Background Information:

The influx of South Sudanese refugees that began in late 2013 mainly into White Nile State and early 2016 into East and South Darfur continues, driven by deteriorating food security and continuing violence in South Sudan. To date close to 400,000 South Sudanese refugees have sought safety in Sudan. The majority of refugees arriving since 2013 are women and children often in poor nutrition and health conditions, with very few opportunities for livelihood and subsistence activities. Relief items, including food, nutrition and emergency household supplies have been provided to almost all new arrivals and personal hygiene kits distributed to pregnant and lactating women. However, overcrowded conditions continue to prevail at many sites, and malnutrition rates recorded through surveys in 2016 are above emergency levels in White Nile State.

UNHCR Sudan and key supporting donors have agreed that there are lessons that may be learned from the refugee response in White Nile State. As such, UNHCR is commissioning an independent evaluation of the UNHCR and partner response to the South Sudanese refugee influx in White Nile State (WNS) between December 2013 and June 2017.

In addition to assessing the overall effectiveness of the response, the evaluation will focus in particular on strategy, coordination, management and operational arrangements – with emphasis on the semi-remote management context – quality assurance (including capacity building), protection and the WASH, public health and nutrition sectors. The evaluation is intended to generate lessons learnt and recommendations that will support improved coordination and contingency planning, and that will contribute to strengthening the quality of the response to the South Sudanese refugee influx. Evaluation results may also help inform strategic direction for the wider UNHCR and partner response for South Sudanese refugees across Sudan as it evolves in 2017 and beyond.

The evaluation should provide insights for the field operations, the Regional Bureau for Africa and other concerned Divisions/Services on the status of the refugee response to date and to agree upon recommendations for future action, and be a useful tool for future donor resource mobilisation.

Evaluation Work Plan and Deliverables

The evaluation should be completed within four months from September/October 2017 to January 2018, with an anticipated 1-month inception phase, 2-month data collection and analysis phase, and 1-month report writing and finalization phase. The key deliverables include an inception report, data collection toolkit (including questionnaires, interview guides, focus group discussion guides, analytical framework, etc.), and a final evaluation report, including recommendations and executive summary.

The timeline is as follows:

Inception phase (Home based):                        15 days

Field missions (Physical presence in Sudan): 19 days

Data Analysis (Home based):                             10 days

Reporting phase (Home based) :                      7 days

Responsibilities:

The Evaluation Team Leader will conduct the following activities:

1. Inception phase :

• Refine the evaluations questions, define the evaluation methods and detail the data collection and analysis plan;
• Produce an inception report which should elaborate a detailed plan for the conduct of the evaluation. The report should include :
  • A preliminary analysis of the context, intervention and stakeholders.
  • Detailed evaluation methodology, including, if necessary, sampling strategy and qualitative comparative methods and any quantitative methods.
  • A refined set of evaluation questions, if necessary.
  • An evaluation matrix, setting out how each of the evaluation questions will be answered (criteria, proposed methods and data sources).
  • A detailed schedule of activities and deliverables, designating roles and responsibilities.

2. In country data collection and preliminary analysis including presentation of preliminary findings and conclusions at a stakeholders workshop;
3. Report and formulations of recommendations: The evaluation Team Leader will prepare a final evaluation report outlining the conclusions, the findings of the evaluation and recommendations of which will feed into UNHCR Sudan operational response and strategic development.
4. Assist in recruitment of two additional national sector evaluation experts in WASH and Public Health.

Requirements and competencies:

The evaluation Team Leader must have proven expertise in refugee operation reviews, refugee protection and the work of UNHCR and other humanitarian and protection organizations. It is desirable also to have technical knowledge of WASH, public health and nutrition. In line with the UNHCR Evaluation Policy, prior to hiring the consultant(s), any actual or potential conflict of interest will be assessed.

Functional requirements for the evaluation Team Leader include:

• University degree plus between 20 and 24 years of relevant professional experience, or a post-graduate university degree plus a minimum of between 17 and 23 years of relevant professional experience in the field of work.
• Extensive evaluation experience in humanitarian approaches and programmes, especially in the area of refugee response.
• Experience of remote/semi-remote management contexts desirable.
• Proven experience and institutional knowledge of UN and NGOs, at both headquarters and field locations and of refugee response coordination mechanisms at the HQ and field level.
• Knowledge of the sub-regions geo-political and operational contexts.
• In depth knowledge and proven experience of various data collection and analytical methods, particularly in relation to evaluation and operational research in humanitarian contexts.
• Proven expertise in facilitating participatory workshops/focus groups for similar organisations involving a range of participants, including affected people.
• Extensive experience in leading similar exercises, including experience in country case studies, lessons learnt, and real-time approaches.
• Technical expertise in the area of protection, WASH, public health and nutrition.
• Extensive experience conveying complex evaluation analyses clearly and compellingly, including through the use of clear graphics and visual media.
• Proven analytical skills, and excellent drafting and communication skills in English.
• Willingness and ability to travel to Sudan and White Nile State.

Technical proposal

Respondents to this call for proposals for a Team Leader should submit a technical proposal emphasizing:

• A general strategy and approach;
• Proposed evaluation methods and tools; and
• A plan to organize the evaluation.

The technical proposal should be concisely presented and structured in the following order to include, but not necessarily be limited to, a description of past professional experience as team leader, with evidence of the capacity to perform this evaluation, including the following information:

• Samples of other evaluations or research that pertains to forcibly displaced populations, refugee protection and related topics;
• Three persons of reference, with contact information.

Location:

The evaluation Team Leader consultant will be based in UNHCR Khartoum with travel to White Nile State.  The physical presence of the consultant is required in Sudan only during the in country data collection.

Remuneration:

Monthly fees range between US$11,500 – US$13,900. Daily subsistence allowance for travel within the country will be payable as applicable.

This vacancy is for  an international one, as such Sudanese nationals are not entitled to apply. Additionally, selected candidate should be ready to start the evaluation within a maximum of 2 weeks upon receipt of offer.

NB. You can apply via this website ( Sudanjob.net) or via this email SUDKH-HR@unhcr.org

Only short listed candidates will be notified.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Candidate Assessments may include a written examination followed by a Competency Based Interview.