In line with the UNDA Project Evaluation Guidelines, the Guidance Note on Planning and Conducting Terminal Evaluations, and the UNEP Evaluation Policy, the Terminal Review (TR) is conducted at project completion to assess performance in terms of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and to determine the project’s actual and potential outcomes and impacts. The TR serves two primary purposes: (i) to provide credible evidence of results for accountability, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning, and knowledge sharing among UNEP and key project partners. The Consultant shall provide the following key deliverables: 1. Inception Report by 28 February 2026 2. Draft Terminal Review Report by 1 May 2026 3. Final Terminal Review Report and Table of Recommendations by 15 June 2026

Home-based

5 months (part-time basis)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. From 2022 to 2025, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as the lead implementing entity, in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) as co-implementer, implemented the regional project “Nature-based Solutions for Enhanced Resilience to COVID-19 and Urban Air Pollution in the Western Balkans and Central Asia”, funded under the 14th Tranche of the United Nations Development Account (UNDA14T). The project aimed to promote green, cost-effective and evidence-based solutions to urban air pollution, while strengthening national and city-level capacities to integrate nature-based solutions (NbS) and environment–health data into urban policy, planning and decision-making. This project will undergo a Terminal Review in accordance with UNDA requirements, which constitutes a reduced-format project evaluation conducted at completion to assess performance, results, and lessons learned. The Terminal Review is to be completed within Q1-Q2/2026. Based on the above, the UNEP Europe Office seeks the services of a qualified evaluation consultant to conduct the Terminal Review of the project in accordance with United Nations Development Account (UNDA) evaluation requirements, in close cooperation with UNEP and UN-Habitat. Information about the project: The project responded to persistent and severe urban air pollution challenges across the region, driven by outdated heating systems, transport emissions, rapid urbanization, and increasing climate-related pressures. It was closely aligned with SDG targets 3.9 and 11.6, relevant United Nations Environment Assembly resolutions on air pollution, the WHO Air Quality Guidelines, and UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) under the Chemicals and Pollution Action Sub-programme. Although originally framed around resilience to COVID-19 impacts, the project was adaptively managed as the pandemic subsided, refocusing its public-health lens on longer-term urban wellbeing, air quality, and climate resilience, while maintaining its core objectives and relevance. Geographically, the project covered four countries—Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—with city-level interventions implemented in Bishkek, Belgrade, Dushanbe, and Termez. From a technical perspective, the project combined institutional capacity building, air quality and health assessments, healthy urban living diagnostics, and NbS planning tools, supported by scientific expertise from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and implemented in close cooperation with national ministries of environment, national research institutions, civil society organisations, and municipal authorities. The project placed strong emphasis on low-cost monitoring approaches, data integration, citizen-engaged assessments, and multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, enabling cities to better understand pollution sources, exposure risks, and feasible mitigation options including through Nature-based Solution (NbS). At the outcome level, the project sought to: (i) strengthen the ability of national and city-level institutions to adopt and apply evidence-based air quality and NbS policies, and (ii) enhance institutional capacity to collect, analyse, and use air quality and health data for informed urban decision-making. Key outputs included NbS implementation frameworks, urban policy guidance, air quality assessments, monitoring recommendations, healthy urban living methodologies, and public information tools, such as online portals and mobile applications. Overall, the project functioned as a pilot and learning platform within the UNDA portfolio, testing how nature-based, data-driven, and participatory approaches can be embedded into urban air quality governance across diverse political and institutional contexts. The Terminal Review is therefore expected to assess not only the delivery and effectiveness of outputs and outcomes, but also the project’s strategic relevance, sustainability, policy influence, and potential for replication and scaling in other cities and regions. Project implementation was jointly carried out by UNEP (lead implementing entity) and UN-Habitat (joint implementing entity), in partnership with executing institutions including the FMI, the Central Asian Regional Environmental Center (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), MoveGreen (Kyrgyzstan), the Association of Practicing Ecologists (Kazakhstan), and the Center for Experiments in Urban Studies (Serbia). These partnerships enabled a strong combination of policy expertise, scientific and technical knowledge, and local implementation capacity, and reflected the project’s emphasis on multi-stakeholder engagement and evidence-based decision-making. The project formed part of the UNDA global portfolio supporting strengthened environmental data systems, technology-enabled solutions, and enhanced resilience to environmental and socio-economic shocks. Within UNEP, it contributed directly to the Medium-Term Strategy 2022–2025 and the Chemicals and Pollution Action Sub-programme, specifically the Pollution Outcome and Direct Outcome 3C: “Releases of pollutants to air, water, soil and the ocean are reduced.” It also supported MTS 2025 Outcomes related to health–environment linkages and the application of nature-based solutions in the context of climate and pollution challenges, complementing ongoing UNEP regional initiatives on air quality management and NbS uptake in urban settings. Scope of the Terminal Review (TR): In line with the UNDA Project Evaluation Guidelines, the Guidance Note on Planning and Conducting Terminal Evaluations, and the UNEP Evaluation Policy, the Terminal Review (TR) is conducted at project completion to assess performance in terms of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability, and to determine the project’s actual and potential outcomes and impacts. The TR serves two primary purposes: (i) to provide credible evidence of results for accountability, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning, and knowledge sharing among UNEP and key project partners. To ensure the usefulness of the TR, it will include a clear plan for the utilization of results, with concrete and actionable recommendations, identifying responsible entities or position-holders, as well as clearly articulated lessons learned with potential for replication and broader application. The TR criteria are grouped into seven categories, covering core performance dimensions and cross-cutting issues common to both UNDA and UNEP. A. Core Evaluation Criteria 1. Strategic Relevance: assesses the extent to which the project objectives were aligned with beneficiaries’ needs, national priorities, global frameworks, and donor and partner policies. 2. Effectiveness: examines the degree to which the project achieved, or is likely to achieve, its intended objectives, including delivery of planned outputs, achievement of outcomes, likelihood of generating longer-term impacts. 3. Efficiency (including Partnerships): evaluates how economically project resources (financial, human and time) were convened into results, with particular attention to the input-output relationship and the effectiveness of partnerships among UNDA implementing entities, UN agencies, and regional, national and global stakeholders. 4. Impact: assesses the positive and negative, intended and unintended, direct and indirect long-term effects of the project. 5. Sustainability: evaluates the likelihood that project benefits will continue after external support ends, including socio-political, institutional, and financial sustainability, and resilience to risks over time. 6. Financial Management (UNEP-required): reviews adherence to UNEP financial rules and procedures, accuracy and completeness or financial information, and coordination between project and finance functions. 7. Monitoring and Reporting: assesses the adequacy of monitoring design, implementation tracking, and the quality and timeliness of reporting. B. Cross-Cutting Evaluation Criteria 8. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): alignment with relevant SDGs and targets, including adherence to the principle of leaving no one behind. 9. Human Rights and Gender Equality: integration of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination, with attention to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities. 10. Environmental and Social Safeguards: compliance with UNEP’s safeguard requirements, including risk screening, risk monitoring, mitigation measures, and reporting on safeguard management throughout implementation. 11. Communication and Public Awareness: effectiveness of internal knowledge sharing and external communication activities, including public awareness efforts, use of appropriate communication channels, responsiveness to diverse audiences, and availability of feedback mechanisms. In addition to the review criteria outlined above, the TR will address the following strategic questions of interest to UNEP, UN-Habitat and UNDA: • To what extent has the project supported or helped accelerate national level air quality management policies/legislation in the project target countries? • To what extent has the project helped catalyze stakeholder actions for improved urban air quality management in the project target cities? • To what extent has the project generated new context-specific knowledge on air quality and/or NbS in the target countries? • Has the project strengthened implementation of UNEA’s resolutions on air quality (3/8, 6/10, etc.)? • To what extent was the project successful in introducing the concept of NbS to urban planning in target cities? • To what extent has the project helped UNEP to position itself as the leading UN agency working on air pollution issues in the project target countries? The findings of the TR are expected to be of value to: (a) project implementers, including the project manager, project team, relevant UNEP and UN-Habitat divisions and units, executing partners, and government counterparts; (b) other partners and stakeholders who participated in or benefited from the project, including civil society organizations and expert institutions; (c) UNEP staff working in related thematic areas; and (d) other countries and organizations implementing projects with UNDA funding, seeking to draw on the project’s experience and lessons learned. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The Consultant will be responsible for the implementation and delivery of the Terminal Review (TR) in accordance with UNDA and UNEP evaluation requirements. The TR will be conducted remotely, without travel to project countries, and will apply a participatory, evidence-based approach. Upon the start of the assignment, UNEP and UN-Habitat will provide the Consultant with the full Terms of Reference (TOR) for the TR, as well as the set of supporting documents, including evaluation guidelines, templates and project documentation. The Consultant is expected to arrange his/her own access to online communication tools. Tasks and responsibilities of the Consultant will include: 1. TR Planning and Design • Conduct the Terminal Review as an online, in-depth evaluation, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods as appropriate. • Prepare an Inception Report outlining the evaluation approach, methodology, review matrix, data sources, stakeholder engagement plan, and work schedule in line with the TOR of the TR. • Maintain close and regular communication with the UNEP Project Manager and project team throughout the review process to facilitate information exchange and stakeholder ownership. 2. Data Collection and Analysis • Undertake a comprehensive desk review of relevant documentation, including: project design and approval documents, logical framework and budget; annual work plans, progress and financial reports, partner reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, and monitoring materials; project outputs and relevant reviews. • Conduct online individual and group interviews with key stakeholders, including: UNEP and UN-Habitat project teams, implementing and executing partners, national and local government counterparts, UN agencies, development partners, CSOs (the list of key stakeholders will be provided by UNEP). • Ensure systematic triangulation of evidence and analysis of findings against agreed evaluation criteria and review questions. 3. Validation, Reporting and Deliverables • Apply a participatory approach by keeping key stakeholders informed and consulted throughout the review process. • Prepare and present preliminary findings note to share emerging findings and conclusions, verify preliminary results, ensure completeness and accuracy of information sources; • Prepare a Draft Terminal Review Report in accordance with the structure and guidance provided in the TOR for the TR. • Develop a Table of Recommendations, including clear, actionable recommendations with identified responsible entities or position-holders. • Revise the draft report based on consolidated comments from the Project Manager and other project stakeholders. • Submit a Final Terminal Review Report that meets UNEP quality standards and fully addresses all review criteria and questions outlined in the TOR for the TR. In completing the tasks above, the Consultant will actively collaborate with relevant project team members (from UNEP programme team, UNEP Evaluation Office, and UN-Habitat). The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs: 1. Inception Report: A concise, methodologically sound report that confirms the evaluation scope, review questions, methodology, review matrix, stakeholder engagement plan, and workplan, in line with the TOR and UNEP Evaluation Office guidance. 2. Preliminary Findings Presentation: A structured presentation summarizing emerging findings, ratings, and preliminary conclusions, used to validate evidence, ensure factual accuracy, and support stakeholder engagement. 3. Draft Terminal Review Report: A complete draft report addressing all evaluation criteria and strategic questions, including findings, conclusions, lessons learned, and draft recommendations, prepared in accordance with UNEP and UNDA report templates. 4. Final Terminal Review Report and Table of Recommendations: A revised, quality-assured final report that incorporates consolidated stakeholder comments, meets UNEP Evaluation Office quality standards, and includes a clear, actionable table of recommendations with identified responsible entities. Performance under this assignment will be assessed against the following indicators: • Timeliness: All deliverables submitted in accordance with the agreed schedule. • Quality and compliance: Deliverables meet UNDA and UNEP evaluation standards and require no more than the agreed number of revision rounds. • Completeness: All mandatory evaluation criteria, cross-cutting issues, and strategic questions are fully addressed. • Analytical rigor: Findings are evidence-based, clearly reasoned, and supported by triangulated data. • Usability: Recommendations are specific, feasible, and clearly linked to findings, with identified responsible actors. • Stakeholder engagement: Key stakeholders are adequately consulted, and their inputs are reflected in the final outputs. The consultant will work under the overall responsibility of the UNEP Project Manager and in consultation with UN-Habitat Project Manager, the UNEP Fund Management Officer, the Head of UNEP Pollution and Health Unit and the UNDA representative at UNEP.

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in global development, environmental sciences, economics, business management or another relevant field. • Professional certification in evaluation is an asset. • Minimum of 5 years of experience in sustainable development, capacity building, technical cooperation or policy support. • Minimum of 3 years of experience in evaluating sustainable development projects with the focus on environmental sustainability. • Proven experience in working with government offices, NGOs, international development organizations and institutions. Experience in working with the United Nations agencies is an asset. • Good understanding of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and major global environmental frameworks is an asset. • Experience working on projects in the Western Balkans or Central Asia is an asset. • Proficiency in using online communication tools (e.g. Zoom, MS Teams and other).

• Fluency in oral and written English is required. • Fluency in oral and written Russian is an advantage.

Not available.

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.