Job: INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR UNDAF MID-TERM REVIEW

Location : Baku, AZERBAIJAN

Application Deadline : 17-Oct-13

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : International Consultant

Languages Required : English Russian

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 11-Nov-2013

Duration of Initial Contract : One month

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Background

The UN Country Team in Azerbaijan formulated the current UNDAF jointly with the Government, development partners and other stakeholders. The UNDAF document outlines the United Nations' planned support to the country from 2011 to 2015, serving as a framework for focused and coordinated development assistance in the areas where UN has comparative advantages. The UNDAF aims to support achieving national development priorities articulated in the State Programme for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development (2008-2015), which is aligned with the MDGs.

The UNDAF document identifies three broad areas ( economic development, social development, and governance), as the pillars of the programmatic contributions, initiatives, and synergies of the UN system in Azerbaijan , considering gender, disaster risk reduction, and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) identified as cross-cutting issues.

The Mid-Term Review (MTR) is not a mandatory requirement. However, having reached the midpoint in the UNDAF implementation cycle, the UN Country Team decided to conduct a mid-term review as a ‘stepping stone‘ to the final UNDAF evaluation which is due to take place in early 2014 and feed into the formulation of a next UNDAF (2016-2020) to be launched in 2014.

The review process in Azerbaijan will help find synergies and linkages with other complementary processes undertaken by the UN and the Government to ensure that the next UNDAF document is aligned with the recommendations generated by the post-2015 national consultations and priorities articulated in ‘Azerbaijan: Vision 2020' strategic plan, which will guide the Government's policies over the next seven years, striving to double GDP per capita by 2020 as well as transforming Azerbaijan into a high-income country and placing it eventually in the group of top-ranked countries with high human development.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The scope of the MTR will comprise the following four key components:
• Review of the changes in the governance, social and economic situation in Azerbaijan and analytical review of their impact on development;
• Based on the analysis, the programme areas review and strategies through a jointly led review process to identify the lessons learned, constraints, challenges, and opportunities;
• Revisions to the UNDAF for the next two years;
• Recommendations to strengthen UN inter-agency cooperation and enhance coherence in delivering the UNDAF, with a particular focus on the work of the UN Theme Groups/UN Task Forces and joint programme activities.

Duties and responsibilities:

The consultant will review all relevant documents including, but not limited to, the current UNDAF and all agency Annual Reports for 2011-2012, the MTR reports, and all relevant documents such as strategies, analyses, researches, studies, assessments, etc. to be provided by UN agencies. In addition, the consultant will help facilitate one-day UNDAF retreat to summarize findings and recommendations generated by the mid-term review process.

Thus, the consultant will be responsible for:

• Interview and consultations with the key informants to identify the emerging issues and links between different programmes impacting on the UNDAF objectives and obtain information on performance, relevance and future strategies. The key informants will include: i) Heads of Agencies, programme officers in UN agencies; ii) relevant government officials; iii) civil society representatives; and iv) representatives of donor agencies.
• Review and compilation of M&E indicators, baseline information and sources and means of verification;
• Producing a brief analysis of fundamental challenges and lessons learnt;
• Facilitating a one-day UNDAF retreat to discuss the report, recommendations and implementation plan; and
• Producing UNDAF Mid-Term Report, in consultation with the UNCT.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Strong analytical, research and writing skills with demonstrated ability to think strategically;
• Ability to focus on impact and results for the client, promoting and demonstrating an ethic of client service;
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities;
• Experience in writing for print media
• Ability to synthesize information in an easily understandable written way;
• Ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to a diverse audience;
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality outputs and in a timely manner;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work independently;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's Degree in International Development; Development Economics; Sociology of Development; Development Communications; or a closely-related discipline

Experience:

• Experience in managing M&E frameworks and/or strategic plans involving multiple stakeholders;
• Ample understanding of the following approaches: Human Rights- Based Approach, Gender, Participatory processes, and Results Based Management;
• Ability in compiling data and strong understanding of its quantitative and qualitative analysis within a logical framework;
• Profound knowledge of the UN Reform, the UN Development Assistance Framework, the Millennium Development Goals, and Post-2015 Development Agenda;
• Ability to understand the implementation of UN Programmes and reinforcement of strategic partnerships for the UNDAF implementation; familiarity with the UN system would be a strong asset;
• A demonstrated ability to clearly communicate development ideas and experiences;
• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent proficiency in English (written and oral). Knowledge of Turkish and/or Azerbaijani/or Russian is an asset.

FC: 04500

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

More Info and Application