About the Organization:
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is a multilateral donor agency under the administration of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It promotes a sector-based approach to financial inclusion and is both a facilitator and an investor in the industry. UNCDF offers a unique combination of investment capital, capacity building, and technical advisory services to promote microfinance and local development in the least developed countries (LDCs). It is channeled primarily to poor rural areas in the LDCs where poverty reduction, capacity, and governance challenges are typically the greatest.
Background
In 2010, UNCDF and the MasterCard Foundation launched YouthStart – a partnership that is intended to increase access to financial and non-financial services for 200,000 low-income youth in Sub-Saharan Africa by December 2014. The YouthStart program will shortly undergo a mid-term evaluation. The objectives of this evaluation include:
- To assess the level of satisfaction of program stakeholders and beneficiaries with the results;
- To assess whether UNCDF and its partners are effectively positioned to achieve results;
- To ensure accountability for results to the program'€™s financial backers, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
About the Job:
UNCDF is looking for an International Evaluation Team Leader. S/he will support the evaluation of the YouthStart program. This position is I-ICA 3 level contract.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Lead/manage the evaluation team in planning and conducting the evaluation;
- Decide on division of labor, roles, and responsibilities within the evaluation team;
- Ensure the use of best practice evaluation methodologies and practice at all stages of the evaluation;
- Develop and pre-test the necessary data collection tools (to be presented in the inception report);
- Lead the team as it completes the field phase of the evaluation;
- Lead the presentation of the draft evaluation findings and recommendations for the countries visited;
- Lead the drafting and finalization of the evaluation report, integrating to the extent possible all comments received from different partners;
- Present the main findings and recommendations in a debriefing to senior staff at UNCDF HQ and the MasterCard Foundation;
- Regularly updating UNCDF and the MasterCard Foundation on the progress of the evaluation;
- Ensure quality control for the evaluation report according to UN best practice.
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in International Development, Economics, Finance, Public Policy, Development Economics/Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation or related field;
- Minimum of 10 to 15 years of accumulated experience in microfinance (in youth microfinance and/or in integrated services a plus);
- Demonstrated experience in leading evaluations in inclusive finance (micro, meso, and macro levels);
- Proven ability to use participatory evaluation methods and in applying qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods to assess program results at individual, institutional, sector, and policy level;
- Familiarity with issues related to youth programing, youth serving organizations, and financial products and services for youth;
- Thorough understanding of key elements of results-based program management;
- Extensive microfinance training and technical assistance experience;
- Comprehensive knowledge of CGAP benchmarks and industry best practices. Experience at the country wide sector level/understanding of building inclusive financial sectors in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Language: Fluent in English and working knowledge of French.
Closing Date: 02 Oct 2012
How to Apply:
Apply Online
Contact:
Nerea Sanchez
nerea.sanchez@uncdf.org
Two UN Plaza, 26th Floor
New York
United States
Telephone: 2129066135
