Consultancy - Assistant Evaluator , UNRWA
TERMS OF REFERENCE
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
Assistant Evaluator, Jordan
Evaluation of Project PQ 779: Irbid Camp-Vocational Training and Employment Project, Phase I and II
BACKGROUND
Unemployment and poverty are key challenges facing Palestinian refugees in Jordan today. These challenges are particularly salient for youth, many of whom leave school early for economic reasons, face a long wait between school and employment (70% of Jordanian youth who have been out of school for one year remain unemployed) and participate in the labor force at a low rate (51%). In Jordan, Irbid Camp is one of the largest (24, 833 registered refugees) and poorest (5% of Camp residents are classified as the poorest of the poor of all UNRWA Camps).
In response to this need, the Swiss Development Cooperation sponsored the Irbid Camp-Youth Vocational Training Project. The duration of the project was 1 April 2011 to September 2013. Phase I (1 April 2011 to 31 October 2012), consisted of a market assessment of Irbid Camp and vocational trainings in Irbid Camp. During Phase II, which lasted from November 1 2012 to September 2013, UNWRA provided scholarships, transportation and room and board for students from Irbid Camp to participate in UNRWA’s training centers in Amman.
The goal of the project was to improve the employability of vulnerable Palestine woman and men in Irbid Refugee Camp. Specific objective was to provide vulnerable (60) Palestine refugee youth aged 15 to 25 years in Irbid Refugee Camp with knowledge and skills to break the cycle of poverty.
A list of documents for desk study is provided below.
PURPOSE
Phase I is first of its kind in the programme history of UNRWA Jordan Field Office. As such, it is critical that the experience of the project is independently and professionally assessed to inform similar programme and project interventions in the future.
The specific objectives of the review are:
1. To identify key achievements and challenges,
2. To assess the success in beneficiary targeting,
3. To draw from successes and lessons learned to inform design and implementation of future interventions targeted to the disadvantaged groups in general and youths in particular,
4. To assess potential for scaling up the model.
The key users of the review are UNRWA and SDC.
SCOPE
Geographic Coverage: Irbid Camp, Irbid and Wadi Seer Training Center and Amman Training Center, Amman, Jordan.
Thematic Coverage: Relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, likely impact and likely sustainability.
All data will be disaggregated to assess impact on female youths in particular. The key questions are:
1. For relevance:
a. To what extent did the program objectives and activities address the needs of the target group? Did the project address both the needs of beneficiaries and needs of the larger community?
b. How did the project contribute towards fulfillment of UNRWA’s Medium-Term Strategy priorities and Field Implementation Plans from 2011-2011 and 2012-13?
c. Were the implemented project activities and outputs consistent with the project goal and the objective?
d. To what extent did the project adhere to the requirements of community based VT targeting the disadvantaged youth?
2. For effectiveness:
a. Were the targeting mechanisms effective in identifying those most in need of vocational training and those who have the most potential to bring their families out of poverty?
b. To what extent have the planned objectives been achieved?
c. What are the reasons for the achievement or non-achievement?
d. To what extent have beneficiaries been satisfied with the results?
e. What can be done to make the intervention more effective for the target group in general and female youths in particulars?
3. For efficiency:
a. Have the outputs been delivered in a timely manner? What factors have affected delivery?
b. Have UNRWA’s organizational structure, managerial support, technical competencies and coordination on mechanisms effectively supported project delivery?
c. What can be done to make similar interventions more efficient?
d. Does this intervention have the potential for an efficient scaling up?
4. For likely impact;
a. What are the noticeable positive and negative effects on youth and their families in general, and among female youths and their family in particular?
b. How has the project impacted other local vocational training centres not run by UNRWA?
c. How has Phase II impacted WSTC/ATC training centers?
d. Have the employers been benefitted by project-trained youth? Can they quantify that benefit?
e. Was the project duration adequate to produce the intended impacts? If not, what additional measures will be needed to generate the intended impacts?
5. For likely sustainability:
a. What are the long-term benefits for the beneficiaries and their families?
b. What changes, institutional and technical, are necessary to strengthen design and delivery of this kind of project?
METHODOLOGY
The methodology for the evaluation will include the following:
a. Document review including analysis of key reference documents stated in Annex A.
b. Interviews (structured and semi-structured in person) with key informants such as project staff, trainers, employers, UNRWA VTC officials, and staff at local VTCs not run by UNRWA.
c. Focus groups with beneficiaries, families, and other stakeholders.
d. Field visits to Irbid Camp and WSTC/ATC training centres.
The evaluation should be conducted in line with UNEG Evaluation Norms and Standards.
DELIVERABLES
1. An inception report containing the project intervention logic (results chain), questionnaire, qualitative interview guide, an evaluation plan and a list of reviewed documents. The evaluation plan should contain the proposed data collection methods and data sources to be used for answering each evaluation question, as well as a timeline for key events. Relevant UNRWA staff members will review the evaluation plan to be sure it meets the required criteria.
2. Presentation of preliminary findings, to be presented to key stakeholders for discussion of the findings and formulation of recommendations. UNRWA will be responsible for scheduling presentation. Key stakeholders include:
a. Chief of TVET, Jordan Field Office
b. Principals, Wadi Seer Vocational Training Centre and Amman Training Centre
c. Deputy Director – Programme, UNRWA Jordan Field Office
d. Department of Internal Oversight Services, UNRWA
e. SDC
f. Phase II site project manager
3. Evaluation report, which will be shared with stakeholders for comments in writing. Report should not exceed 30 pages. This will be submitted within ten days of receiving comments, and will contain the following elements:
a. Executive Summary (maximum 2 pages)
b. Project description (1-2 pages)
i. Context of the intervention related to policy, development, and stakeholders
ii. Logic of the intervention, including assumptions and theory
c. Evaluation purpose and scope (1 page)
d. Evaluation methodology (1 page)
i. Sources of information and their validity
ii. Techniques for data gathering and analysis
iii. Limitations and threats to impartiality
e. Analysis of Data and Findings (5 pages)
f. Best Practices and Lessons Learnt (4 pages)
g. Conclusions and Recommendations (5 pages)
h. Annexes: Interview list, data collection instruments, key documents consulted, Terms of Reference (maximum 10 pages).
All deliverables will be written in English. UNWRA’s evaluation manager will be responsible for coordinating a review period, consolidating comments and returning them to evaluators within two weeks.
TENTATIVE WORK PLAN
Description
Number of Working Days, Lead Evaluator, Assistant Evaluator and UNRWA Staff:
• Desk review of documents. 1 1 0
• Production of an inception report containing the results chain of the project, an evaluation plan and a list of reviewed documents. 1 1
• Review and editing of inception report by UNRWA Programme Staff. .5 .5 .5
• Interviews with UNRWA staff in Jordan Field Office and field visits to Amman training centres for interviews of youths, training centre staff and employers. 2 2
• Field visits to Irbid for interviews of training centre staff, youths and their families. 2 2
• Preparation and presentation of preliminary findings with opportunity for feedback from key stakeholders. 1.5 1.5
• Preparation of draft report. 2 1
• Circulation of draft report and consolidation of written feedback from key stakeholders. 0 0 10
• Editing and finalization of report from home base. 1 0
Total: 11 Working Days, 9 Working Days
LIST OF KEY DOCUMENTS FOR DESK STUDY
All relevant documents will be given to reviewers in soft copy upon arrival, including:
Project Documents:
• Project Agreement between Swiss Development Cooperation and UNRWA.
• PQ 977 Project Document
• PQ 977 Internal Progress Report (July 2012-September 2013)
• PQ 977 Progress Report and Re-Programming Request
UNRWA Documents:
• UNRWA Medium Term Strategy Document.
• Jordan Field Implementation Plans (2011-2012 and 2012-2013).
Project Evaluation Documents:
• UNEG Norms for Evaluation in the UN System
• UNEG Standards for Evaluation in the UN System
• OECD Evaluation Development Co-operation: Summary of Key Norms and Standards
• OECD Principles for Evaluation of Development Assistance
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
• Masters Degree in a relevant field.
• At least 3 years of experience in vocational training or youth targeted interventions in the field of international development or humanitarian assistance. Additional experience in evaluations/assessments is desirable.
• Good knowledge of, and experience in applying, qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods;
• Good analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions and produce reports on time;
• Data analysis skills;
• Good written and oral communication skills in English;
• Understanding of gender issues in development;
• Sufficient Arabic skills to function as interpreter for Lead Evaluator.
• Experience with UNRWA operations is desirable.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Duration of the assignment: The duration of the mission will be approximately four weeks: 10 working days, with a break of two weeks (10 working days) for review by key stakeholders, followed by 1 working day from home base to incorporate stakeholder feedback.
As the stakeholders are concentrated in and around Irbid and Amman, a significant portion of this time will be spent in Irbid and WSTC/ATC training centers. The evaluation will be carried out in October 2013.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements with a cover letter which states expected remuneration and highlights relevant expertise via consultancy@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of this consultancy Assistant Evaluator in the subject line of the message. The experts are further required to submit two examples of recently completed evaluation reports. If possible, one or more of the reports should be relevant to the subject of evaluation. The deadline for the submission of applications is August 1 2013 (late applications will not be considered).
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking environment.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is the largest UN operation in the Middle East with more than 30,000 staff. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
Assistant Evaluator, Jordan
Evaluation of Project PQ 779: Irbid Camp-Vocational Training and Employment Project, Phase I and II
BACKGROUND
Unemployment and poverty are key challenges facing Palestinian refugees in Jordan today. These challenges are particularly salient for youth, many of whom leave school early for economic reasons, face a long wait between school and employment (70% of Jordanian youth who have been out of school for one year remain unemployed) and participate in the labor force at a low rate (51%). In Jordan, Irbid Camp is one of the largest (24, 833 registered refugees) and poorest (5% of Camp residents are classified as the poorest of the poor of all UNRWA Camps).
In response to this need, the Swiss Development Cooperation sponsored the Irbid Camp-Youth Vocational Training Project. The duration of the project was 1 April 2011 to September 2013. Phase I (1 April 2011 to 31 October 2012), consisted of a market assessment of Irbid Camp and vocational trainings in Irbid Camp. During Phase II, which lasted from November 1 2012 to September 2013, UNWRA provided scholarships, transportation and room and board for students from Irbid Camp to participate in UNRWA’s training centers in Amman.
The goal of the project was to improve the employability of vulnerable Palestine woman and men in Irbid Refugee Camp. Specific objective was to provide vulnerable (60) Palestine refugee youth aged 15 to 25 years in Irbid Refugee Camp with knowledge and skills to break the cycle of poverty.
A list of documents for desk study is provided below.
PURPOSE
Phase I is first of its kind in the programme history of UNRWA Jordan Field Office. As such, it is critical that the experience of the project is independently and professionally assessed to inform similar programme and project interventions in the future.
The specific objectives of the review are:
1. To identify key achievements and challenges,
2. To assess the success in beneficiary targeting,
3. To draw from successes and lessons learned to inform design and implementation of future interventions targeted to the disadvantaged groups in general and youths in particular,
4. To assess potential for scaling up the model.
The key users of the review are UNRWA and SDC.
SCOPE
Geographic Coverage: Irbid Camp, Irbid and Wadi Seer Training Center and Amman Training Center, Amman, Jordan.
Thematic Coverage: Relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, likely impact and likely sustainability.
All data will be disaggregated to assess impact on female youths in particular. The key questions are:
1. For relevance:
a. To what extent did the program objectives and activities address the needs of the target group? Did the project address both the needs of beneficiaries and needs of the larger community?
b. How did the project contribute towards fulfillment of UNRWA’s Medium-Term Strategy priorities and Field Implementation Plans from 2011-2011 and 2012-13?
c. Were the implemented project activities and outputs consistent with the project goal and the objective?
d. To what extent did the project adhere to the requirements of community based VT targeting the disadvantaged youth?
2. For effectiveness:
a. Were the targeting mechanisms effective in identifying those most in need of vocational training and those who have the most potential to bring their families out of poverty?
b. To what extent have the planned objectives been achieved?
c. What are the reasons for the achievement or non-achievement?
d. To what extent have beneficiaries been satisfied with the results?
e. What can be done to make the intervention more effective for the target group in general and female youths in particulars?
3. For efficiency:
a. Have the outputs been delivered in a timely manner? What factors have affected delivery?
b. Have UNRWA’s organizational structure, managerial support, technical competencies and coordination on mechanisms effectively supported project delivery?
c. What can be done to make similar interventions more efficient?
d. Does this intervention have the potential for an efficient scaling up?
4. For likely impact;
a. What are the noticeable positive and negative effects on youth and their families in general, and among female youths and their family in particular?
b. How has the project impacted other local vocational training centres not run by UNRWA?
c. How has Phase II impacted WSTC/ATC training centers?
d. Have the employers been benefitted by project-trained youth? Can they quantify that benefit?
e. Was the project duration adequate to produce the intended impacts? If not, what additional measures will be needed to generate the intended impacts?
5. For likely sustainability:
a. What are the long-term benefits for the beneficiaries and their families?
b. What changes, institutional and technical, are necessary to strengthen design and delivery of this kind of project?
METHODOLOGY
The methodology for the evaluation will include the following:
a. Document review including analysis of key reference documents stated in Annex A.
b. Interviews (structured and semi-structured in person) with key informants such as project staff, trainers, employers, UNRWA VTC officials, and staff at local VTCs not run by UNRWA.
c. Focus groups with beneficiaries, families, and other stakeholders.
d. Field visits to Irbid Camp and WSTC/ATC training centres.
The evaluation should be conducted in line with UNEG Evaluation Norms and Standards.
DELIVERABLES
1. An inception report containing the project intervention logic (results chain), questionnaire, qualitative interview guide, an evaluation plan and a list of reviewed documents. The evaluation plan should contain the proposed data collection methods and data sources to be used for answering each evaluation question, as well as a timeline for key events. Relevant UNRWA staff members will review the evaluation plan to be sure it meets the required criteria.
2. Presentation of preliminary findings, to be presented to key stakeholders for discussion of the findings and formulation of recommendations. UNRWA will be responsible for scheduling presentation. Key stakeholders include:
a. Chief of TVET, Jordan Field Office
b. Principals, Wadi Seer Vocational Training Centre and Amman Training Centre
c. Deputy Director – Programme, UNRWA Jordan Field Office
d. Department of Internal Oversight Services, UNRWA
e. SDC
f. Phase II site project manager
3. Evaluation report, which will be shared with stakeholders for comments in writing. Report should not exceed 30 pages. This will be submitted within ten days of receiving comments, and will contain the following elements:
a. Executive Summary (maximum 2 pages)
b. Project description (1-2 pages)
i. Context of the intervention related to policy, development, and stakeholders
ii. Logic of the intervention, including assumptions and theory
c. Evaluation purpose and scope (1 page)
d. Evaluation methodology (1 page)
i. Sources of information and their validity
ii. Techniques for data gathering and analysis
iii. Limitations and threats to impartiality
e. Analysis of Data and Findings (5 pages)
f. Best Practices and Lessons Learnt (4 pages)
g. Conclusions and Recommendations (5 pages)
h. Annexes: Interview list, data collection instruments, key documents consulted, Terms of Reference (maximum 10 pages).
All deliverables will be written in English. UNWRA’s evaluation manager will be responsible for coordinating a review period, consolidating comments and returning them to evaluators within two weeks.
TENTATIVE WORK PLAN
Description
Number of Working Days, Lead Evaluator, Assistant Evaluator and UNRWA Staff:
• Desk review of documents. 1 1 0
• Production of an inception report containing the results chain of the project, an evaluation plan and a list of reviewed documents. 1 1
• Review and editing of inception report by UNRWA Programme Staff. .5 .5 .5
• Interviews with UNRWA staff in Jordan Field Office and field visits to Amman training centres for interviews of youths, training centre staff and employers. 2 2
• Field visits to Irbid for interviews of training centre staff, youths and their families. 2 2
• Preparation and presentation of preliminary findings with opportunity for feedback from key stakeholders. 1.5 1.5
• Preparation of draft report. 2 1
• Circulation of draft report and consolidation of written feedback from key stakeholders. 0 0 10
• Editing and finalization of report from home base. 1 0
Total: 11 Working Days, 9 Working Days
LIST OF KEY DOCUMENTS FOR DESK STUDY
All relevant documents will be given to reviewers in soft copy upon arrival, including:
Project Documents:
• Project Agreement between Swiss Development Cooperation and UNRWA.
• PQ 977 Project Document
• PQ 977 Internal Progress Report (July 2012-September 2013)
• PQ 977 Progress Report and Re-Programming Request
UNRWA Documents:
• UNRWA Medium Term Strategy Document.
• Jordan Field Implementation Plans (2011-2012 and 2012-2013).
Project Evaluation Documents:
• UNEG Norms for Evaluation in the UN System
• UNEG Standards for Evaluation in the UN System
• OECD Evaluation Development Co-operation: Summary of Key Norms and Standards
• OECD Principles for Evaluation of Development Assistance
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
• Masters Degree in a relevant field.
• At least 3 years of experience in vocational training or youth targeted interventions in the field of international development or humanitarian assistance. Additional experience in evaluations/assessments is desirable.
• Good knowledge of, and experience in applying, qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods;
• Good analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings, draw practical conclusions and produce reports on time;
• Data analysis skills;
• Good written and oral communication skills in English;
• Understanding of gender issues in development;
• Sufficient Arabic skills to function as interpreter for Lead Evaluator.
• Experience with UNRWA operations is desirable.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Duration of the assignment: The duration of the mission will be approximately four weeks: 10 working days, with a break of two weeks (10 working days) for review by key stakeholders, followed by 1 working day from home base to incorporate stakeholder feedback.
As the stakeholders are concentrated in and around Irbid and Amman, a significant portion of this time will be spent in Irbid and WSTC/ATC training centers. The evaluation will be carried out in October 2013.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personal History Form demonstrating clearly the knowledge and experience required to meet the consultancy requirements with a cover letter which states expected remuneration and highlights relevant expertise via consultancy@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of this consultancy Assistant Evaluator in the subject line of the message. The experts are further required to submit two examples of recently completed evaluation reports. If possible, one or more of the reports should be relevant to the subject of evaluation. The deadline for the submission of applications is August 1 2013 (late applications will not be considered).
UNRWA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from both women and men. UNRWA encourages applications from qualified and experienced female candidates. Only those applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking environment.
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