Assessment and Evaluation Consultant- International ISP, Amman, Jordan

Duties And Responsibilities

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Faculty of Educational Sciences and Arts (FESA) is a university-level faculty that qualifies youth to become teachers in 4 specializations upon successful completion of 4-year studies to obtain BA degree. As all other UNRWA installations, FESA acts in line with UNRWA rules and regulations. When it relates to accreditation and certification of students, FESA works in line with the Ministry of Higher Education, as well as the Higher Education Accreditation Commission.

UNRWA Jordan Field Office is seeking a consultant that would help the senior leadership of the Field to understand the challenges and issues in the current working environment and the organizational culture, with the view to their improvement where necessary.

SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive organizational management review of the FESA, to help senior leadership in the JFO foster a positive working environment and culture at FESA. The aim is to enhance collaboration, teamwork, transparency, trust, gender equality and sensitivity and mutual accountability between management and staff in line with UN values. The purpose of the review is to:

1. Identify key issues to be addressed,

2. Outline options for solution, and

3. Provide recommendations for action. Key areas to be assessed may include:

Governance and Management: • Assess strengths and weaknesses of the current FESA governance and management structures in fulfilling their mandates, including the functioning of FESA’s current oversight structures. • Identify existing coordination, planning and decision-making mechanisms and processes and assess to what extent they are inclusive, transparent and effective. • Assess how decisions are communicated upwards/downwards and implemented. Organizational culture and Gender Equality • Identify organizational cultural patterns that enhance or hinder a positive working environment at FESA. • Make a diagnosis of FESA’s current and desired working environment with clear recommendations on policies, practices, values and behaviours to be changed that would help enhance transparency and mutual accountability between management and Faculty staff. • Identify any gaps for staff to access safe and confidential reporting mechanism including how they are being used, highlighting any specific barriers for any groups of concern. • Assess to what extent the UN values, and UNRWA core Values and Guiding Principles are being understood and practiced by FESA management and staff. • Identify the level of management commitment in advancing gender equality, determining the level of gender awareness and capacity of FESA’s management to mainstream gender. • Assess to what extent mechanisms are in place to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace, existing barriers preventing those mechanisms from being fully implemented, and the role of management in addressing such issues. • Provide recommendations on the above including on capacity gaps of both management and FESA staff. Management process and communication • Assess the adequacy of the applicable regulatory framework for the management and governance practices and the overall organizational culture at FESA. • Assess the effectiveness of existing business processes at FESA, identifying gaps and areas for improvement. • Review the document workflows that are being used to translate decisions into execution and make proposals to strengthen their implementation. • Identify policies and rule that will help reinforce a positive working environment. Roles and Responsibilities • Review the Post descriptions of the FESA positions and their interdependencies, and identify whether they reflect the actual duties and responsibilities of their incumbents. Performance management and mutual accountability • Evaluate goal setting and performance management practices to ensure upward/downward accountability. Make proposals to ensure that the applied decision-making process and the performance indicators are sound, transparently communicated and followed systematically. • Identify current guidance and support systems available to staff and how they are being used. • Monitor, review, and analyse service and data on inquiries/complaints from staff and beneficiaries.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND TIMELINES

• A final report including: • a diagnostic assessment and key findings of the current organizational culture at FESA in the above-mentioned areas, • a set of options for addressing the identified gaps for each of the areas and recommended actions, and • a plan of action detailing clear roles, responsibilities, timelines and resources required. Deliverables: No of working Days Desk review: 5 Days Consultation: 7 Days Inception report: 5 Days Presentation of first draft to the Front Office: 3 Days Presentation of second draft to the Front Office: 3 Days Final report: 2 Days

REPORTING AND SUPERVISION

• The Consultant shall report to the Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan, and, when needed, to the officer designated by the Deputy Director. The incumbent shall have weekly, or more frequent, meetings with the Deputy Director and/or the designated officer to report and discuss observations and issues during the assignment. Work Location UNRWA-Jordan Field Office- Front Office Expected Duration The duration of the Individual Service Provider Consultancy contract is 5 weeks. the selected candidates is expected to join as soon as possible. Result Of Service The remuneration will be based on skills and experience, the maximum is up to USD 6,300 /per month Qualifications/Special Skills Academic Qualifications: • Advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in organizational design, management and social science or a related discipline • Applicants with a bachelor’s degree, and at least 6 years of work experience in the same fields may be considered. Experience: • A minimum of 5 years of work experience in Management Consulting and/or organizational development in a multicultural international environment included 2 years outside home country. • Strong knowledge of research methods. • Good understanding of performance management frameworks • Good knowledge of gender and gender mainstreaming • Advanced level of knowledge of Microsoft Office and related applications Competency: • Critical Thinking/Analytical Skills: Examines and interprets a wide variety of data/ information and makes recommendations or decisions; develops results-oriented conclusions; able to apply specialised knowledge with good judgment and to relevant issues; and conceptualises and designs strategic frameworks to overcome problems. • Problem Solving Skills: Identifies the existence and cause of a problem; takes and defends collaborative decisions, brainstorms potential solutions, identifies conditions that solutions must meet and stakeholders, evaluates the alternative course of action, implements solutions and evaluates results, seeks help when appropriate. • Communication: writing and presentation skills. • Detail and Quality Orientation/ Methodological Work Practices: Maintains high standards and encourages colleagues to strive for excellence, systematic work patterns, attention to detail and quality conscious, avoids cutting corners. • Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identifies priority activities and assignments, monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary. • Teamwork: Works harmoniously with others to complete tasks; communicates critical information with everyone involved in a task; coordinates work with others; seeks opinions; values working relationships; facilitates discussion before decision-making processes are complete. Language: Excellent written and spoken English Additional Information During the assignment the consultant is required to reside at the duty station Amman, Jordan. DESIRABLE

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education and/or experience in conflict resolution. • Ability to speak and write in Arabic. • Experience in the Middle East and particularly Jordan is an advantage. United Nations Considerations The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations – Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. As per UN policy, Consultants and Individual Contractors may not apply for or be appointed to any position in the Professional or above categories and for positions at the FS-6 and FS-7 levels in the Field Service category within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. This restriction does not apply to associate experts(Junior Professional Officers) appointed under the Staff Rules.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.