Evaluation Specialist (Various profiles)

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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 person 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’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in more than 130 countries worldwide.

FAO evaluates the strategic alignment, implementation, efficacy, and efficiency of its portfolio of work through its independent Office of Evaluation (OED), which is led by the Director of OED who reports to the Director-General and the FAO Programme Committee. OED evaluates FAO strategies, initiatives, programmes, and projects at global, regional, and national levels. OED seeks to generate credible and useful evidence and insights to inform decisions, support oversight, and help FAO achieve its mission. In so doing, OED advances knowledge and provides results accountability to both the Director-General and Member Nations. OED also participates in system-wide evaluation initiatives, thereby contributing to assessments of development and humanitarian effectiveness by the UN system.

OED is conducting the thematic evaluation of FAO's seeds programming. The objectives of the evaluation are to identify and inform FAO management, Members, and resource partners about what is working well; acknowledge and diagnose aspects that are not, so they can be addressed; and lay the groundwork for future evaluations to generate evidence. The final product of this evaluation will include a description and categorization of FAO’s work on seeds by intervention-context typologies, along with a literature review and case studies showcasing FAO's work on the ground.

The evaluation of FAO’s seed programming is led by OED, with support from subject-matter experts, either as members of the evaluation team or as part of the advisory board. The subject-matter experts, as members of the evaluation team, are responsible for ensuring technical soundness on seed-related aspects within the methodological approach and evaluation deliverables. The advisory board will provide guidance on technical matters and validate the evaluation results.  

Reporting Lines

The Evaluation Specialist reports to the senior Evaluation Officer in OED.

Technical Focus

Seed security and seed systems.

Evaluation Specialist (Evaluation Team):

The Evaluation Specialist, as part of the evaluation team, will be responsible for ensuring technical soundness on matters related to seed aid and seed systems throughout the evaluation process. This includes supporting the team in the design, data collection, and writing of the evaluation brief.

Evaluation Specialist (Advisory Board):

The Evaluation Specialist, as part of the Advisory Board, will be responsible for guiding the evaluation team in technical and strategic content, and providing feedback to the main deliverables of the evaluation.

Tasks And Responsibilities

Evaluation Specialist (Evaluation Team):

• •    Support the evidence review, ensuring the completeness of the database and variables for analysis, as well as the technical quality of the results;
• •    Develop typologies of context-specific interventions based on FAO’s project portfolio and support their quality assurance;
• •    Identify and support the conduct of case studies to showcase the diversity of FAO’s seed programme typologies;
• •    Collaborate with the evaluation team on report writing, ensuring a complete and coherent report in both substance and style;
• •    Carry out other tasks as needed to ensure the overall quality of the work.

Evaluation Specialist (Advisory Board):

•    Guide the Evaluation Team on key strategic and technical aspects throughout the evaluation process 
•    Provide feedback to key deliverables of the evaluation to ensure technical soundness and strategic relevance
•    Review the Evaluation Brief, the main deliverable of the evaluation, to ensure it meets the highest standards of state-of-the-art knowledge in the subject matter, is supported by the latest scientific evidence, and is strategically relevant to stakeholders.
•    Participate in meetings and workshops with key stakeholders at critical moments of the evaluation
•    Carry out other tasks as needed to ensure the overall quality of the work.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    For Consultants: Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in agriculture, socio-economic sciences, or a related field; Consultants with bachelor`s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
For PSA.SBS: University degree in agriculture, socio-economic sciences, or a related field.
•    5 years of relevant experience in seed emergency aid and/or seed systems development.
•    Working knowledge of English.

Fao Core Competencies

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

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

Additional Information

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ 
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

How To Apply

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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