Stretch Assignment: Evaluation Specialist (Multi-Country), P4, WCAR, Remote, 7 months

Stretch Assignment: Evaluation Specialist (Multi-Country), P4 – Maternity Leave Cover

Duration: 3 August 2026 – 26 February 2027

Duty Station: Remote / Sierra Leone Country Office (as applicable)

Supervisor: Regional Evaluation Adviser, WCARO

Background

The Evaluation Specialist (Multi-Country) provides strategic leadership and management of a multi-country evaluation portfolio covering The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The incumbent is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, quality assurance, utilization and dissemination of evaluations and other evaluative activities; strengthening national evaluation systems and capacities; and promoting evidence-informed decision-making in accordance with UNICEF Evaluation Policy and UNEG Norms and Standards.

During the maternity leave period, a stretch assignment is required to ensure continuity in the management and oversight of the portfolio, including support to evaluation processes, evidence use, organizational learning, and regional evaluation priorities.

Purpose

The purpose of this stretch assignment is to provide interim technical leadership and oversight of evaluation activities within the assigned portfolio, ensuring timely implementation of evaluation plans, quality assurance of ongoing evaluations, support to evaluation use, and engagement with country offices and partners.

Key Responsibilities

1. Multi-Country Evaluation Portfolio Leadership and Management

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the evaluation portfolio covering The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, ensuring effective implementation of evaluation priorities and activities in accordance with UNICEF Evaluation Policy and UNEG Norms and Standards.
• Serve as the principal evaluation focal point for assigned Country Offices, providing strategic advice to Country Management Teams, programme sections and partners on evaluation-related matters.
• Monitor progress across the portfolio, identify risks and bottlenecks, and propose mitigation measures to ensure timely delivery of planned evaluation activities.
• Represent the evaluation function in relevant internal and external forums and facilitate collaboration among Country Offices, regional stakeholders and partners.

2. Evaluation Management, Quality Assurance and Ethics

• Lead and oversee the planning, management and quality assurance of thematic evaluations, country programme evaluations, evaluability assessments and other evaluative activities across the assigned portfolio.
• Review and provide quality assurance feedback on evaluation deliverables, including Terms of Reference, inception reports, data collection tools, draft reports, final reports and management responses.
• Provide technical guidance to Evaluation Reference Groups, Steering Committees and evaluation teams throughout the evaluation process.
• Ensure compliance with UNICEF Evaluation Policy, UNEG Norms and Standards, and UNICEF ethical requirements for evaluation and evidence generation.

3. Evaluation Planning, Monitoring and Reporting

• Support Country Offices in the development, implementation and monitoring of Costed Evaluation Plans and evaluation-related performance indicators.
• Provide strategic advice on evaluation priorities, evaluability assessments and evidence gaps to strengthen programme effectiveness and accountability.
• Monitor implementation of evaluation activities and ensure accurate reporting and documentation within EISI and other corporate systems.
• Contribute to evaluation-related reporting requirements, including annual reporting and portfolio performance monitoring.

4. Evaluation Use, Organizational Learning and Evidence-Informed Decision-Making

• Promote the dissemination, accessibility and utilization of evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations across Country Offices and partner institutions.
• Support the preparation, monitoring and follow-up of management responses and management action plans.
• Facilitate learning events, reflection sessions and strategic discussions to strengthen the use of evaluative evidence for decision-making, programme improvement and accountability.
• Document and promote examples of evaluation influence, learning and evidence use across the portfolio.

5. National Evaluation Capacity Development and Partnerships

• Provide strategic support to national evaluation capacity development initiatives across the assigned portfolio, including engagement with government counterparts, national evaluation systems, professional evaluation associations, academic institutions and civil society organizations.
• Contribute to strengthening national evaluation systems, policies, guidelines and institutional capacities, as appropriate.
• Foster and maintain strategic partnerships with national, regional and international stakeholders to advance evaluation practice and evidence-informed policymaking.

6. Regional and Cross-Country Support

• Contribute to regional evaluation priorities, quality assurance processes and knowledge management initiatives, as requested by the Regional Evaluation Adviser.
• Support cross-country learning, exchange of good practices and collaboration among Country Offices.
• Undertake duty travel and field missions, where required, to support evaluation processes, stakeholder engagement, dissemination activities and national evaluation capacity development initiatives.

Expected Deliverables

1. Effective management and oversight of the multi-country evaluation portfolio covering The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
2. Quality assurance reviews completed for assigned evaluation deliverables within agreed timelines and according to UNICEF standards.
3. Costed Evaluation Plans, EISI reporting requirements and evaluation performance indicators monitored and updated as required.
4. Evaluation findings and recommendations disseminated and utilized through management responses, learning activities and stakeholder engagement processes.
5. Continued support provided to national evaluation capacity development initiatives and strategic evaluation partnerships across the portfolio.
6. Contributions made to regional evaluation priorities, knowledge management and cross-country learning initiatives.
7. Comprehensive handover note prepared at the end of the assignment summarizing progress, key achievements, outstanding actions, risks and recommendations.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in evaluation, social sciences, economics, public policy, statistics, international development, research methods, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 (eight) years of progressively responsible professional experience in evaluation, research, monitoring and evaluation, evidence generation, public policy analysis, or related fields in development and/or humanitarian settings.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex evaluations, including thematic evaluations, country programme evaluations, evaluability assessments and other evaluative activities.
• Strong knowledge of UNICEF Evaluation Policy, UNEG Norms and Standards, ethical principles for evaluation, and quality assurance processes.
• Proven experience in evaluation design, evaluation management, quality assurance, and the use of evaluation findings to support decision-making, accountability and organizational learning.
• Experience in qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method evaluation methodologies, including data collection, data management, data analysis and interpretation.
• Experience working with theories of change, results frameworks, evaluability assessments, stakeholder mapping, and results-based management approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information from multiple sources and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Excellent analytical, conceptual and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent report writing, editing and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality technical and strategic documents in English.
• Experience facilitating consultations, workshops, learning events and stakeholder engagement processes with government counterparts, development partners, academia, civil society organizations and United Nations agencies.
• Experience supporting national evaluation capacity development initiatives and strengthening evaluation systems is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with UNICEF systems and processes, including EISI and management response systems, is an asset.
• Previous experience working in West and Central Africa or similar development contexts is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is an asset.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.
• Works collaboratively with others and fosters effective teamwork.
• Builds and maintains strategic partnerships.
• Communicates effectively with diverse audiences.
• Thinks and acts strategically.
• Drives for results and quality.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.
• Demonstrates initiative, sound judgement and accountability.

Functional Competencies

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong planning, coordination and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines across a multi-country portfolio.
• Ability to provide technical leadership and guidance to evaluation teams and stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing skills.
• Ability to synthesize evidence and communicate complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining strong collaboration with country, regional and global stakeholders