Independent Evaluation Policy Adviser (re-advertised)

Independent Evaluation Policy Adviser - Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) Songdo, Republic of South Korea

I. Background

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 Climate 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 their 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 members 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 independent 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. 1

The IEU has a mandate for both discharging an accountability function and supporting a learning 2

function. These are central to the GCF being a learning organization as laid out in its Governing

Instrument and its initial strategic plan. The responsibilities of the IEU are as follows:

(d) Evaluation: The IEU will undertake independent overall, portfolio, country, thematic, programme evaluations that inform GCF strategic result areas.4 In key cases, it will also support and undertake project evaluations. The IEU will use relevant and innovative methods and an independent peer-review mechanism that will provide guidance on independent

2the financial mechanism of the Convention” (UNFCCC decision 5/CP19, annex, paragraph 20).

Board document B.16/18

3Annex I to decision B.12/20.

4 Annex I to decision GCF/B.05/03. evaluations. The vision, criteria and guidelines for these will be laid out in the Independent evaluation policy. The IEU is also mandated to independently peer review and attest the

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quality of GCF self-evaluation;

(e) Advisory and capacity support: The IEU is required to advise the Board by synthesizing

findings and lessons learned from its evaluations. These findings and lessons learned are

expected to also inform the Executive Director of the Secretariat and other GCF

stakeholders. The IEU will engage closely with the independent evaluation units of

intermediaries and implementing entities of the GCF, including national designated

authorities (NDAs) and accredited entities (AEs). It will provide support to catalyse learning

and build and strengthen NDA and AE evaluation capacity. It will also provide guidelines and

support evaluation-related research that helps produce rigorous evidence in GCF result areas;

(f) Learning: The IEU will support the GCF in its learning function by ensuring that

recommendations from independent evaluations are incorporated into the Secretariat’s

functioning and processes. This includes recommending possible improvements to the GCF

performance indicators and its initial results framework, after accounting for international

experience and the results of evaluation; 8

(g) Engagement: The IEU will actively participate in relevant evaluation networks to ensure that it

is at the frontier of evaluation practice. The IEU will involve its own staff and staff from NDAs

and AEs in evaluations wherever feasible and appropriate. In addition, the IEU will support

knowledge hubs of low-emission and climate-resilient pathways. 10

II. Role

The LSEA will be responsible for leading the development of the independent evaluation policy of the

IEU.Thiswillincludebutisnotrestrictedtodevelopingaconceptnoteandanapproachpaperincluding

a budget and a timeline. Itwill also involve engaging infacilitated discussions withGCF secretariat staff,

undertaking a needs and capacity assessment for evaluation as both a learning function as well as an

accountability function as well as supporting and using inputs from theories of change oriented

consultations led by others. Engagements will also require discussions with staff of independent and

implementing entities of the GCF as well as other stakeholders and agencies that are at the frontier of

evaluation practice and methods. It will also involve reviewing the independent evaluation policies of

mainevaluationagenciesintheworldandadoptingsomebestpractices whilerecommendingchanges,

that reflect especially recent advances in science, data and measurement. The LSEA will also provide

inputs into the vision and strategy for the IEU separately and will work closely with the other members

of the team on this aspect. Anotherset of his/herresponsibilities will be to help provide inputs into the

approach papers for setting up the IEU led by other members of the team. The IEP Advisor(s) can be

remote but will be expected to travel to Songdo, for at least 10 days, 2-3 times during the assignment

or as discussed with the hiring manager. It is expected that the assignment will not take more than 6

months of time to accomplish.

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6Decisions B.12/12 and 20.

Annex III to decision B.06/09

7Syntheses will include not just evidence from GCF funded programmes and policies but also from other agencies that are relevant to the GCF’s result areas.

8Annex III to decision B.06/09

9See note 7 above.

10Annex I to decision GCF/B.05/03.III. Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Head of the IEU, s/he will be responsible for but not limited to:

• Leading the formulation of the independent evaluation policy for the IEU;

• Formulatevision,criteria,andguidelinesforimplementingtheevaluationpolicy,andlead,facilitate

andcooperatewithrelateddivisionsinassessingtheneedfor,feasibilityofandconditionsrequired

for evaluation guidelines and procedures for different types of evaluations including overall,

portfolio, country, thematic and programme/project evaluations while considering conditions for

and processes for quality at entry of GCF supported programmes, entities and proposals;

• Establish guidance for evaluation design, methodology and processes for independent overall,

portfolio, country, thematic, and programme/project evaluations. This will in turn be informed by:

o An overall approach paper and a timeline for achieving different components;

o Engaging with GCF stakeholders and staff;

o Reviewing independent evaluation policies of other agencies and undertaking a critical

appraisal while assessing their suitability to the IEU;

o Informing an assessment of the GCF portfolio and assessing its evaluability using different

criteria including OECD-DAC criteria as well as evaluability for assessing causal impact, and

articulating key requirements for these types of evaluability;

o Liaising with members of the Board and other stakeholders to take on board their concerns

and requirements of independent evaluations including data quality and evaluability concerns;

o 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 including

summative evaluations, impact evaluations and implementation/process evaluations.

• Preparing a draft independent evaluation policy that will also be used as a consultation paper to

elicit further comments from a designated Board committee as well as other members of the GCF

Board as identified;

• Finalizing the IEU independent evaluation policy after incorporating comments from key

stakeholders;

• Translating the independent evaluation policy into standards and guidelines for programmes and

policiesforGCFmodalities,programmespoliciestoensurehighqualityevaluationsthatcanidentify

and measure change;

• Provide guidance on developing a protocol around this including definitions;

• Following debates and developments in the evaluation arena;

• Performing other related duties including travel, as required.

IV. Minimum required experience and qualifications

• Advanced university degree in applied social sciences, legal studies, evaluation or related fields;

• At least 12 years of experience in theory-based evaluation;

• Excellent communication and engagement skills (including written and oral);

• Deep knowledge of key advances in the evaluation field including in data, impact evaluation

methodologies, evaluative research and evidence based policy making. Deep familiarity with

participatory approaches, quantitative methods;

• Advanced university degree in applied social sciences, legal studies or related fields;

• Familiarity with climate change topics and international politics is desirable;

• Familiarity with processing information requests from a range stakeholders is an advantage;• Ideal candidates will require analytical and organizational skills, sound judgement, decision making abilities, be tactful and diplomatic, and be capable of working with pressing timelines and

competing demands on time;

• Excellent writing skills;

• Ability to read and communicate fluently in English; the ability to read and communicate in one or

more other major languages (French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic) is desirable; 


V. Outputs and timeline

Main outputs are:

(i) An approach paper for the Independent evaluation policy with a timeline and budget.

(ii)A draft independent evaluation policy.

(iiiA final evaluation policy finalized after consultation with the Board.

(iv)AdocumenttranslatingtheIEPintostandards,guidelinesandprotocolsincludingawarenessraising

workshops with key IEU stakeholders.

(v) Operational manual.

VI. Application process and requirements

Qualified candidates are required tosendan email attaching their CVanda letterof interest.

In the letter of interest kindly include specifically

1) Your experience in evaluation, impact evaluation and in evaluation methodologies;

2) Experience with engaging a diverse set of stakeholders, familiarity with evaluation paradigms

and theories of change consultations;

3) Experience with innovation and thinking out of the box and being a change agent.

4) Experience with doing stakeholder interviews, needs assessments and capacity assessments.

5) Experience with building and assessing theories of change in participatory ways.

6) Experience in the field of climate change and familiarity with key concepts and networks.

7) Evidence of writing skills preferably of a detailed document that requires clear

communication to a non-academic audience of technical material.

8) An overall budget for this task.

Please send this ina singlefile to: ieu@gcfund.org and roster@gcfund.org

File name: “[last name], [first name]” (e.g. Peterson, Anna)

Subject line: “Independent EvaluationPolicy Adviser- IEU”

Please indicateyourearliestavailability totake upassignment.

Applications shouldbesubmittedby 21November2017,andshortlistingwill takeplace ona rolling basis

till asuitablecandidate isidentified.

Applications fromwomen and nationals from developing countries are strongly encouraged.

Upon submission of your application, you will receive an automatic 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.