Head of Evaluation Service

Head of Evaluation Service

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Head of the Evaluation Service is providing overall leadership, effective management and quality control of the evaluation function in UNHCR, reporting directly to the High Commissioner. The new UNHCR Evaluation Policy provides the overarching framework for the evaluation function in UNHCR, introduces a system of decentralized evaluations and strengthened quality assurance. The implementation of this policy and building a strengthened and more professional evaluation function requires strong leadership and management by the Head of the Evaluation Service. S/he will supervise the staff in the Evaluation Service (currently 5 P-positions and 1 GS position) and interact regularly with senior management in the organization (both at Headquarters and in the field) as well as inter-agency related evaluation fora and networks (such as but not limited to the United Nations Evaluation Group).

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- UNHCR has a credible evaluation function, which contributes to both accountability as well as learning.

Responsibility
- Oversee the implementation of the UNHCR Evaluation Policy across the organization, work closely with Directors of Regional Bureaux and Divisions, as well as Representatives of Regional and Country Offices.
- Prepare the Evaluation Work plan for centralized evaluations, in consultation with senior management.
- Ensure the exercise of quality assurance for evaluations, both at centralized and decentralized evaluation levels, including technical advice and support for capacity development, particularly for decentralized evaluations.
- Oversee the commissioning, manage, approve and communicate the results of central evaluations.
- Advocate for the gradual increase of financial resources for evaluations.
- Maintain and strengthen cooperation and partnerships with other evaluations services and professional networks to contribute to inter-agency evaluation, learning and evaluation guidance and normative development initiatives.

Authority
- Submit the evaluation work plan to the High Commissioner for approval.
- Commission centralized evaluations.
- Endorse final centralized evaluation reports, and disseminate them, both internally and externally.
- Represent UNHCR on evaluation-related issues and initiatives at relevant international, inter-agency and academic fora.


ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Advanced university degree (i.e. masters or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Economics, or Law.
- Minimum of 20 years of progressively responsible professional experience, of which at least ten years directly related to evaluations in humanitarian and/or development operations, programmes and projects.
- Formal qualification or certification in evaluation work or equivalent experience.
- Proven track record as an evaluator of humanitarian or development operations, programmes and projects with international organisation, NGO or consulting company.
- Demonstrated expertise of evaluation standards, norms and good practices as practised by professional groups such as the United Nations Evaluation Group, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and  Development/Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC), Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) and other professional networks.
- Fluency in English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Field experience, preferably in a UN humanitarian or development organization in a monitoring and evaluation role or research capacity.
- Good understanding of quantitative and qualitative methods, statistics and evidence-based evaluation.
- Knowledge of (inter-agency) humanitarian system and programmes, both in refugee as well as IDP-settings, and in different geographical locations.
- Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian or Chinese).

Further details on the Job Description and application process, please go to http://www.unhcr.org/careers.html by Tuesday, 15th November 2016.