Principal Evaluator for Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP/GEF project Conserving, Enhancing and Managing Carbon Stocks and Biodiversity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Result of Service

The consultant will submit a concise evaluation report.

Work Location

Home-Based

Expected duration

6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

ORGANIZATION SETTING. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. This consultancy is located at Headquarters in the Evaluation Office which reports directly to the Executive Director. The consultant reports to the Evaluation Manager and the Director of the Evaluation Office. THE EVALUATION The Terminal Evaluation will be an in-depth evaluation using a participatory approach whereby key stakeholders are kept informed and consulted throughout the evaluation process. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods will be used as appropriate to determine project achievements against the expected outputs, outcomes and impacts. It is highly recommended that the consultant(s) maintains close communication with the project team and promotes information exchange throughout the Evaluation implementation phase in order to increase their (and other stakeholder) ownership of the evaluation findings. Where applicable, the consultant(s) will provide a geo-referenced map that demarcates the area covered by the project and, where possible, provide geo-reference photographs of key intervention sites (e.g., sites of habitat rehabilitation and protection, pollution treatment infrastructure, etc.) THE PROJECT On 26 April 1986, an operating crew at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant complex tested whether Reactor No. 4 turbines could produce enough energy to keep coolant pumps running until an emergency diesel generator could be activated in case of an external power loss. But seven seconds later, a surge created a chemical explosion that released nearly 520 dangerous radionuclides into the atmosphere. The force of the explosion spread contamination over large parts of the Soviet Union, now the territories of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. As a result of the accident, a contaminated zone with a 30-kilometer (19-mile) radius around the Chernobyl plant was established. The initial circular exclusion zone was later replaced by one with an irregular shape commonly referred to as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ). Consequently, ecological systems over much of the abandoned landscape, which had undergone man-induced transformations during hundreds of years, were suddenly devoid of human population and its effects, and were subject to natural recovery and provided a de-facto large conservation area for biodiversity and natural resources. The Conserving, Enhancing and Managing Carbon Stocks and Biodiversity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone project was therefore designed and implemented to contribute to the conservation, and management of carbon stocks and biodiversity in forest and non-forest lands in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ), in Ukraine through formal designation of the ChEZ as Biosphere Reserve. THE EVALUATION TEAM For this Evaluation, the Principal Evaluator will work with the Evaluation Specialist under the overall responsibility of the Evaluation Office represented by an Evaluation Manager, in consultation with the UNEP Task Manager, Project Manager, Fund Management Officer, the Sub-programme Coordinators for Nature action and Environmental governance. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES In close consultation with the Evaluation Manager, the Principal Evaluator will be responsible for the overall management of the Evaluation and timely provision of its outputs, data collection and analysis and report-writing. More specifically: Inception phase of the Evaluation, including: • preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff; • draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project; • prepare the evaluation framework; • develop the desk review and interview protocols; • draft the survey protocols (if relevant); • develop and present criteria for country and/or site selection for the evaluation mission; • plan the evaluation schedule; • prepare the Inception Report, incorporating comments until approved by the Evaluation Manager Data collection and analysis phase of the Evaluation, including: • conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders; • (where appropriate and agreed) conduct an evaluation mission(s) to selected countries, visit the project locations, interview project partners and stakeholders, including a good representation of local communities. Ensure independence of the Evaluation and confidentiality of evaluation interviews. • regularly report back to the Evaluation Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered and; • keep the Project/Task Manager informed of the evaluation progress. Reporting phase, including: • draft the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that the evaluation report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Evaluation Manager guidelines both in substance and style; • liaise with the Evaluation Manager on comments received and finalize the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Evaluation Manager • prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted by the Evaluation Consultant and indicating the reason for the rejection; and • (where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons) Managing relations, including: • maintain a positive relationship with evaluation stakeholders, ensuring that the evaluation process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence; • communicate in a timely manner with the Evaluation Manager on any issues requiring his attention and intervention. The Principal Evaluator shall have had no prior involvement in the formulation or implementation of the project and will be independent from the participating institutions. The consultant will sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form. The Principal Evaluator will be selected and recruited by the UNEP Evaluation Office through an individual consultancy contract. Comprehensive terms of reference will be shared with the consultant separately.

Qualifications/special skills

A first level university degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required and an advanced degree in the same areas is desirable. A minimum of 9 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach; A good/broad understanding of protected areas management is desired. Working knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is an added advantage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is a requirement and proficiency in/knowledge of Ukrainian is desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.