including informed consent, confidentiality and the Do No Harm principle. 

The evaluator shall remain impartial throughout the assignment and disclose any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

Delivery Schedule 

Deliverable A: Inception Phase Package Final deliverable: Approved Inception Report, Evaluation Matrix and Data Collection Toolkit. Delivery by email: Within four weeks of contract commencement. 

Deliverable B: Final Evaluation Package Final deliverable: Final Evaluation Report, Audit Trail, Evaluation Brief and Final Presentation. The Final Evaluation Package shall be considered complete upon acceptance and approval by IOM. Delivery by email: Within twelve weeks of contract commencement. 

Payment Schedule 

• First installment (40%) upon approval of Deliverable A: Inception Phase Package. 

• Second installment (60%) upon approval of Deliverable B: Final Evaluation Package. 

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results 

The consultant’s performance will be assessed against the following indicators: 

• Timely submission of all agreed deliverables in line with the approved workplan; 

• Quality, clarity and methodological soundness of the inception report, evaluation matrix and data collection tools; 

• Demonstrated use of appropriate evaluation methods, triangulation and ethical safeguards; 

• Quality of analysis, including clear distinction between findings, conclusions and recommendations; 

• Recommendations that are evidence-based, actionable, prioritized, feasible and addressed to IOM; 

• Timely and satisfactory incorporation of comments from IOM and the Evaluation Reference Group, supported by an audit trail; 

• Effective coordination and communication with the Evaluation Manager and relevant stakeholders throughout the assignment. 

• The final evaluation report shall meet the standards outlined in the UNEG Quality Checklist for Evaluation Reports. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education 

• Advanced university degree, preferably Master’s degree or higher, in Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Studies, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Development, Economics, Statistics, Migration Studies, Public Health, Political Science or another relevant discipline. 

• A first-level university degree in a relevant field, combined with substantial relevant professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. 

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database

Experience

• At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in conducting evaluations, assessments, research studies or programme reviews for international organizations, UN agencies, bilateral donors or development partners. 

• Experience acting as Team Leader or Lead Evaluator for at least three OECD-DAC compliant evaluations is highly desirable. 

• Previous experience conducting evaluations for IOM, other UN agencies, or multilateral organizations is an advantage. 

• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting evaluations using OECD-DAC evaluation criteria and internationally recognized evaluation standards. 

• Proven experience evaluating programmes related to migration governance, humanitarian response, refugee or displacement contexts, protection, health, livelihoods, resilience, social cohesion or institutional capacity development. 

• Experience evaluating multi-country, multi-sectoral or multi-stakeholder humanitarian or development programmes is highly desirable. 

• Experience working in South and Central Asia, particularly in fragile, humanitarian or displacement contexts, is an asset. 

• Demonstrated experience conducting stakeholder consultations with government institutions, UN agencies, donors, civil society organizations, implementing partners and affected populations. 

• Demonstrated experience preparing high-quality evaluation reports that meet UN or donor quality assurance standards. 

Skills 

• Strong understanding of results-based management, Theory of Change, logical frameworks and performance measurement systems. 

• Strong knowledge of IOM Evaluation Guidelines, UNEG Norms and Standards for Evaluation, UNEG Ethical Guidelines and OECD-DAC evaluation criteria. 

• Strong qualitative evaluation and analytical skills, including the ability to triangulate evidence and synthesize complex findings into clear conclusions and practical recommendations. 

• Strong understanding of protection mainstreaming, accountability to affected populations, PSEA, gender equality, disability inclusion, conflict sensitivity, localization and the “Leave No One Behind” approach. 

• Excellent analytical writing, synthesis and presentation skills.

• Ability to manage complex assignments independently, meet deadlines and maintain high quality standards. 

• Ability to work effectively and respectfully in multicultural and multidisciplinary contexts. 

Languages

Required

• Fluency in English language (oral and written) is required. 

Travel Required

• The consultancy is expected to be home-based, with travel to selected countries of implementation, as required by the agreed methodology and subject to IOM approval. The final sampling strategy, countries or locations to be visited, and modality of stakeholder consultations will be determined during the inception phase in consultation with the Evaluation Manager. Any travel required under this assignment shall be included in the consultant’s all-inclusive financial proposal. The proposed contract amount shall cover all costs associated with the assignment, including international and local travel, visas, accommodation, daily subsistence, insurance, communications and any other costs necessary for the successful completion of the consultancy. No additional reimbursement for travel-related expenses will be provided by IOM unless otherwise agreed in writing in advance. IOM will facilitate the obtaining of visas through the issuance of supporting documentation.

Required Competencies

The incumbent is expected to demonstrate the following values and competencies:

Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.

  • Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.

    • Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

    • Courage: demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.

    • Empathy: shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.

• Delivering results:produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner;is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.

• Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.

• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.

• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

How to apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via IOM e-Recruitment system within the above said deadline at 11:59 p.m. (BKK Time) referring to this advertisement. Please attach the following documents in your application: 

• A one-page expression of interest outlining their proposed approach to the assignment  

• A curriculum vitae

Other

• Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation. 

• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment and verification of residency, visa and authorizations by the concerned Government, where applicable. 

• Only shortlisted candidates will be called for assessment.

Please ensure that your application is complete with the above-mentioned documents. As incomplete applications generate an immense administrative burden for our organization. As a general rule, candidates who have not properly submitted their application with required documents will be excluded from consideration.

Required Skills

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