Evaluation Officer

1A021A02

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The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting
The Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (RNE) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with offices and divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. RNE also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RNE develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).

The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The post is located in RNE in Cairo, Egypt.

Reporting Lines
The Evaluation Officer reports to the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative, RNE under the technical and policy guidance of the Office of Evaluation (OED).

Technical Focus
Thematic and programme evaluations, decentralized evaluations, use of evaluation results, evaluation capacity development.

Key Results
Increased results accountability and lessons learning at the corporate and unit level.

Key Functions

• Plans, designs and manages decentralized evaluations ensuring submission of reports according to deadlines.
• Conducts quality control or assure decentralized evaluations.
• Takes measures to enhance the utilization as well as the ownership of evaluations in Decentralized Offices.
• Participates in developing, enhancing and testing evaluation methodologies, determining their applicability in different contexts, and keeps abreast of latest developments.
• Liaises with technical and operational divisions and offices to enhance the planning, design and utilization of decentralized evaluations.
• Manages post-evaluation communications, including lessons from evaluations, making them available to various stakeholders.
• Performs other duties as required.

Specific Functions
Decentralized evaluations planning, coordination and management:

• Reviews, in collaboration with OED, and agrees on evaluation plans and timelines for the completion of decentralized evaluations.
• Liaises with relevant country offices on the process, timelines, completion and launch of each decentralized evaluation.
• Coordinates and monitors the overall implementation of evaluation plans and reports to the regional senior management team and OED accordingly.
• Ensures budget and needed resources availability for each decentralized evaluation.
• Reviews relevant background documentation and liaises with project key informants to develop evaluation terms of reference (ToRs), including evaluation design and methodology.
• Identifies the evaluation team and launches their recruitment, in line with FAO processes and procedures.
• Applies OED evaluation policies, guidance and standards and ensures quality assurance of evaluations by review and quality check of all deliverables of the evaluation team, including inception report, draft and final evaluation report.
• Oversees the completion of management response and dissemination of decentralized evaluation reports.

Communication, outreach and capacity development:

• Identifies, along with Country Office evaluation focal points and Regional Office representatives and in coordination with programme, strategic analysis and knowledge management teams, opportunities for communication and dissemination of relevant evaluation results.
• Organizes communication and knowledge sharing events in the region to promote use of evaluation results, in collaboration with the regional knowledge management teams.
• Provides technical guidance to all Monitoring and Evaluation Non-staff Human Resources in RNE region and ensures they are involved in evaluation processes in their respective countries.
• Gathers information on main lessons and recommendations for different topics and shares them with all concerned stakeholders, either through webinars or specific presentations or syntheses.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of capacity building activities for evaluation focal points and other FAO actors involved in evaluation processes in the region.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in evaluation, agriculture, social and economic development or related fields.
• Seven years of relevant experience in conducting and managing development evaluations at the global, regional or country levels.
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in designing, planning, leading and conducting development evaluations.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in using evaluation methodologies and managing evaluation processes.
• Sound understanding of the functioning of UN agencies and the UN system is considered a strong asset.
• Previous experience with decentralization of the evaluation function in a UN organization is desirable.
• Analytical skills and ability to write clear and concise reports in English.