Monitoring and evaluation specialist for local government finance and climate change specialist

Terms of reference

Up to 5 positions required

Country of Assignment

UNCDF programme countries in Asia & Pacific (currently
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste)

Background

UNCDF is supporting an expanding portfolio of programmes in Asia that provide capital resources to local governance processes to enable them to meet the challenges of poverty reduction, the Millennium Development Goals, and Climate Change. These programmes promote local level public financial management and decentralized governance responses to these challenges. The programmes and the in country programme teams all require regular technical guidance and support from the UNCDF regional team.

Through this contract UNCDF will supplement the capacity of the its regional office by engaging a specialist in one of the key technical areas: Local governance institutions and climate change. Support in this area is required for a number of programmes in the region and for regional and thematic activities related to these.

Strengthening and reform of local governance institutions and systems in developing countries may need to consider multiple goals and policy objectives that include the role of local government in political representation, infrastructure and service delivery and other development and governance functions. UNCDF works with local and central government institutions to improve the capacity of local governance institutions in planning, public expenditure management, procurement and delivery management and other areas related to the application of development capital and other resources. A new and growing area is the role of local governance in climate change adaptation. This can include a regulatory role (such as in building standards and regulations, early warning systems and disaster risk reduction), an expenditure role (such as in climate proofing public infrastructure and re-routing roads), and a revenue role (including creating financial incentives for climate sensitive activities).

Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of this consultancy is to support the UNCDF regional portfolio of projects and provide assistance to beneficiary countries in the following areas:

• Support the strengthening and reform of appropriate institutional and governance systems that enable both best practice and best value in climate change adaptation to be applied at local level in a sustainable fashion within the local capacity constraints.
• Support governments in the development of alternative local governance arrangements for climate change adaptation that follow best practice but that allow local (or community) level planning, budgeting and ownership whilst financial management, procurement and contract management services may be carried out by a different level of government.
• Support UNCDF with substantive technical input to its knowledge products and with input to its participation in discussions, conferences and meetings with development partners, private sector agencies and government on the issue of local governance, climate change adaptation and local level institutions.

Scope of Work

Working under the direct supervision of the UNCDF regional Senior Technical Advisor for local development and in close collaboration with the government and UNCDF country team the consultant will be responsible for:

• Assessing the results and resource allocation frameworks of UNCDF programmes and designing the corresponding M&E systems
• Developing of specific methodologies for external assessments of climate change adaptation programmes efficiency and effectiveness in mainstreaming CCA into local development planning and capital investment programming as well as reduction of climate change vulnerabilities
• Designing of practical software tools and manuals in support of effective assessments of CCA measures impacts
• Conducting of periodic external programme evaluations and assessments
• Providing technical support to these programmes as required
• Developing and / or contributing to training materials, manuals and best practice guides on M&E of climate change adaptation processes.
• Presenting material on local governance and climate change adaptation at technical meetings and seminars
• Developing of cross country studies, indicators and systems that can monitor and compare the best practices and best value results from central and local level governance climate change adaptation.
• Carrying out other relevant tasks as assigned by the Regional Technical Advisor

Duration of Assignment, Duty Station and Expected Place of Travel

Duration of the assignment:

Up to 190 working days between February 1st and December 31st 2012 The schedule of travel will be negotiated with the incumbent according to the requirements of each programme country. A separate ToR with clear deliverables, budget and timelines will be prepared and agreed prior to each mission within the terms of this ToR

Deliverables/Output

A descriptive and analytical back to the office report following each assignment that provides full details of the mission schedule, copies of substantive inputs produced and recommendations for follow up action.

Substantive reports and other inputs as requested by the UNCDF Regional Technical Advisor

Provision of Monitoring and Progress Control

A schedule of days worked, outputs produced and costs incurred will be monitored by the Technical Advisor and Programme Officer in each country office and then reported to Regional Operation Analyst at UNCDF regional office. Payments within each mission ToR will be phased and payment will be made against key deliverables. Payments will be authorized by the Regional Technical Advisor following requests by the Programme Officer in the country office.

Degree of Expertise and Qualifications

The consultant will have the following qualifications and experience:

• Postgraduate degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, Public Management, Economics, Public Finance, Political, Social Sciences or other related fields.
• At least 10 years of professional experience working on issues related to the , climate change adaptation and / or disaster risk reduction with specific emphasis on public administration, decentralization and local governance reforms in developing countries.
• Experience in local level capacity development in environment, climate change adaptation / disaster risk reduction in developing countries, ideally in the context of monitoring and evaluation of programmes performance and results
• Experience of working with other development partners, especially in the area of local governance and local institutions.
• Strong analytical and writing skills and track record in producing relevant tools and methodologies
• High level of communication and interpersonal skills and experience in working effectively in a multi cultural environment
• Ability to work in a tropical climate where appropriate infrastructure and systems are not well established
• Sensitivity to diverse opinions and difficulties arising from differing social and cultural perceptions
• Ability to contribute towards conflict resolution in the workplace
• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of one or more of the UNCDF programme countries would be an asset
• Localisation in Asia would be an advantage

Women candidates are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.