Principal Evaluation Officer – Impact Evaluation and Capacity Building Work Stream
Incheon
- Organization: GCF - Green Climate Fund
- Location: Incheon
- Grade: Mid/Senior level - Mid/Senior - Internationally recruited position
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Occupational Groups:
- Education, Learning and Training
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Closing Date: Closed
Principal Evaluation Officer – Impact Evaluation and Capacity Building Work Stream
Grade IS – 5 Duty station Songdo, Incheon - Korea Contract type 3 years Number of posts 1 Recruitment type International
Unit Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) Closing date 30 October 2017 Reporting to Head of Independent Evaluation Unit Vacancy code GCF/Recruit/235 The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a multilateral fund created to make significant and ambitious contributions to the global efforts to combat climate change. The GCF contributes to achieving the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climat e Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. In the context of sustainable development, the GCF aims to promote a paradigm shift towards low -emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce t heir greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change, while accounting for their needs and supporting particularly those that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The GCF is governed by a Board, composed of an equal number of me mbers from developed and developing countries. It is operated by an independent Secretariat headed by an Executive Director.
The Independent Evaluation Office (IEU) of the GCF, is mandated by the GCF Board under paragraph 60 of its governing instrument inform its decision making. Specifically, the governing instrument states “… the Board will establish an operationally independe nt evaluation unit as part of the core structure of the Fund. The head of the unit will be selected by, and will report to, the Board. The frequency and types of evaluation to be conducted will be specified by the unit in agreement with the Board.”
The IEU has several objectives:
(a) Informing decision-making by the Board and identifying and disseminating lessons learned, contributing to guiding the GCF and stakeholders as a learning institution, providing strategic guidance; (b) Conducting periodic independent evaluations of GCF performance to objectively assess the results of the GCF and the effectiveness and efficiency of its activities;
(c) Providing evaluation reports to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement for purposes of periodic reviews of the Financial Mechanism.
Position description
The incumbent will be responsible for participating in and managing the ‘Impact Evaluation, Data systems, Methods Advice and Capacity Support’ work stream of the IEU. The role requires an excellent grasp of theor-based impactevaluation techniques that use counterfactual methods (both experimental and quasi-experimental) combined with qualitative methods. The incumbent should be ready to advocate for, provide advice for, build capacity for and
undertake high-quality, credible impact evaluations that can help the IEU answer questions about causal attribution,
using theory based impact evaluation methods. He/she should be able to also build training modules and
awareness briefs so that IEU stakeholders including staff at the GCF secretariat as well as staff of accredited entities
understand the need and requirements of high-quality impact evaluations. He/she should also be able to manage
teams and provide advice in a regular manner to GCF stakeholders to undertake such evaluations, and especially be
able to impress upon teams the need to build these types of evaluations into early stages of project planning. The
incumbent will also need to be able to write terms of reference for impact evaluations, write guidance notes and
build procedures for impact evaluations that use state of the art data such as big data and rapid data and be keenly
aware of methods for impact evaluations such as those that use synthetic controls.
He/she will be expected to keep abreast of developments in the field, while engaging with experts in the field from
around the world, with the goal of engaging them to advise and support IEU related work. He/she should also be
able to engage positively and collegially with GCF staff as well as other stakeholders in the evaluation and the
evaluation research field. She/he will be responsible for building the field within GCF while also participating in and
leading impact evaluations of GCF operations. The principal Evaluation Officer will also be responsible for suggesting
innovative evaluation system and methods, and providing capacity building for GCF stakeholders. This position will
require traveling as a representative of the IEU. He/she will also be required to inform IEU’s policy, procedures, and
guidelines for theory based impact evaluations.
Duties and responsibilities
• Responsible for the ‘Impact Evaluation, Data systems, Methods Advice and Capacity Support’ work stream
of the IEU, under the overall guidance of the Head of the Independent Evaluation Unit;
• Provide overall management tasks, including planning, initiating, managing, budgeting for, staffing,
recruiting for, writing and delivering high quality, journal- worthy theory-based impact evaluation studies
in a timely manner;
• Engaging with GCF stakehold ers and staff, as well stakeholders from accredited entities, development
partners, executing entities and other GCF stakeholders;
• As requested, liaising with members of the Board and other stakeholders to take on board their concerns
and requirements of independent impact evaluations including data quality and evaluability concerns;
• Advocate for, encourage, and create a vision around theory-based impact evaluations, contribute to building
policy, procedures and guidelines for theory based impact evaluations;
• Assess the quality of data systems, tools, and internal processes in order to undertake and strengthen
theory-based impact evaluations that will in turn feed into an overall assessment of the GCF’s performance;
• Suggest and apply innovative evaluation methodologies and processes to generate valuable evidence using
theory based impact evaluations. Participate in and substantively contribute to high quality portfolio,
thematic and strategic evaluations and apply qualitative and quantitative techniques to th ese;
• Prepare workshops, teaching modules, products and events, etc. for enhancing the capacity of IEU
stakeholder to have credible, high-quality evidence for evaluation;
• Work closely with key stakeholders including the Head of IEU and other consultants and staff to develop
sensitivity and understanding around key concepts of evaluation;
• Prepare draft independent evaluation reports that will also be used as consultation papers to elicit further
comments from a designated Board committee as well as other members of the GCF Board as identified;
• Finalize IEU independent evaluation reports after incorporating comments from key stakeholders; and
• Perform other related duties including travel, as required.
Expected experience and qualifications*
• Master’s degree in applied economics, law, applied social sciences, climate change related subject, statistics
or fields related to evaluation; • 11 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience ;
• Previous experience in undertaking and implementing evaluations that use experimental or quasi -
experimental methods for real- world programs and projects preferably in the context of international
development;
• Deep knowledge of key advances in the evaluation field including in da ta, evaluation methodologies,
evaluative research and evidence based assessment. Deep familiarity with participatory approaches,
quantitative methods;
• Familiarity with climate change topics and international politics;
• High level of understanding of the realities of international programs, policies and projects and ability to
advise a variety of stakeholders on budgetary, logistical, methodological, technical and other requirements
for theory based impact evaluations;
• Familiarity with processing information requests from a range stakeholders is an advantage;
• Be able to manage multiple tasks with exacting deadlines and deliver on time;
• Be flexible, humble, with a good collegial attitude and an ability to work in multi- cultural environments,
with ambiguously defined structures and policies with a keen ability to troubleshoot;
• Ideal candidates will require analytical and organizational skills, sound judgement, decision -making
abilities, be tactful and diplomatic, and be capable of working with pressing timelin es and competing
demands on time;
• Ability to deal with large volumes of work under time pressure with a high level of accuracy and attention
to detail; to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with governing bodies and colleagues;
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills, and highly developed cultural sensitivity in communicating with
all levels of staff and external clients, both orally and in writing;
• Ability to build training modules and train people in monitoring and evaluation is a big advantage; and
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position; knowledge of
another UN language an advantage.
*The person assessed by the Selection Panel as most suitable for the position will be proposed for appointment. The
above criteria should be seen as indicators of the experience and skills that would qualify candidates for
consideration. Selection among short -listed candidates will also take into account performance at interview,
appropriate testing, and references.
Required competencies
• Accountability
• Planning and Organizing
• Team work
• Building trust
• Communication
How to apply
Interested candidates are requested to send their CV and a letter of interest in a single PDF file to:
recruitment@gcfund.org
File name: “[last name], [first name]” (e.g. Peterson, Anna)
Subject line: “Principal Evaluation Officer – Impact Evaluation”
Upon submission of your application, you will receive an automa tic e -mail acknowledging receipt of your
application. Should you not receive a response, however, please check your spam/clutter mail before resubmitting
your application. Please also ensure to use the correct spelling for the subject line of your e-mail. Thank you.
Applications from women and nationals of developing countries are strongly encouraged.