Senior Evaluation Officer (Impact Evaluations)

Reporting Lines

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The Senior Evaluation Officer (Impact Evaluations) reports to the Director of the Office of Evaluation.

Technical Focus.

Leadership in promoting high quality research and evaluations and serving as Senior Liaison Officer with donors and FAO Members.

Key Results

Designs and conducts evaluations of outcomes and impacts; provides quality assurance to enhance the quality of OED research and evaluations; publishes and serves as liaison with donors/Member nations and represents OED in national and international events thereby contributing to enhanced results-accountability to the Director-General, the Governing Bodies, and donors; enriched learning by FAO and others working in the fields in which FAO operates; and mentoring of junior evaluation staff.

Key Functions.

Provide technical leadership in research and evaluations.

Design and lead rigorous evaluations of projects, programmes, and operations, especially impact evaluations.

Apply (and enforce in others) rigorous analytic thinking in leading/conducting analyses (qualitative and quantitative) and

preparing dissemination materials (reports, papers and journal articles, presentations, and so on).

Participate actively and productively in multidisciplinary evaluation teams, often with internal and external partners.

Provide substantive leadership and expertise in at least one area of FAO's work such as agriculture, agrifood systems,

climate change, nutrition, water, women's economic empowerment, and other areas in development and emergency settings

and one cross-cutting theme or accelerator of change per FAO's Strategic Framework, such as private sector engagement,

data and technologies, and innovations.

Serve as liaison officer

Represent the Office of Evaluation before donors and Member Nations

Strengthen relationships with donors and Member Nations through the conduct of the work

Promote use of evaluation findings and response to recommendations

Provide quality assurance across the portfolio of evaluations.

Review evaluation outputs and provide detailed feedback (such as evaluation designs and reports)

Assess evaluation outputs to provide approval (for release or publication, payments to partners, and so on)

Maintain technical leadership

Keep abreast of methodological developments in evaluation

Perform other duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a social science field (such as economics, sociology, or psychology) or evaluation, with a focus on research and evaluation methods.

Ten years of experience conducting rigorous evaluations, especially impact evaluations.

Three publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English.

Intermediate knowledge (intermediate - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

Results Focus

Leading, Engaging and Empowering

Strong Communications Skills

Partnering and Advocating

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills.

Ph.D. is highly desirable

A career focused on conducting evaluations is required

Extent and relevance of technical expertise in leading and conducting rigorous evaluations (that is, using designs that are well aligned with the evaluation questions and, seeking to measure impacts, using designs that establish cause and effect relationships) as demonstrated by at least 3 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Extent and relevance of work experience conducting evaluations in substantive fields related to FAO's mission (agriculture, agrifood systems, climate change, nutrition, water, women's economic empowerment, and other areas in development and emergency settings) and in other key elements of FAO's Strategic Framework (such as private sector engagement, data and technologies, and innovations), especially considering priorities of FAO donors in the locations of the duty stations and as demonstrated by the publication record.

Proven ability to deliver clear and concise reports and presentations as demonstrated through: a writing sample of an impact evaluation conducted, a presentation based on that writing sample, and a brief justification for the writing sample selected (all to be uploaded and submitted with the application).

Candidates considered qualified may be asked to deliver a presentation on a topic to be provided.

Work experience in more than one location or area of work.

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Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
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GENERAL INFORMATION• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment• Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 
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CONDITIONS OF SERVICEA competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link:
Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:
• Dependency allowances
• Rental subsidy
• Education grant for children
• Home leave travel
• 30 working days of annual leave per year
• Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
• International health insurance; optional life insurance
• Disability protectionFAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:
• elements of family-friendly policies
• flexible working arrangements
• standards of conduct

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