Evaluation of Development Account Project - Expanding the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Arab region
Organizational Context
The UN Secretariat's Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) conducts evaluations to demonstrate its impact on member states and citizens. This role supports an evaluation of a project focused on expanding the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Arab region, aiming to inform strategic planning, ensure accountability, and foster organizational learning.
Job Purpose
This role is to conduct an independent evaluation of the "Expanding the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Arab region" project. The purpose is to assess how the project contributed to its intended results, identify the pathways to these outcomes, and determine the most significant contributing factors. It will also examine any unintended positive or negative results. The evaluation findings will provide evidence-based insights for strategic planning and risk management, demonstrate performance and results to ESCWA and member states, and identify lessons learned to enhance future ESCWA projects. The evaluation will cover the project's relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, with a focus on cross-cutting issues like gender equality and human rights.
Responsibilities
The primary responsibility is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the "Expanding the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Arab region" project. This involves assessing the project's relevance to member states' needs and SDGs, its effectiveness in achieving intended results, and its efficiency in resource utilization. The role requires evaluating the project's impact, including any transformative or scalable changes, and its sustainability. A key duty is to analyze how cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, human rights, disability inclusion, and environmental concerns were integrated. The evaluator will develop a Theory of Change, test causal links using mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative), and ensure findings are credible and unbiased. The evaluation will adhere to UNEG Ethical Guidelines, prioritizing confidentiality and safeguarding information providers.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of experience in undertaking impact evaluations, including projects involving Arab governmental bodies, is required. Experience within the UN environment and in SME-related policy making is desirable.
Skills
Proven competency in quantitative and qualitative research methods, including self-administered surveys, document analysis, and informal/semi-structured interviews. Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to governmental and UN audiences. Fluency in English is required; fluency in Arabic is desirable.