Somalia: Project Review Consultant

Overview of CTG Global:

CTG support and manage humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world. With past performance in 15 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and Central and South America – we offer a holistic fabric of project management, implementation and support. Skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, we have the ability to act quickly (crisis response teams can be on the ground in 24 hours) and to establish structured operations in high-risk environments. CTG recruit and manage qualified, skilled teams with extensive experience operating in challenging conditions.

Overview of position:

In accordance with applicable policies for UNDP/GEF projects, all GEF-funded projects implemented by UNDP are subjective to a mid-term review and a final independent evaluation. The purpose for this independent Mid-Term Review is to undertake at the end of the second year of implementation, a review to determine progress being made towards the achievement of outcomes and to identify course correction if needed. The MTR will focus on the effectiveness, efficiency and timeliness of project implementation; will highlight issues requiring decisions and actions; and will present initial lessons learned about project design, implementation and management. Findings of this review will be incorporated as recommendations for enhanced implementation during the remainder of the project’s term. The review is to be undertaken in accordance with the “GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy” (see http://www.thegef.org/gef/sites/thegef.org/files/documents/ME_Policy_2010.pdf)
The project is being co-funded by the Global Environment Facility - Least Developed Countries Fund (GEF-LDCF) for Adaptation to Climate Change (USD 8,000,000), and UNDP Somalia Core Resources (USD 1,500,000) and in kind support from the government of Somalia (USD 8,000,000). Other in-kind and parallel co-financing from the European Union and UNDP amounts to USD 55,320,000. The project is being implemented through the Direct Implementation Modality (DIM) by the UNDP Somalia Country Office. In terms of project ‘Implementation’, UNDP is the GEF Implementing Agency and provides strategic, technical and administrative support to the National and regional focal points. In addition, for ‘Supervision’, the UNDP-GEF Staff (led by the Regional Technical Advisor) provides an additional layer of oversight, and participates in regular project team calls to monitor progress and oversee project implementation.
The project is currently implementing NAPA priority interventions to enhance climate change resilience of the vulnerable communities and ecosystems in Somalia which aims to minimize climate change impacts and strengthen adaptive resilience capacity at national and regional levels (Somaliland, Puntland and Southern Central Somalia). The project has a implementation period of four years, having started in January 2015 with holding of Inception Workshop.
The project objective is to enhance resilience and improve adaptive capacity of vulnerable Somali communities in pilot areas, and the ecosystems on which they depend, to the adverse impacts of climate change. The project’s Theory of Change is to set the foundation to mainstream Climate Change Adaptation and Natural Resource Management into Somalia’s nascent national and community governance structures. Policy development will create an enabling environment for sustainable land management to combat the deleterious impacts caused by extensive deforestation and over-grazing. Institutions will be created and reinforced to have the capacity to manage and prepare for floods and droughts, helping to reduce Somalia’s dependency on humanitarian aid. Women will become agents of change, having the capacity to make decisions on the use, management and protection of natural resources. Based on this solid foundation, communities will have access to improved ecosystem services and will be able to develop more climate-resilient livelihoods. Women and youth will also be empowered with climate change knowledge so that they can seize employment and business opportunities.
The project design is structured around two main outcomes:
Outcome 1: Policies, plans and tools reviewed, revised, developed, adopted and implemented by government to mainstream and enhance adaptive capacity and mitigate the risks of climate change on vulnerable communities and critical ecosystem services
Outcome 2: Models of community and ecosystem resilience developed and implemented in pilot areas selected in consultation with government and community stakeholders.

Role objectives:

The scope of the current assignment is to conduct a midterm review for the ongoing GEF LDCF projects in Somalia especially Somaliland, Puntland, and Southern Central, taking into account the sectoral vulnerabilities, gender dimensions of climate change, impacts and costs for adaptation and mitigation. As such, this assignment falls under Component 1 and Component 2 of the Project. The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability. The MTR will also recommend actions for future programming.
The MTR consultant/team shall prepare and submit:
i. MTR Inception Report: MTR team clarifies objectives and methods of the Midterm Review no later than 2 weeks before the MTR mission. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit and project management. Approximate due date: (date)
ii. Presentation: Initial Findings presented to project management and the Commissioning Unit at the end of the MTR mission. Approximate due date: (date)
iii. Draft Final Report: Full report with annexes within 3 weeks of the MTR mission. Approximate due date: (date)
iv. Final Report: Revised report with annexed audit trail detailing how all received comments have (and have not) been addressed in the final MTR report. To be sent to the Commissioning Unit within 1 week of receiving UNDP comments on draft. Approximate due date: (date)
The final MTR report must be in English. If applicable, the Commissioning Unit may choose to arrange for a translation of the report into a language more widely shared by national stakeholders

Expected output:

The scope of the current assignment is to conduct a midterm review for the ongoing GEF LDCF projects in Somalia especially Somaliland, Puntland, and Southern Central, taking into account the sectoral vulnerabilities, gender dimensions of climate change, impacts and costs for adaptation and mitigation. As such, this assignment falls under Component 1 and Component 2 of the Project. The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability. The MTR will also recommend actions for future programming.
IV. Scope of work/expected output
The National Consultant (NC) will support the Team Leader in undertaking a Mid Term Review (MTR) for the project Enhancing Climate Resilience of the most Vulnerable Communities and Ecosystems in Somalia. The NC will also support and take lead in the documentation of gender impacts and gender desegregated data and cover Federal Government, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hir-Shabelle and South West State.
Specific tasks as grouped under components would include:
A. Review of Project design and its relevance: The National Consultant (NC) will support the Team Leader in assessing the project design. She/he will also support the Team Leader to review the problem addressed by the project and the project strategy, encompassing an assessment of the appropriateness of the objectives, outcomes, outputs, planned activities and inputs as compared to cost-effective alternatives. in relation to:
a) Development priorities at the national level;
b) Stakeholders – assess if the specific needs were met;
c) Country ownership / obligation – participation and commitments of government, regional states, local authorities, and communities;
d) UNDP mission to promote assisting the country to build its capacities in the focal area of adaptation to climate change;
e) Taking lead and Meeting the demands of the cross-cutting issues i.e. gender mainstreaming, impacts and desegregated data.
f) Meeting the LDCF adaptation guidelines: Demonstrating increases in adaptive capacity and resilience for climate change and assess whether and how the engagement of communities has had a particular contribution and added value to community adaptation and resilience to climate change;
B. Review of Project outcomes, outputs and indicators: The NC will also support the team Leader to review and assess the outcomes, outputs, and indicators achieved by the project as well as the likely inroads to sustainability of project results. This should encompass the following:
Attainment of objectives and planned results:
• Evaluate how, and to what extent, the stated project objectives are being achieved; taking into account the “achievement indicators”. In addition, the team will assess the indicators matrix as to its utility for determining sustainability and replicability impact.
• Assess the level to which the project has followed guidelines of the LDCF Strategic Priority on Adaptation and recommend ways to further strengthen this linkage.
Achievement of outputs and activities:
• Assess the scope, quality and usefulness of the project outputs produced so far in relation to its expected results.
• Assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the work plan in implementing the components of the project.
• Assess the quality, appropriateness and timeliness of the project with regard to:
o Adherence to the committed GEF objectives;
o Delivering global environmental benefits; and
o Achieving financial and environmental sustainability for the project intervention.
C. Management arrangements focused on project implementation:
a) General implementation and management: The NC will support the Team Leader to evaluate the adequacy of the project, implementation structure, including the effectiveness of the Project Board, partnership strategy and stakeholder involvement from the aspect of compliance to UNDP/GEF requirements and also from the perspective of “good practice model” that could be used for replication;
Financial accountability and efficiency - assess efficiency against the so far achieved results, including an assessment of the National Implementation Modality and the cost effectiveness of the utilization of LDCF resources and actual UNDP co-financing for the achievement of project results; Assess the contribution of in-kind co-financing to project implementation and to what extend the project has been able to leverage additional funding so far.
b) The NC will support the Team Leader to Monitoring and evaluation on project level: assess the adoption of the monitoring and evaluation system during the project implementation, focusing to relevance of the performance indicators, that are Specific; Measurable; Achievable and Attributable; Relevant and Realistic and time bound (SMART indicators)
D. Timeframe: The total duration of the MTR will be approximately 19 working days over a time period of 3- weeks. A National Consultant will complement the Lead/International Consultant for a period of 19 working days over the 3 weeks period. UNDP and the stakeholders will submit comments and suggestions within 7 working days after receiving the draft.
E. Institutional arrangements: The selected individual will report to the following:

1. Project Manager, Environment and Energy, UNDP, Somalia Office
2. The Team Leader –Coordinating the MTR of the project title Enhancing Climate Resilience of the Vulnerable Communities and Ecosystem in Somalia.

Project reporting:

The assignment will be monitored and facilitated by the Project Manager-Environment and Energy. The quality of the deliverables mentioned in the next section will be jointly assessed by the Project Manager and UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor for the Arab States Region. The consultancy fees would be released upon the certification of Project Manager. The payment schedule would be as follows:
i. 10% of payment upon approval of the final MTR Inception Report
ii. 30% upon submission of the draft MTR report
iii. 60% upon finalization of the MTR report

Key competencies:

o Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience environment, climate change, natural resources management (land, water, forestry, biodiversity etc.) or environment related subjects
o Proven expertise in gender analysis and programming
o Recent experience with result-based management evaluation methodologies;
o Recent experience in monitoring and evaluation of international donor driven projects;
o Recognized expertise in the field of natural resource management and climate change adaptation issues.
o Work experience in relevant areas for at least 5 years; Professional expertise and experience in Climate Change impacts, mitigation and adaptation;
o Knowledge of UNDP and GEF financed projects is an advantage;
o The consultant shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects;
o Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
o Previous experience with mid-term evaluation/review of GEF funded projects;
o Previous experience in Somalia or IGAD Member Countries
o Conceptual thinking and analytical skills;
o Project monitoring and evaluation experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
o Excellent English communication skills;
o Computer literacy;
III. Language requirements: a) Strong written and spoken English/Somali languages.

Team management:

N/A

Further information:

The National expert will be required to have a personal laptop computer.

Candidates interested in applying for this role need to register on CTG website as a candidate and apply for this role using the below link
https://recruitmentctg.force.com/xcdrecruit__Site_ExternalPositionDetails?id=a1124000001knP9