Deputy Director Independent Evaluation Office

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. UNDP works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. UNDP helps countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, and institutional capabilities and build resilience to sustain development results. UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. UNDP supports countries' efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, guiding global development priorities for the next 11 years.

• Maintain and ensure adherence to UNDP's Evaluation Policy 
• Supervise or task manage of evaluations or assessments of UNDP programmes, themes or policies of key importance at the corporate level.
• Introduce innovative and cutting-edge evaluation methodologies to enhance the rigor of evaluations carried out by the IEO.
• Ensure the IEO's high quality methodological and process standards through strict guidance to the IEO's professionals and evaluation consultants.
• Foster and sustain productive partnerships for evaluation with UN system evaluation offices/units and multilateral institutions on the one hand, and with leading evaluation institutions, networks and regional/national professional associations on the other. 
• Provide strategic advisory support and guidance on evaluation matters to country offices and HQ units.
• Coordinate responses to any corporate requirements or demands from external parties.
• Coach and mentor staff as required, more particularly the mid managers to maintain a sustainable delivery capacity in the IEO.

• Financial services
• Human Resources
• Procurement and logistical services 
• Information and Communications Technology for Development Evaluation

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP's mission, vision and values , based on a thorough and nuanced understanding of the United Nations and multilateral context, as well as extensive familiarity of relevant United Nations values and topics, such as human rights, human development, gender, environment, and results based management, in order to provide effective leadership for all levels and all types of evaluation.
• Displays adaptability, understanding and respecting for differences in culture, local customs, religious beliefs and practices, gender roles, disability, age and ethnicity, and is skillful in incorporating these when undertaking and managing evaluations as well as when leading staff
• Displays a thorough understanding of the Standards of ethical conduct for evaluators, is able to promote a strong ethic work environment in the office, have integrity and honesty in all working relationships and act as a role model for staff with regard to ethical behavior.

• S/he must have proven in-depth professional knowledge of the different components of the evaluation practice, including evaluation design, data collection and analysis, and reporting, and the skills needed to provide substantive guidance to staff on evaluation design methodology and reporting.
• S/he must have a proven ability to plan and implement an effective office strategy for systematic follow-up to evaluation recommendations and in developing an effective dissemination and outreach strategy for evaluation reports.
• Excellent knowledge of emerging global issues and evaluation trends that impact on the work of their office and the skills necessary to advance the evaluation profession within the United Nations as well as within the larger evaluation community 
• S/he must show a concrete ability to guide the distilment, communication and reporting of best practices and lessons learned.
• Knowledge of the role of evaluation in the organization, advances and important directions in evaluation, including important partnerships to be forged; 
• Knowledge of capacity development and of the current efforts in evaluation capacity development
• Have good technical knowledge of the different components of evaluation, including evaluation design, data collection and analysis, and reporting, and the skills needed to provide substantive guidance to staff on evaluation design methodology and reporting

• The incumbent must have strong management skills to effectively monitor the flow of the office's evaluation work and products and to oversee the following office management tasks: organizing effective evaluation work, assigning evaluation tasks, setting up evaluation priorities, monitoring major project milestones, reviewing evaluation products for quality, establishing output goals and schedules, developing quality products, ensuring timeliness of products, and ensuring effective dissemination and utilization of evaluations.
• Strong ability to plan and implement an effective office strategy for systematic follow-up to evaluation recommendations and in developing an effective dissemination and outreach strategy for evaluation reports;
• Strong networking skills, representing the office at senior level meetings, and cultivating good relationships with Member States, donors, programme managers, Country Offices and Corporate Bureaux, while maintaining accountability and independence
• Excellent ability for facilitation of learning about evaluation and its purpose, including guiding the distilment, communication and reporting of best practices and lessons learned;
• Demonstrated openness to change,  ability to manage complexities to develop and support the implementation of systems and change management models; 
• Effective team leadership and conflict resolution skills; demonstrating excellent coaching and mentoring competencies
• Excellent leadership skills in promoting a positive work environment in the IEO, by empowering staff, fostering creative problem-solving, ensuring transparent communication and participatory decision-making, and promoting open and effective interpersonal relationships among staff.
• Excellent negotiation skills that can be applied to complex situations, within and outside the office, on all issues related to evaluation
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to represent the IEO at senior level meetings and other high level fora
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to effectively communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner to all audiences, as well as to provide guidance to staff on all written products and oral presentations;

• The incumbent must have excellent proven oral and written communication skills, and the ability to effectively communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner to all audiences, as well as to provide guidance to staff on all written products and oral presentations.
• S/he must have demonstrated leadership competencies in understanding and respecting for differences in culture, local customs, religious beliefs and practices, gender roles, disability, age and ethnicity, and be skillful in incorporating these when undertaking and managing evaluations as well as when leading staff.
• S/he must have excellent negotiation skills that can be applied to complex situations, within and outside the office, on all issues related to evaluation.
• S/he must have excellent facilitation skills that can be employed in high level meetings and other interactions with colleagues, peers, and other internal and external partners.

• A minimum of 15 years' experience in progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in conducting and managing evaluations at international level. 
• Documented evidence of evaluation technical and professional skills, and first-hand experience conducting evaluations for United Nations organizations, and/or other multilateral and bilateral development organizations.
• Proven experience in managing operations in the UN system at the corporate level or any other multilateral development organization. Acquaintance with UNDP’s operations is also desirable.

• Working language is English. Fluency in Spanish, French or any other UN official language is strongly advantageous

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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