Vacancy Announcement Details

In May 2023, the partners agencies in COVAX (Gavi, WHO, UNICEF, CEPI) began a dialogue about a joint evaluation to address issues of in-country delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.  By conducting a joint evaluation, the partners are potentially reducing burden on countries and partners by consolidating their efforts.  In addition, as a unique global partnership, COVAX,  the evaluation (in principle) builds on these partnership arrangements for the purposes of ‘evaluating as a partnership.

The key expected result is timely and effective support, provided in a joint and coordinated manner with partners, resulting in efficient engagement and contribution across UNICEF (country offices, regional offices and HQ divisions) and to maximize learning across the same based on the evaluation.  With the Evaluation Specialist consultant fully engaging in management and direction of this joint partner evaluation of COVAX in-country delivery, the resulting evaluation should have greater relevance and inform UNICEF-specific needs/use cases.  

Key Responsibilities

Under the supervision and with the technical support of the Senior Evaluation Specialist, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Working collaborative to co-manage joint evaluation of COVAX delivery

Among these responsibilities, the consultant will play a role in managing and coordinating governance/oversight mechanisms for the joint evaluation.   This includes supporting the overall work of the Steering Committee, ensuring their input is taken into consideration in key deliverables,  as well as supporting and active participation in the Delivery Evaluation Partners Group.  The Evaluation Specialist would also provide support to UNICEF representatives on the Steering Committee, as well as the larger processes.

The consultant will also be responsible for support and development of communication and learning plan, specifically integrating needs and priorities of UNICEF, as a partner agency,  into the plan.  The consultant should also identify and coordinate, as appropriate, with complementary activities including other evaluation work being undertaken within UNICEF and partner agencies. 

1. Support and coordinate country- and regional-level activities, input and contribution to the joint evaluation of COVAX delivery   

Successful coordination of evaluation activities at country level will be critical success factor in this evaluation. The Evaluation Specialist manages and supports the country- and regional-office levels to effectively engage in the joint evaluation, for both WHO and UNICEF. This would likely include a convening a Country Office focal points group for countries with evaluation team visits, ensuring that the COs are engaged with clear ‘asks’, respect to timeframes, and provided a feedback loop.  The evaluation contractor will prepare a country visit protocol to complement this work. 

From the inception phase, the Evaluation Specialist/consultant will play a role in the development of repository of relevant country and regional documents for use during inception, data collection and analysis phases. Working closely with partners, the Evaluation Specialist consultant will develop proposed KI lists, across levels, and facilitate communications between UNICEF key informants and the evaluation team.

Throughout implementation, the Evaluation Specialist supports and provides inputs and QA on data collection methods and tools as well as on the evaluation deliverables. The Evaluation Specialist will be expected to accompany the evaluation team on a number of country visits.

As needed, the Evaluation Specialist consultant will manage communications and meetings between the evaluation team, various stakeholders in HQ, Regional and Country Offices, for participation and inclusion in events (e.g. sense-making workshops).

1. Support and coordinate communication and uptake of evidence

The Evaluation Specialist consultant will support the implementation of the jointly developed communication and learning plan (as above).  This includes finalizing the Evaluation Report as agreed for submission to UNICEF Executive Board, broader transmittal and dissemination.

Up to 240 days, spread over a period of 12 months (on average 20 days / month), starting in October 2023 through September 2024.   

Deliverables

1. A comprehensive repository of country-level information and data from across agencies for the desk review and facilitation of its  effective utilization by the evaluation team. 
2. Country office and field missions by the evaluation team are well-planned and organized with full participation of the respective Country Offices resulting in quality case studies.
3. Communication and Learning Plan which is inclusive of key processes and events that enhances the utility of the evaluation for UNICEF.
4. Timely completion of daily tasks of evaluation management.  

Full details available on the UNICEF website. Application deadline 22nd September.