Evaluation Specialist, P-3, Temporary Position, 364 days, #00136936, Evaluation Office - Nairobi, Kenya

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Champion

The position is located within the Independent Evaluation Office and is outposted to Nairobi. As outlined in the revised Evaluation Policy of 2023, the Office serves as the steward of UNICEF’s evaluation function. The Director of Evaluation reports to the Executive Director and to UNICEF’s Executive Board through an annual report on the evaluation function and on selected evaluations. The Independent Evaluation Office commissions and manages independent corporate evaluations and other evaluative exercises (e.g., evaluability assessments, syntheses, reviews), usually conducted in collaboration with external consultants but increasingly, embedding Evaluation function staff in the evaluation teams. The Office also leads in the 
development and implementation of evaluation policy, strategy, and systems; global evaluation partnerships; oversees evaluation quality assurance processes; undertakes evaluation capacity development activities within and outside the Organization; actively promotes an enabling environment for evaluation and a strong evaluation culture; and ensures transparent access to evaluation findings through strategic communication and knowledge management.

UNICEF’s evaluation function is largely decentralized. The Office works closely with senior-level regional 
evaluation advisers and multi-country evaluation specialists based in each of UNICEF’s five regions, as well as dedicated country-level evaluation focal points who provide full- or part-time support to evaluation efforts, to collectively ensure a well-coordinated, collaborative, whole-of-organization evaluation effort and to continue to build the Organization’s community of practice. The function conducts a diverse portfolio of independent, credible, and impartial evaluations, including corporate thematic, institutional effectiveness, humanitarian, country-led, and impact evaluations. The Evaluation function aims to deliver consistently timely, credible and useful independent analyses that harness knowledge to help UNICEF to systematically use evaluation evidence to enhance its effectiveness and deliver better results for children. 

Under the overall guidance of the Director of Evaluation and direct supervision of the Deputy Director-Evaluation, the Evaluation Specialist will support the continuation of the Independent Evaluation Office's ongoing strategic partnership and national evaluation capacity development activities, that are grounded in the overall vision for the evaluation function in 2026 and beyond.

The Evaluation Specialist (Partnerships and National Evaluation Capacity Development) will deepen 
collaboration with key stakeholders and provide an interface for environmental scanning, knowledge 
exchange, policy influence and potential resource mobilization within the scope of assignment. S/He will also serve as a focal point and resource for colleagues in the area of national evaluation capacity development (NECD) partnerships, including country-led NECD initiatives. The key result is to ensure greater visibility for UNICEF’s partnerships and NECD work and influence in support of its mission.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Strategic Evaluation Partnerships and Coherence - (40%)
• National Evaluation Capacity Development - (40%)
• Resource Mobilization and other special assignments as required by the Supervisor- (20%)

The Evaluation Specialist (Partnerships and National Evaluation Capacity Development) is a seasoned 
professional in the field of external relations, in particular evaluation partnership development and national evaluation capacity development. The quality of work and external communications performed by the Specialist directly impacts on the professionalism of the incumbent and the overall reputation of UNICEF. S/He follows established procedures but is expected to make recommendations on strategies for partnership engagement, national evaluation capacity development and communications products. The Evaluation Specialist (Partnerships and National Evaluation Capacity Development) is accountable for quality, substantive input and ability to project a competent and trusted image of UNICEF to partners.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD TA Evaluation Specialist, P-3 Nairobi (1).pdf

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree is required in one of the following
  fields: international relations, political science, evaluation, research, communications,
  international development or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: A minimum of (5) years of progressively responsible
  professional experience in one or more of the following areas: evaluation, research,
  capacity development, public affairs, external relations, resource mobilization or other
  relevant area, preferably in an international organization is required.
• Skills: Excellent communication skills, verbal and written. Data savvy, with
  experience in survey design and qualitative and quantitative data analysis and
  visualization. Organizational skills, tact and diplomacy. Proven track record of ability
  to foster collaboration, build partnerships.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
• •  

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
• Minimum 5 years of working directly on evaluation partnership management and
  liaison activities with the UN system, minimum 5 years of working directly on national
  evaluation capacity development activities within the UN system, minimum of 3 years
  of working directly on evaluation synthesis partnership activities across the UN
  system and broader partners, experience of online learning management system,
  knowledge of tools for impact evaluation, deliver offline and online events, familiarity
  with political and governmental process, conduct policy analysis.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.