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General Information

Position Title
Evaluation Consultant
Job Category
Monitoring and Evaluation
Duty Station(s)
Home based
Seniority Level
Senior Level
ICS Level
ICS 11
Contract Type
ICA - IICA - Retainer
Contract Level
IICA 3
Posting Start Date
06-Feb-2026
Posting End Date
27-Feb-2026
Duration
12 months, maximum of 20 working days

Job Highlight

The Evaluation Consultant will play an important role in evidence-based assessments of ICAT activities at the country and regional levels, complementing the insights generated through the MELU framework. The position offer excellent opportunity to support countries and regions in contributing to stronger systems for climate action transparency, enabling evidence-based policy design, enhanced reporting, and achievement of climate and development goals.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) unites the New York Portfolios, including the Peace and Security team (PSC); the Geneva Office; and the Vienna-based Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) teams, to maximize global impact, foster efficiencies and streamline global programmes. Leveraging our collective expertise and networks, GPO supports UNOPS' strategic priorities and the SDGs across over 130 countries. We deliver project management, fund management, advisory services, project implementation, and HR services, working closely with major global partners. Our thematic focus includes sustainable development, climate action, health, peace & security, and humanitarian action.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR. The EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility is also based here.

Job Specific Context

Water, Environment and Climate  (WEC)

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over USD 500 million (over the last 15 years) to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements,  such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Initiative for Climate Action Transparency

The Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) was created at the time of adoption of the Paris Agreement to help developing countries build transparency frameworks for effective, evidence-based climate policies and actions that can contribute to the global transformation required and help mobilize the financing and support to enable implementation. The Initiative works with over 80 developing countries ranging from large countries, like Nigeria, to small islands, such as Fiji.

ICAT provides countries with tailored support and practical tools and methodologies to build robust transparency frameworks needed for effective climate action in sync with national development priorities.  Through regional hubs and direct country engagement, the projects ICAT supports relate to:

●       Develop NDC tracking frameworks

●       Assess greenhouse gas and/or sustainable development impacts of sectoral policies

●       Build frameworks to analyze projections of greenhouse gas emissions and removals

●       Develop monitoring frameworks for just transitions

●       Develop the M&E adaptation actions

●       Build climate finance transparency frameworks; and/or

●     Aggregate or integrate greenhouse gas impacts of subnational and non-State actions

To support these areas, ICAT offers a suite of practical, open-source tools and methodologies to provide effective support to the transparency efforts of countries around the world.

ICAT is an unincorporated multi-stakeholder partnership steered by the Donor Steering Committee (DSC), confirmed by its donors, Austria; Canada; the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF); Germany; Ireland and Italy; and includes the UNFCCC Secretariat as the dedicated UN body with a climate change policy mandate, and UNOPS as an ex-officio member. The Initiative is hosted by UNOPS on behalf of the DSC. Within UNOPS, the ICAT Secretariat manages ICAT’s day-to-day activities, coordinating and guiding the work of the implementing partners.

Background

ICAT’s work is guided by a Theory of Change (ToC) that illustrates how support to countries and regions contributes to stronger systems for climate action transparency, enabling evidence-based policy design, enhanced reporting, and achievement of climate and development goals. Progress against the ToC is systematically tracked through ICAT’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Uptake (MELU) framework, which collects data and insights on outputs, outcomes, and impacts across eight Key Performance Indicators.
While the MELU framework provides a robust structure for monitoring progress, attributing impact to climate transparency initiatives is inherently complex. Unlike direct interventions with clear cause-and-effect pathways, ICAT’s work focuses on strengthening national systems, policy processes, and institutional and human capacities over time. External factors such as political will, complementary international support, and the evolving climate policy landscape also shape outcomes, making it difficult to isolate ICAT’s specific contribution. Moreover, the full effects of ICAT’s support often emerge gradually, as building sustainable transparency frameworks requires long-term capacity development, institutional change, and policy evolution. Impact may not be immediately visible, and project timelines can limit the ability to track progress once country engagement ends.
Targeted, in-depth evaluations of ICAT projects are therefore needed to complement the MELU framework. These evaluations can provide deeper analysis of effectiveness, results, and lessons learned, as well as capture longer-term changes and update the understanding of impact once sufficient time has passed.

*This is a retainer vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 20 working days, with the possibility of an extension depending on satisfactory performance and on availability of funds. 

**This is a homebased position, meaning that the incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office. Therefore, the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software. 

***Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.


Role Purpose

The overall objective is to provide ICAT with independent, evidence-based assessments of its activities at the country and regional levels, complementing the insights generated through the MELU framework. Specifically, the evaluation consultant will:

  • Validate and enrich findings from the MELU framework by assessing ICAT’s contribution to strengthening national / regional climate transparency systems; 

  • Analyze the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact of ICAT’s activities, with attention to the complex and long-term nature of institutional and capacity change; 

  • Examine how ICAT’s methodologies and tools have been taken up and integrated into policy, institutional frameworks, and reporting systems; and

  • Identify lessons learned and best practices that can inform ICAT’s strategic direction and enhance its support offering.

Functions / Key Results Expected

The ICAT Secretariat will identify projects where an in-depth evaluation will likely provide valuable additional insights, for example, cases where policy development has advanced after project closure. A list of five examples will be provided to the evaluation consultant. For each case, the following activities should take place:

Activity 1: Desk review

  • Analyze ICAT documentation, MELU data, country reports, and knowledge products to establish a comprehensive understanding of activities and outcomes.

Activity 2: Stakeholder engagement

  • Conduct interviews, focus groups, and/or surveys with key stakeholders, including government counterparts, implementing partners, regional bodies, and ICAT staff, to capture diverse perspectives.

Activity 3: Analysis of contribution and added value

  • Assess how ICAT’s activities have supported capacity building, institutional change, and policy development, and to what extent ICAT’s unique value can be distinguished from other actors and interventions. Particular focus should be placed on how ICAT’s support has been taken up over time.

Activity 4: Report development

  • Produce a clear, structured evaluation report that presents findings and lessons learned. 

Deliverables

  • A draft report for each of the five case studies;

  • A final report for each of the five case studies. 

Skills

Climate Change, Environmental Science, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, Program Evaluation, Report Writing, Effective communication
Strategic Perspective
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in statistics, mathematics, economics, development studies, climate change / environmental science, political science, international relations, public administration or in a field related to the activities with seven years of relevant experience OR;

  • A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) preferably in statistics, mathematics, development studies, climate change / environmental science, political science, international relations, public administration or in a field related to the activities with nine years of relevant experience.

Experience Requirements

Required

  • Professional experience in conducting independent evaluations of projects/programmes.
  • Experience evaluating initiatives that focus on climate change, ideally on climate policy, climate finance, and/or transparency or measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) for climate policy and actions, and supporting international organizations operating in this space.


Desired

  • Expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research design and data analysis is highly desirable.
  • Experience working in diverse country contexts would be an asset.
  • Experience in the evaluation of highly complex projects with long timeframes for impact would be an asset.


Languages

  • Fluency in writing and speaking in English is required.

  • Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic/Chinese/French/Spanish/Russian) is required. 

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired

Additional Information

  • Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
  • Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
  • Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
  • Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
  • We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
  • For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
  • For more details about the contract types, please click here.
  • All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
  • It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.