Evaluation Specialist (Team leader and Team members for the Evaluation of FAO’s work related to food loss and waste (FLW) (Better Nutrition 4 – Reducing food loss and waste)

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• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
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• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The Office of Evaluation (OED) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is launching a thematic evaluation of FAO’s Programme Priority Area on food loss and waste (Better Nutrition 4 – Reducing food loss and waste). OED is seeking qualified consultants to join the team that will conduct this evaluation. Selected team members shall have demonstrated evaluation experience in various development contexts, exposure to a broad set of practices in the reduction of food loss and waste (FLW), and a background in sectors and commodities that relate to FAO’s areas of work in food loss and waste.

Reporting Lines

The evaluation consultants will work under the direct supervision and close guidance of the Evaluation Manager and Supervisor, and under the overall responsibility of the Director of the Office of Evaluation (OED).

Technical Focus

FAO has a long history of supporting its Members on the reduction of FLW. Its work on FLW reduction was a key thematic area under the previous Strategic Framework as well as in the present one. The reduction of food loss and waste links to FAO’s mandate to defeat hunger and achieve food security and good nutrition for all, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner. It is expected to play a critical role in the next decades given the growing stress on the food systems resulting from climate change and growing populations. Saving what we produce may be one of the least expensive ways to transform our food systems towards greater efficiency and sustainability.

Purpose and Objectives of the evaluation

This evaluation will be the first comprehensive assessment of FAO’s FLW portfolio and is conducted for both learning and accountability. It will focus on the period from 2018 to 2022.

Although based on a retrospective analysis, the evaluation should be forward-looking and formative in seeking to provide insights for the future development of this area of work. The evaluation will assess the coherence, effectiveness and sustainability of FAO’s work in FLW reduction, and identify lessons that will help in updating policy and programming to improve utility and relevance.

The main objectives of the evaluation are to:

• Assess the soundness and completeness of FAO’s programme logic in relation to food loss and waste, as communicated through FAO's strategic framework for 2022-2031, as well as in other relevant programme and strategic documents;
• Review whether and under what conditions FAO’s technical solutions have been associated with a reduction in food loss and waste;
• Assess how well this work contributes to FAO's custodianship role on SDG indicators relevant to FLW; and
• Advise FAO on the most useful ways to develop this work in the future.

The evaluation will rely on multiple sources for data collection and mixed-methods for analysis, validation and triangulation of evidence against the evaluation questions, including: a) document review; b) administrative data analysis; c) synthesis of evidence from prior evaluations; d) interviews and survey of FAO staff and partners involved in FLW reduction work; e) six to ten country case studies; and f) an overview of other actors working in this space to assess FAO’s positioning and potential comparative advantage.

The evaluation will be conducted from April 2023 to February 2024.

The team will first convene in Rome (June 2023) to review the evaluation TORs, conduct interviews of stakeholders in HQ, and develop a detailed design and work plan in collaboration with OED personnel. It will then divide in sub-teams for the conduct of country case studies (July – September 2023, depending on the local conditions and circumstances). Finally, the team will reconvene in Rome for additional data collection, identification of findings and conclusions, and debriefing with FAO management and staff (October 2023). Report writing (home-based) will conclude the exercise.The final report will be formally presented to the FAO Programme Committee in spring 2024.

Composition and profile of the evaluation team

The evaluation will be managed by the appointed FAO-OED evaluation manager and led by a Team Leader selected among the candidates responding to this call.

OED is seeking qualified consultants to join the evaluation team, with demonstrated evaluation experience in various development contexts, exposure to a broad set of practices in the reduction of food loss and waste, and a background in sectors and commodities that relate to FAO’s areas of work in FLW, as follows:

• Food systems transformation, including urban food systems
• Evidence-based policies and strategies related to food loss and waste
• Private sector efforts and initiatives in the reduction of food loss and waste
• Techniques and approaches for food loss and waste reduction at various stages of value chains (post-harvest, transportation, processing, storage, retail, consumption) and for different commodities (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, fish, etc.) and derived products
• Awareness-raising, partnerships and collaboration for food loss and waste reduction
• Socially inclusive and environmentally friendly value chains
• Food loss and waste reduction in humanitarian contexts

Ideally and for reasons related to independence, candidates should not have been recently involved (since 2018) in the formulation, implementation or backstopping of FAO’s work on FLW.

Tasks and responsibilities

The evaluation team will:

• Contribute to the development of the methodology
• Participate in information sessions, document reviews, interviews, analysis and field visits in a sample of countries
• Draft and help complete the evaluation report in their areas of expertise

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in a relevant discipline: social science (such as economics or sociology) or evaluation with a focus on food science and technology, agro-economics, agribusinesses and value chains
• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in the respective fields of specialization
• Working knowledge of English (proficient – level C), and limited knowledge (level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). For PSA, a working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Demonstrated experience in conducting or taking part in independent, strategic evaluations
• Relevant field experience of working and/or of conducting evaluations in developing countries
• Proven ability for holistic thinking, capacity to balance specialized expertise with generalist skills, and an understanding of trade-offs and synergies between equity, sustainability and economic development
• Strong capacity for stakeholder engagement, empathy, facilitation skills and Interviewing skills
• Ability to speak and write in a clear and concise manner, reliability in meeting commitments

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency