Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist (Impact Consultant) - Retainer

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian, and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organizations.

New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, and bilateral and multilateral partners, in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), and Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

The Mediation Support Unit (MSU) in the Policy and Mediation Division (PMD) of the United Nations (UN) Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), is a system-wide service provider for mediation support, assisting UN, Member States, regional/sub-regional organizations, and other partners. The Unit, inter-alia, provides tailored operational support to peace and dialogue processes through expert staff from MSU as well as the Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisers (SBT). MSU also works to strengthen mediation capacities of peace process actors through a series of flagship trainings and tailored engagements. The Unit also serves as the institutional repository of mediation support knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the Mediation Support Unit of UNDPPA to implement the Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisers mechanism as well as other activities which support and improve upon the work of the SBT.

UNOPS seeks to enhance the work of the SBT and MSU through a review of impact tracking and learning systems in terms of increasing capacity to better capture experiences and insights on what makes for good mediation support practice; to more effectively track and communicate the impact of the Unit's work in support of global peacemaking efforts; and to ensure best practices are sustainably integrated into SBT and MSU’s processes. The Outcome Harvesting approach, as highlighted in the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) guidelines for evaluating peacebuilding, is a monitoring and evaluation approach that promotes context-adaptive programming, and, as such, is considered especially useful in contexts marked by high uncertainty.

The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

• Review and assess MSU's current quantitative and qualitative impact tracking systems and practices focused on MSU's operational assignments, including through its expert staff and members of the Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisors.
• Develop a tailor-made Outcome Harvesting model for MSU that builds on existing practices, taking into consideration the challenges and peculiarities of tracking the impact of mediation support and advice to our partners.
• Plan and support the roll-out of the new Outcome Harvesting model within MSU, including through in-person and virtual assistance.
• Develop and conduct training workshop(s) with MSU staff and SBT experts, and travel on an annual basis, or as needed, to support training and workshops. Develop a set of recommendations on how to sustainably adopt the new Outcome Harvesting model over the long-term, and how to best tie it to existing DPPA learning, reporting and donor communication cycles.
• Upon request, provide ongoing advice, targeted feedback, and training for new SBT experts and MSU staff on the implementation of the Outcome Harvesting model over annual reporting cycles. 

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The outputs of the service will entail the review and assessment of existing MSU impact tracking practices, and the development and roll-out of a tailor-made Outcome Harvesting model that provides for the methodology to be successfully adopted – and sustainably run – by MSU staff and SBT experts. Progress will be measured through submission of relevant written documentation and participation in scheduled virtual check-ins within deadlines to be agreed with UNOPS and MSU on an iterative basis, as well as through feedback and/or surveys from SBT and MSU staff on the Outcome Harvesting model and training workshops which are developed.  

• Delivery 1: Review and assess MSU's current quantitative and qualitative impact tracking systems and practices focused on MSU's operational assignments, including through its expert staff and members of the Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisors. 
• Delivery 2: Develop a tailor-made Outcome Harvesting model for MSU that builds on existing practices, taking into consideration the challenges and peculiarities of tracking the impact of mediation support and advice to its partners. 
• Delivery 3: Support the roll-out of the new Outcome Harvesting model within MSU, including through virtual assistance and an in-person training workshop with MSU staff and SBT experts. 
• Delivery 4: Develop a set of recommendations on how to sustainably adopt the new Outcome Harvesting model over the long-term, and how to best tie it to existing DPPA learning, reporting, and donor communication cycles. 
• Delivery 5: Upon request, provide ongoing advice, targeted feedback, and training for new SBT experts and MSU staff on the implementation of the Outcome Harvesting model during annual reporting cycles 

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) preferably in International Affairs, Peace and Conflict, and/or Development Studies or related area.

• A minimum of five (5) years or more of work experience in monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability in the peace and conflict and/or development sector, and/or experience with project or programme management. In-depth knowledge of the Outcome Harvesting methodology and experience in introducing this methodology to organizations in the peacebuilding and peacemaking sector is required.

• Familiarity with the United Nations. 
• Ability to assess materials from a culturally sensitive perspective. 
• Attention to detail and the ability to deliver quality products against tight timelines is desirable.

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) - Retainer. A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently.  The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a "unit price" per day worked.  For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contracts is awarded and issued.  Please notethat the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work.

Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA-2) or Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA-10)

Even though the level of the position is indicated as IICA-2, depending on the incumbent's personal situation ( candidate with national ID or resident permit), a local fee scale (LICA-10) might be applied in determining the contractor's fee.

Contract duration: The contract for this position is set for one year (renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance)

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.