Multi-Country Impact Evaluation Specialist, P4 # 130602, Temporary Appointment, 364 days, Evaluation Office, Outposted in Nairobi, Kenya

Under the direction of the Senior Evaluation Specialist (head of impact evaluation and methods), the multi-country impact evaluation specialist will identify opportunities to a) increase coverage of impact evaluations in the thematic areas of child protection and gender; and b) provide technical leadership in implementing the Impact Catalyst Fund’s multi-country thematic window/windows. Working collaboratively with the evaluation team in UNICEF Regional office in East and South Africa (ESAR), UNICEF country offices, and other UN partners based in Nairobi, the incumbent will support planned and ongoing impact evaluations, contribute to strengthening institutional and national capacities in impact evaluations, and lead on scale-up of innovative approaches in rigorous impact evaluations in fragile and humanitarian settings.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Evaluate

The mission of the UNICEF evaluation function is to help drive results for children by fostering evidence- informed decision-making. Evaluation in UNICEF supports both learning and decision-making, which in turn support better results for children. The evaluation function conducts a diverse set of independent, credible and impartial corporate thematic, institutional effectiveness, humanitarian, country-led, impact and joint evaluations to ensure UNICEF uses evaluation evidence to improve outcomes for children.

Evaluation at UNICEF is a largely decentralized function with senior-level regional evaluation advisers and multi-country evaluation specialists based in the seven UNICEF regional offices, as well as dedicated country evaluation specialists and evaluation focal points in the UNICEF country offices around the world. The UNICEF Evaluation Office serves as the steward of the UNICEF evaluation function and is located at the New York headquarters. The director of evaluation provides strategic leadership to the global evaluation function at all three levels of the organization.

In 2023, the Evaluation Office launched the UNICEF Evaluation of Impact Strategy and Action Framework 2022–2025, which sets the institutional priorities and vision for a harmonized and strategic approach to the generation and use of impact evidence at UNICEF. The Impact Catalyst Fund is an integral part and the main incentive mechanism of Strategic Pillar I of the Evaluation of Impact Strategy. It aims to build a multi- country impact evaluation portfolio covering new and priority areas of UNICEF programming. To this end, the Evaluation Office is seeking a multi-country impact evaluation specialist to support the office and the global evaluation function in implementing the Evaluation of Impact Strategy, with a focus on expanding the initiation and coverage of impact evaluations in child protection, gender and social norms thematic areas. The Evaluation Office values highly motivated candidates who strive to excel and stay abreast of the latest evaluative knowledge and methodological innovations.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the guidance of the director of evaluation and the supervision of the senior evaluation specialist (head of impact evaluation and methods), the multi-country impact evaluation specialist will identify opportunities to a) increase coverage of impact evaluations in the thematic areas of child protection, gender, and related topics; b) provide technical leadership in implementing the Impact Catalyst Fund’s multi-country thematic window/windows. Working collaboratively with the evaluation team in UNICEF Regional office in East and South Africa (ESAR), UNICEF country offices, and other UN partners based in Nairobi, the incumbent will support planned and ongoing impact evaluations, contribute to strengthening institutional and national capacities in impact evaluations, and lead on scale-up of innovative approaches in rigorous impact evaluations in fragile and humanitarian settings.

In accordance with the UNICEF mission, guiding principles, standards, commitments and accountability framework, and under the revised United Nations Evaluation Group norms and standards, the multi- country impact evaluation specialist will ensure that all evaluations conducted under her/his leadership are of the highest possible technical quality, relevance, timeliness, credibility and utility and that the evaluations support the organizational learning and accountability needs of UNICEF and its stakeholders in achieving results for children.

The incumbent will also contribute to cross-cutting initiatives within the Evaluation Office and the wider evaluation function, including learning activities, strategic communication, and advocacy efforts.

Key responsibilities:

1. Technical leadership

• Identify opportunities for multi-country impact evaluations through rapid review of literature, synthesis and consultations with key UNICEF stakeholders, donors, and partners.
• Support the Evaluation Office and, in turn, the global evaluation function to design, manage and implement multi-country portfolios of impact evaluations in the programme areas of strategic importance.
• Serve as principal investigator and co-principal Investigator on selected impact evaluations. This includes the design and technical specifications of all impact evaluations, projects’ timelines, human resource and partnership requirements, the analysis of data collected (qualitative and quantitative) and the preparation of evaluation reports and other materials.
• Manage staff and/or consultants and collaborate closely with regional and country office evaluation specialists and programme practitioners.
• Leverage the capacity and expertise of national partners working in the thematic area and ensure visibility of UNICEF and donor efforts.
• Provide technical assistance to UNICEF regional (including but not limited to ESAR) and country offices in developing terms of reference and donor proposals for mixed-methods impact evaluations.

2. Standardization

• Lead the development of standardized methodological approaches, tools, analytical packages and processes in the thematic area of child protection, gender and social norms.
• Ensure cost-effectiveness, replication and harmonization of outcome and impact measurements in a credible manner.

3. Methodological innovation

• Contribute to and promote the diversification of methods and data to measure outcome- and impact-level change in areas with a particularly sparse impact evidence base such as fragile and humanitarian settings.
• Collaborate with global and regional evaluation teams to initiate, test and scale up innovative impact evaluation approaches in areas with recognized challenges to construct a counterfactual or reach vulnerable populations.
• Lead the development of technical guidance papers and methodological packages.

4. Learning and capacity development

• Support the development and roll-out of learning and capacity-building activities that raise awareness and promote the initiation, implementation, and better use of impact evaluations by UNICEF and its national partners, including academic and research institutions of the Global South.

6. Partnerships

• Initiate and develop internal and external partnerships, including with other UNICEF evidence divisions, multilateral and bilateral organizations, other United Nations agencies and academic institutions to increase the coverage of impact evaluations at UNICEF.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: 

• An advanced university degree (master or PhD) in social sciences (e.g., economics, public policy or a related field).

Work Experience:

• A minimum of eight years of technical leadership experience in mixed-methods impact evaluation (e.g., randomized controlled trials) within an international organization, a development agency, academia, government or the private or non-profit sector.
• Demonstrated thematic expertise in areas of child protection, gender, and social norms.
• Solid track record of leading and managing mixed-methods impact evaluations that rely on both qualitative and quantitative approaches and a variety of data collection modalities (mobile surveys, interviews, focus groups, direct and indirect observations, desk reviews).
• Demonstrated experience in the execution of complex multi-regional, multi-country initiatives.
• Interest/ability to keep up to date with the latest skills and organizational guidance in the field of evaluation and to explore innovative and creative ways to apply a combination of novel data and methodological approaches.
• Proven ability to work with internal and external stakeholders at multiple levels, including providing technical support and capacity building and establishing/managing external partnerships.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English; knowledge of another United Nations language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.