Associate Evaluation Officer, P-2, Independent Evaluation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (JO 184560)

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Independent Evaluation Section (IES), Office of the Executive Director (OED), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna. IES ensures independent, timely and effective evaluations, in line with the standards and norms of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) and following the recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). The Associate Evaluation Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Chief or Deputy Chief of IES. For more information on UNODC, please visit: www.unodc.org

Responsibilities Within assigned authority, the Associate Evaluation Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• As a member of the team contribute to the backstopping process of independent project evaluations, including relating to field offices with the highest need for support; provide substantive support to the management of in-depth evaluations and contribute to evaluation exercises, including activities away from Headquarters; provide technical support and assistance to staff by ensuring that evaluations are carried out in an impartial, objective and credible manner following UN standards and rules, including those provided by the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG).
• Assist the Deputy Chief and Chief in the preparation of inputs for the development of the UNODC evaluation tools, methodologies, guidelines and templates in accordance with the international standards and best practices as identified by the General Assembly, other UN relevant organs and offices, including UNEG; keep abreast of best practices and lessons learned, promoting their use to improve UNODC programmes’ performance.
• Service and participate in the process of the strengthening of evaluation capacity in UNODC Headquarters and Field Offices through systematic needs-assessment for capacity-building, tailored training and joint initiatives with the Staff Development Unit; in cooperation with all three IES teams, provide assistance to facilitate special evaluation capacity building, providing training, induction courses and presentations on evaluation matters in working language of the Field Offices, specifically Spanish and French.
• Provide support in researching, compiling, analysing and summarizing information on completed, on-going and up-coming evaluation related activities.
• Contribute to evaluation-related knowledge management products of IES, including e.g., the Meta-Synthesis, or thematic analyses on UNODC’s mandated area of work and contribute to IES’ engagement with UNEG, other UN Evaluation Functions and UN Resident Coordinators.
• Maintain and update monitoring tables of evaluation plans – including relating to field offices – consultants, etc. and contribute to the data collection for IES’s Results-Based Management tools and plans.
• Provide support to all three IES teams (evaluation capacity development; evaluation results; evaluation-based knowledge management, communication and innovation) as necessary and requested.
• Conduct background research on various topics relating to evaluation, National Evaluation Capacity Building, SDGs, UN reforms, UNODC mandate-related areas of work with a particular focus on drugs, crime and terrorism prevention, Human Rights and Gender Equality, current trends in UNODC’s mandated area of work, etc. contributing thereby to preparing different knowledge products, guidelines, templates, reports in IES’s three teams; contribute to reports, briefs, and other communication products as requested.
• Support project revisions and project approvals as regards evaluation in the Direct Approval process; advise on mandatory evaluation criteria for all projects and programmes at UNODC.
• Provide support to produce proposals for Annual Voluntary Contribution to UNODC and financial reports to donors.
• Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies Professionalism:

• Has knowledge of international standards and practices in evaluation and respective evaluation methodologies.
• Has experience in backstopping evaluations.
• Has knowledge of UN system evaluation standards and practices. Has knowledge of technical cooperation and development assistance.
• Has knowledge of the international crime, drugs and terrorism programme and policies. Is able to review and edit the evaluation work of others.
• Demonstrates good judgment and initiative, imagination and resourcefulness, energy, and tact.
• Is able to ensure an effective work structure to maximize productivity and achieve the goals of the Section.
• Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
• Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Education An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences, evaluation, or a related area is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A first-level university degree and no experience will be accepted for candidates who have passed the Young Professionals Programme Examination/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P).

Job Specific Qualifications Work Experience A minimum of two years of progressive work experience in evaluation of projects and programmes, or the successful completion of the Young Professionals Programme Examination/United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE) or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P) is required.

At least two years of work experience in evaluation capacity building is desirable.

Experience conducting background research in relation to preventing and countering crime and terrorism is desirable.

Experience in human rights sensitive evaluation methods is desirable.

Comprehensive experience with United Nations policies, procedures and operations, including the United Nations Evaluation Group norms and standards is desirable.

Experience in conducting strategic analysis of evaluations on a meta-level is desirable.

Work experience with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, such as SAP, is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is desirable.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency based interview.