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Community of Practice Manager for UNEG

Background

The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) is a professional network that brings together the units responsible for evaluation in the UN system including the specialized agencies, funds, programmes and affiliated organisations. UNEG currently has 43 such members and three observers. UNEG aims to strengthen the objectivity, effectiveness and visibility of the evaluation function across the UN system and to advocate the importance of evaluation for learning, decision making and accountability. UNEG provides a forum for members to share experiences and information, discuss the latest evaluation issues and promote simplification and harmonisation of reporting practices.
 
UNEG is partnering with the MDG Achievement Fund (MDG-F), an observer member of UNEG, to implement its Knowledge Management (KM) Strategy. This strategy will consist of three main pillars: 1) an informal working group on Knowledge Management brings together KM professionals from member units to advise the UNEG Secretariat; 2) a group of KM Focal Points across member agencies inputs information into the UNEG Secretariat and web-based tools; and 3) the UNEG Secretariat has an overall coordination function as well as budgetary authority to contract out elements of the KM work plan. UNEG seeks to recruit a Community of Practice Manager to strengthen knowledge sharing among UNEG member units, to help keep UNEG’s KM tools up-to-date, and to ensure UNEG is using the latest available know-how and technology to service its membership and engage with partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will act as a Community of Practice Manager for UNEG and will support UNEG’s Informal Working Group on Knowledge Management in implementing its annual work plans 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. More specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities, in addition to support any further activities as required:
 
Formulate a Community of Practice in order to strengthen knowledge sharing and mutual learning among UNEG member units (about 50%):
  • Help set up a network of KM Focal Points across UNEG member agencies; monitor the work done by KM Focal Points via the UNEG dashboard and assist in case of any problems (ongoing)
  • On a weekly basis, select substantive materials aimed at sparking discussions on UNEG KM Tools (UNEG website, Teamworks, Linked-In, etc.); Research existing web content for uploading on the UNEG external website (job vacancies, consultancies, training opportunities, conferences, links, etc.);
  • Participate in the UNEG KM meetings and take meeting minutes as required
  • Organize webinars on evaluation/ KM to allow UNEG members to present on experiences; ensure UNEG KM group is linked with relevant events on the topic, present on the group’s work; possibly organize own events (brown bag lunch/ conference side event) to give visibility to the KM group and foster discussion on the topic;
  • Undertake innovative projects on website content such as: creating youtube videos interviewing key players inside and outside UNEG, initiating online discussions, and moderate e-discussions when needed; etc.;
  • In collaboration with the UNEG Programme Specialist, ensure that all UNEG membership lists, events lists, Task Force pages, etc. are up-to-date on the UNEG website;
  • Be a source of initiative and technical expertise for further developing UNEG’s web-based KM tools and web-based conferencing tools; and
  • Perform other KM tasks as required
Ensure UNEG is using the latest know-how and technology to service its membership and engage with partners (about 45%):
UNEG Roster:
  • Improve and expand the current Roster system and maximize the usage by UNEG members;
  • Post vacancies (sent by UNEG members) on the UNEG Roster website, encouraging UNEG members to invite consultants to the site, administer/update the site, answer consultants’ questions; and
  • Outreach to potential consultants
Evaluation Plan
  • Work with web developer to create a UNEG Evaluation Database and migrate existing content there
  • Assist KM Focal Points in uploading existing (past) evaluation reports as well as plans for (future) evaluations 
MDG-F Side Event at AGM/ Evaluation Week 2013 (about 5%):
  • Work with the MDG-F Secretariat to coordinate the MDG-F side event for the UNEG AGM/ Evaluation Week
The consultant will report to the UNEG Programme Specialist. UNEG’s Informal Working Group on Knowledge Management will provide overall guidance and feedback on activities. 

Competencies

  • Plays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
  • Excellent inter-personal, teamwork, and communication skills
  • Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills
  • Work well under pressure
  • Ability to establish effective working relations in multi-cultural team environments
  • Strong verbal and written communication
  • Resourcefulness, initiative and mature judgment

Required Skills and Experience

The qualified candidate must have:
    Education:
    • A Master’s degree in social sciences, political science, development, information technology.
    Experience:
    • Strong analytical skills and client-orientation: ability to quickly grasp and synthesize information and to translate clients’ needs into operational processes that yield the expected outcomes.
    • Expertise in information technology for the purpose of knowledge management.
    • Ability to work interactively with a diverse team.
    • Creativity and the willingness to take risks.
    • Experience in database management.
    • Ability to present data and information in an organized manner.
    Language Requirements:
    • Excellent writing skills in English; 
    • Working knowledge of other UN languages, especially French or Spanish.
    It is a great advantage if a candidate has
    • Experience working on evaluation and/ or knowledge management.
    • Experience with and knowledge of the UN system.
    • Work experience in support of a professional network.
    The full Terms of Reference for this position is available at the UNEG website: http://www.unevaluation.org/ToR_KMconsultant.
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    UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

    http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=34603