United Nations Office for Project Services

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
PO Box 2695, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Tel: +45 3546 7000
E-mail : info@unops.org UNOPS helps its partners in the United Nations system meet the world’s needs for building peace, recovering from disaster, and creating sustainable development. UNOPS is known for its ability to implement complex projects in all types of environments around the globe. In an effort to promote organizational excellence, UNOPS seeks highly qualified individuals for the following position:
National consultant, Mid Term Evaluation Exercise, in Argentina, India, Lebanon, Vietnam and Tanzania:
Vacancy Details
Vacancy Code VA/2011/NAO/DG/ICA/NC-MTEC/30-03
Title – National Consultants for Mid-Term Evaluation Exercise
Level – Local Individual Contractor – Specialist (LICA)
Project Title – Reducing Health-Care Waste
Org Unit NAO/DG
Duty Station
Home based Country- Argentina, India, Lebanon, Vietnam and Tanzania
Duration 3 months
Closing Date 13 April 2011
Background
The health sector is a major source of dioxins and mercury in the global environment primarily as a result of medical waste incineration and the breakage and improper disposal
of mercury-containing devices such as thermometers and sphygmomanometers. The Stockholm Convention requires countries that are parties to the convention to give priority
consideration to waste treatment processes, techniques and practices that avoid the unintentional formation and release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as dioxins. However, many countries lack the ability or resources to comply with these obligations.
This project is assisting seven countries – Argentina, India,, Lebanon, Latvia, Philippines, Senegal, and Vietnam – in developing and sustaining best healthcare waste management practices in a way that is both locally appropriate and globally replicable. An additional project component in Tanzania will develop, test and disseminate affordable and effective alternative healthcare waste treatment technologies appropriate to conditions in much of sub-Saharan Africa. The project’s ultimate goal is to protect public health and the global environment from the impacts of dioxin and mercury releases.
In each participating country, this project is creating model healthcare facilities or programs through collaborations with hospitals, smaller clinics, rural health and/or central waste treatment facilities. The project focuses primarily on activities such as waste minimization, promoting the use of non-burn waste treatment technologies, improved waste segregation practices and the use of appropriate alternatives to mercury-containing devices. If replicated nationally and sustained, best practices and techniques initiated during the project’s implementation are expected to reduce the release of an estimated 187 g TEQ (toxic equivalency) of dioxins and 2,910 kg of mercury to the environment each year from participating countries’ healthcare sectors.
Specifically, this four-year project begun in mid-2008 will achieve:
1. the establishment of model healthcare facilities to exemplify best practices in healthcare waste management;
2. the deployment and evaluation of non-incineration healthcare waste treatment technologies appropriate to each facility’s needs;
3. the development, testing, manufacture and deployment of affordable, small-scale non-incineration technologies for use in sub-Saharan Africa;
4. the introduction of mercury-free devices in model facilities, evaluation of their acceptability and efficacy, and development and dissemination of awareness-raising materials;
5. the establishment or enhancement of training programs to build capacity for implementation of best practices and appropriate technologies beyond the model facilities;
6. the review of relevant policies and seeking of agreement by relevant authorities on recommended updates or reformulations if needed; and
7. the dissemination of project results regionally and globally.
The Global Environment Facility is funding this project to demonstrate the effectiveness of improved healthcare waste management practices and technologies in order that other Stockholm Convention signatory countries may use these models as they set their own national healthcare waste management priorities.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Policy (M&E Policy) at the project level in UNDP/GEF has four objectives:
a) to monitor and evaluate results and impacts;
b) to provide a basis for decision making on necessary amendments and improvements;
c) to promote accountability for resource use;
d) to document, provide feedback on, and disseminate lessons learned. A mix of tools is used to ensure effective Project monitoring and evaluation. These might be applied continuously throughout the lifetime of the project e.g. periodic monitoring of indicators – or as specific time-bound exercise such as mid-term reviews, audit reports and final evaluations.
A mid-term evaluation has been planned for this project due to its complexity and the need to monitor and evaluate the progress of the project prior to its completion in order to provide recommendations to the Global and country project teams for ensuring the project achieves its results by the project completion.
Duties and Responsibilities
I OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION
The evaluation of GEF project “Demonstrating and Promoting Best Techniques and Practices for Reducing Health-Care Waste to Avoid Environmental Releases of Dioxins and
Mercury” is initiated by the Global team and it is being undertaken in accordance with the UNDP/GEF Project Monitoring and Evaluation Policy.
The GEF project “Demonstrating and Promoting Best Techniques and Practices for Reducing Health-Care Waste to Avoid Environmental Releases of Dioxins and Mercury” will be completed by July 2012 and has schedule a mid-term evaluation. Main stakeholders in the evaluation process are UNOPS, UNDP Country offices in the respective participant countries, World Health Organization office in the respective countries, relevant ministries involved in the project (Ministries of Health, Environment) and the project implementing institutions as well as the project steering group members established in each country (includes ministry representatives, NGOs and academia). The project is implemented through the involvement of health institutions, which develop and showcase
best practises. Thus, key project partners, which will need to be at the focal point of the evaluation, include the specific health care establishments engaged in the project in each country.
The principal purpose of the project evaluation is to assess the project’s progress towards results and impacts as required by the UNDP/GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy.
Due to the project’s complex management structure (see Annex C) the mid-term evaluation is to focus on the efficiency of this structure. In particular there should be a look at:
- the role and efficiency of financial management in contributing to smooth implementation;
- the role of the Global team and its interaction with the national teams to ensure fulfillment of project activities and progress towards results;
- the role of UNDP COs in the respective countries in assisting the Global team and national teams in facilitating cooperation with the government counterparts;
- the engagement of the Global Project Steering Committees and National Project Steering Committees.
The results of the evaluation to be conducted at this particular point in time will primarily be used by the Global project team and national project teams to reassess their management and implementation practises and to take measures to implement the evaluation team’s recommendations on improving project’s efficiency to secure project results in the remaining period of the project. In light of this emphasis, this is to be a process evaluation.
II EVALUATION TEAM
A team of independent experts will conduct the evaluation. All persons should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict or interest with project related activities.
The evaluation team shall comprise of one independent International Expert, who will have the assistance of an individual from the various project countries in order to prepare the country-specific parts of the evaluation. The national consultant in each of the project country will provide input in reviewing all project documentation and will provide the International Consultant with a compilation of information prior to the evaluation mission.
Specifically, the national consultant will perform tasks with a focus on:
 Review documents;
 Prepare a list of the outputs achieved under the project;
 Provide assistance in reviewing project documentation in the national language and process data from this documentation necessary for the purposes of the evaluation;
 Support the International Consultant in data compilation and collection for countryspecific parts of the evaluation report (to be determined by the International Consultant
upon designing the evaluation methodology).
The national consultant shall possess data processing skills and be familiar with the topic of the project.
III IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
Management arrangements
The Global Project Unit will be responsible for liaising with the evaluation team to set up stakeholder interviews, arrange field visits and coordinate with the Government.
Expected time frame for the national consultant is 13 working days in a time period of 3 months. During the 3 months, the following is the expected work schedule for the national consultant:
a) desk review: 5 days;
b) data collection and processing: 5 days;
c) input to the preparation of final evaluation report: 3 days
IV TERMS OF REFERENCE ANNEXES
Annex A: Terminology in the GEF guidelines to Evaluation
Annex B: List of Documents to be reviewed by the Evaluators
Annex C: Organigram of Management Arrangements
The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans
and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.
Required Selection Criteria
Competencies and Skills:
• Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills
• Excellent writing, analytical and research skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural and international environment
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines
.
Education/Experience/Language
Advanced University Degree (Masters or equivalent) in an environmental-related
field such as environmental science or public health, or a Bachelor Degree with
relevant experience in a similar responsible position.
At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in public health or waste
management in the particular country in question.
Experience with data collection and processing.
Experience with the United Nations programmes and organizations is an asset.
Fluency in English (oral and written) and the official language of the country in question is required.All national consultants shall be familiar with the issue, having work experience in relevant areas for at least 3 years.
Payment scheme:
Fees:
60% upon completion of the main input to the evaluation report 40% final payment upon submission of the final evaluation report by the evaluation team.
Submission of Applications
Qualified candidates may submit their application, including a letter of interest, complete Curriculum Vitae and an updated United Nations Personal History Form (P.11) available on our website), to dgvas@unops.org, via e-mail. Kindly indicate the vacancy number and the post title in the subject line when applying by email.
Additional Considerations
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post.

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