FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST – UNRWA
UNRWA is the United Nations agency responsible for the protection, care and human development of a population of some 4.6 millionPalestinerefugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank,Jordan,Lebanon, and theSyrianArabRepublic. The Agency is committed to assistingPalestinerefugees in maintaining a decent standard of living, acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills, enjoying the fullest possible extent of human rights, and leading a long and healthy life. UNRWA is by far the largest UN operation in theMiddle Eastwith over 29,000 staff. Most of the staff members are refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities – as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers.
International Evaluation Consultant
Location
Lebanon Field Office
Type of Appointment
Consultant
Deadline for Application
07 September 2012
Vacancy Announcement Number
964/2012
Department/Division
Education Department
BACKGROUND
"Support to improving living conditions for Palestine refugees in Lebanon" is a 7-year, 15 Million euro project funded by the European Union, aiming at complementing and strengthening the education services provided by UNRWA’s regular Education programme.
In the conceptualization of the project, UNRWA Lebanon identified five strategic challenges facing the delivery of improved education services to Palestinian children and youth.
a) Enhance the delivery/teaching of the Lebanese curriculum in UNRWA schools
b) Enhance education assistance to children with special needs
c) Reduce the number of children who leave schools without successfully completing primary education
d) Engage stakeholders to garner the community and organizational support needed to implement changes to the system
e) Improving UNRWA’s business practices, developing capability in project and programme management as well as streamlining procedures for school administration and human resource management.
These strategic educational challenges were to be addressed by the outputs and activities of a four-year project, starting January 2006. Approval for an eighteen-month extension of the project, until August 2011, was granted by the European Union in early February 2010 and another sixteen-month extension of the project was approved by the European Union on 17 May 2011. The project end date is 24 December 2012.
The main three results of the project are as follows:
RESULT 1: An improved learning environment for children in UNRWA schools that will facilitate enhanced implementation of the Lebanese curriculum is established, facilitating improved general education services for all children.
Activities:
1.1. Upgrading the skills of UNRWA teachers to enhance the delivery of the Lebanese curriculum;
1.2. Improving the physical learning environment in UNRWA schools to meet the requirements of the Lebanese curriculum;
1.3. Supporting other service providers to provide quality preschool education based on the Lebanese curriculum to Palestine Refugee children.
1.4. Improving access for Palestine Refugee children to extra-curricular and recreational activities in UNRWA schools; and
1.5. Supporting the project and other Education Department activities by initiating a community engagement and advocacy campaign.
RESULT 2: Special education and health services provided in UNRWA schools are improved. This result will focus on children who are at an increased risk of leaving school before successfully completing primary education.
Activities:
2.1. Conducting a study defining, characterising and scoping the special education needs of students at UNRWA schools. Enhancing the existing programme addressing the psychosocial support needs of children in UNRWA primary schools;
2.2. Strengthening UNRWA’s remedial learning support services;
2.3. Strengthening and enhancing the mainstreaming of children with disabilities in Agency schools; and
2.4. Upgrading the Health Education
RESULT 3: Skill provision strategies for children who have left primary school prior to completion are identified and implemented.
Activities:
3.1 Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the education and employment prospects of children who leave school early.
Between February and April 2008, an external mid-term evaluation was undertaken. The mid-term evaluation looked at project design, relevance, efficiency, effectiveness / impact, sustainability and management aspects of the project. The final evaluation should build on the findings of the mid-term evaluation. It should further assess whether the weaknesses identified in the mid-term evaluation have been addressed by the agency.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Specific Objective:
Provide UNRWA Lebanon with an overall, independent and accountable result-oriented evaluation of the project "Support to improving living conditions forPalestinerefugees inLebanon".
Expected Output
The main output of the consultancy is a final evaluation report that provides an independent and accountable result-oriented evaluation for each of the project’s components.
The final evaluation report should include, but not be limited to, the following specific points:
•Based on the findings of the mid-term evaluation, to evaluate the design and relevance of the project;
•To measure their efficiency by assessing the costs and benefits of the project;
•To measure their effectiveness by assessing how far the intended results and results were achieved;
•Identify all recorded impacts, including any unintended ones and compare them to intended impacts;
•To evaluate the sustainability of the achieved results as well as the ownership/appropriation by the intended beneficiaries. This would also include an assessment of the way in which equipment provided under EU-funded supply contracts has been and/or is being used;
•To evaluate the management arrangement used to deliver the project;
•Based on the findings of the final evaluation, to review to new EU project proposal (to be launched during summer 2012) and to provide recommendations for the implementation of the new EU project.
The evaluation report is to be delivered in English.
METHODOLOGY
It is expected that the International Evaluation Consultant will conduct consultations and meetings with representatives of the following institutions/actors:
•UNRWA Lebanon Front Office
•Chief of Education Programme
•Deputy Chief of Education Programme
•EU project team
•M&E unit
•(Assistant) Head Education Development Centre
•Learning Support Coordinator
•Recreation Coordinator
•Engineering Department
•Health Department
•Area Education Officers
•Head Teachers
•Teachers
•Parents and students
It will be the responsibility of the International Evaluation Consultant in consultation with the M&E unit to finalise design of the process and methodology, data collection, analysis, reporting and drawing final conclusions. The consultant will develop the necessary tools and checklists for data collection and field interviews.
The external evaluator will be supported by the EU project team and the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of the Education Department of UNRWA Lebanon. The M&E unit will provide the evaluator with all necessary documentation prior to the beginning of the assignment and accompany the consultant throughout the evaluation process.
INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION CONSULTANT RESPONSIBILITIES
In accordance with established Agency policy and procedures:
•The consultant holds the overall management responsibility of the evaluation, including designing and carrying out the evaluation, drafting the final report and debriefing the project team and key stakeholders.
•The consultant will liaise with UNRWA Lebanon staff throughout the process, providing regular updates and seeking their input and advice where necessary.
•The consultant will develop an inception report, in collaboration with the M&E unit, detailing the methodology-stakeholders to be interviewed, tools to be developed, time frame for the evaluation which will be shared with UNRWA Lebanon.
•The consultant will develop checklists and tools for field interviews and data collection. The tools will be discussed with the M&E unit before finalization.
•The consultant will orient the M&E unit on the data collection tools and will agree together on workload and task sharing.
•The consultant will present the draft evaluation results to UNRWA staff.
•Integrate UNRWA’s feedback into the final version of the document as appropriate and present the finalized document to UNRWA Lebanon.
•The consultant will ensure ethical child/parent participation.
UNRWA RESPONSIBILITIES
•Provide all required background materials to the consultant in a timely manner.
•Arrange for field visits and accompany the consultant to UNRWA schools.
•Provide translation as required.
•Assist the consultant in data collection as required.
•Oversee the service provider by managing the consultancy contract; monitor adherence to specified deadlines; facilitating access to required information.
•Provide guidance throughout all phases of execution, approving all deliverables, and facilitating access to any documentation (or any person) deemed relevant to the evaluation process.
•Share deliverables with stakeholders.
•Perform quality control, as required of all deliverables.
PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
The CVs and cover letter provided should demonstrate clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the requirements of these Terms of Reference.
(A) Qualification and Skills
(i) Master Degree in educational science, political science, economics, social science or equivalent
(ii) Excellent analytical skills
(iii) Very strong communication skills;
(iv) Proven ability to work in close cooperation with international and local stake-holders.
(B) General Professional Experience
(i) At least ten (10) years of experience in project / programme management and or monitoring and evaluation, preferably in the area of education.
(ii) At least five (5) years experience in project evaluation and/or monitoring of projects, preferably in the area of education.
(iii) Demonstrated ability to conduct quality external evaluations of complex project during a limited amount of time.
(C) Specific Professional Experience
(i) Previous experience in EU project evaluation will be an asset
(ii) Experience in the region will be a asset.
(iii) Knowledge of the Lebanese context will be an asset.
(D) Language Skills
(i) Excellent writing and editing skills;
(ii) Excellent command of English (spoken and written) is required;
(iii) Knowledge of Arabic will be an asset.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE:
Salary: at their interview, candidates will be asked what rate they charge.
Contract Duration: The duration of the assignment is from 08 October to 09 November (a total of 5 weeks). This amounts to 25 working days in total.
The total amount of time will be roughly divided as follows:
Week 1 (08 – 12 October) – inception period, finalisation of scope and methodology of the evaluation, meeting with senior managers, introductory meetings with key persons involved in project implementation
Location:Lebanon,Beirut
Week 2 and 3 (15 – 26 October) – detailed meetings with Project team and some final beneficiaries as well as persons responsible for the relief, construction and health components
Location:Lebanon,Beirut
Week 4 (29 – 02 November) – finalisation of main preliminary conclusions, detailed debriefing meetings with project manager and senior UNRWA staff
Location:Lebanon,Beirut
Week 5 (05 November – 09 November) – finalisation of draft report, submission for comments, incorporation of comments, release of final report
Location: unspecified
EQUIVALENCY
Candidates with an equivalent combination of relevant academic qualifications, professional training and progressive work experience may also be considered.
GENERAL INFORMATION
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications equally from men and women.
•It is Agency Policy to give full consideration to qualified disabled candidates whose disability does not impact their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the post.
•Priority will be given to fully qualify registered Palestinian refugees.
•Prior to the commencement of services,the consultant shall confirm and acknowledge in writing,and provide proof of the existence of,self-procured adequate private insurance against medical,disability and accident for the duration of the contract.
As a member of the United Nations system, UNRWA maintains a close relatives’ policy. In this regard, if a candidate has a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter) who is already employed by the Agency, he/she can only be employed if the Agency is unable to find another suitable candidate.
UNRWA staff members with fixed term appointments may not be considered for any consultant/contractor position while in service. Candidates who are no longer employed by the Agency must have a minimum of 3 months break in service before they applying to any consultant/contract positions.
UNRWA is a United Nations organization whose staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity,neutrality and impartiality. This includes respect for human rights,for diversity,and for non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. UNRWA staffs are expected to uphold these values at all times,both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNWA is a non-smoking working environment.
INTERVIEW REQUIRED:
Short-listed candidates will sit for interview (100%)
HOW TO APPLY
If you have got the skills and experience required above, and want to make an active and lasting contribution to improving the lives of Palestinerefugees, then register on http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing the UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through this website will be considered. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Candidates may also be invited to take a technical exam in order further evaluate their qualifications for the post. Due to a high volume of applications received, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts.
For any queries please send an email to: recruitmentquestions@unrwa.org
