Consultancy vacancy with UNISDR

Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNISDR Regional coordinator and the World Bank GFDRR Counterpart and in order to contribute to the implementation of the World Bank/UNISDR South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Programme (SEEDRMAP) the Consultant will, within delegated authority, be responsible for the following objective and tasks:

Main objective

Asses the overall impact of SEEDRMAP (regional programme) particularly at the national level. Impact assessment shall be carried out in relation to each programme focus area:
- Hydro-meteorological forecasting, data sharing and early warning;
- Coordination of disaster mitigation, preparedness and response;
- Financing of disaster losses, reconstruction and recovery, and of disaster risk transfer (disaster insurance).
- Assess to what extent the above work helps countries in assessing needs and developing strategies for climate change adaptation

Specific tasks

1. Impact Assessment design: Prepare and submit the overall impact assessment design that will guide the evaluation, this task include the following duties:
- Preparing a list of key informants in national institutions involved in SEEDRMAP, and in the in regional and international organizations that contributed to the programme implementation. This also implies drafting a mission’s agenda and itinerary.
- Building a structured-questionnaire for interviews and collection of relevant qualitative and quantitative data and information.
- Familiarize with secondary source of information which concern SEEDRMAP (e.g. UNISDR/WB publications for South Eastern Europe) and relevant Disaster Risk Reduction publications concerning the region.
- Presenting the overall outline of the final report including a description of the methodology for data analysis. This also includes structuring the evaluation according to results-based criteria (such as efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, impact and relevance)

2. Data Collection: Performing field missions in each country involved in SEEDRMAP according to the agenda drafted in “step a”. During the missions the Consultant will:
- Interview the key informants agreed in “step a” and collect primary data.
- Visit programmes and projects that at national level have been set up or benefited from SEEDRMAP and report their experience as case study.
- Create a detailed mission report in each country visited according to UNISDR mission reporting standards.

3. Analysis: Performing the analysis of the data and information collected during the missions and consolidation of these findings with the information collected through the secondary sources review.

4. Reporting: Submit a final draft of SEEDRMAP evaluation report according to the outline agreed in “step a” for the supervisor’s inputs and preparation of the final report including the feedbacks received. The final report will also include a presentation with the results of the evaluation.

Proposed timeframe

The consultancy shall start middle August 2009. Missions will be carried out by the first 2 weeks of September 2009. The first draft shall be submitted by the 3rd week of September. The final report and presentation shall be submitted by October 5, 2009. Frequent travel maybe required to South Eastern Europe.

Competencies

Professionalism; communication; teamwork; planning and organizing; creativity; client orientation; technological awareness

Qualifications

Education

Postgraduate degree in one of the following areas: Social Science, Economics, International Studies or equivalent experience in Evaluation and Disaster Risk Reduction

Experience

- At least 7 years of experience in Disaster Risk Reduction programmes at regional or national level
- Previous experience in results-based impact evaluation of regional and national programmes implemented by the World Bank or United Nations agencies.
- Experience in survey design and data analysis and use of analysis software
- Knowledge of South Eastern Europe region context
- Demonstrated analytical, communication and report writing skills
- Fluency in written and spoken English

Language

English, Knowledge of South Eastern Europe region languages is a plus.