Senior Evaluation Officer

About the role

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Evaluation Office in Nairobi is looking for a Senior Evaluation Officer. The office evaluates all UNEP projects and programmes to support evidence-based decision making, accountability to Member States and funding partners, and organisational learning. The post is full-time, based in Nairobi, and falls under the direct supervision of the Evaluation Office Director.

Key responsibilities

• Keep emerging environmental, political and managerial issues under review and contribute analytically to evaluation planning, while monitoring the Evaluation Office's performance against key indicators.
• Develop evaluation methods, design impact evaluation approaches and build a portfolio of outcome and impact evaluations, including technical peer review processes.
• Lead evaluations of the Medium-Term Strategy, Programme of Work and thematic sub-programmes, and keep the UNEP Evaluation and Programme Manuals updated.
• Oversee the UNITE for Evaluations system with UNODC, collaborate with evaluation professionals from other UN agencies, and prepare biennial evaluation demand studies.
• Plan and run outreach to evaluation findings, maintain the Evaluation Office website, and produce knowledge products and events.
• Select international evaluation consultants, prepare budgets and timelines, and manage and quality-assure their work.
• Prepare the annual evaluation schedule, supervise and formally review P4, P3, JPO and G staff, and sign off Management Led Terminal Reviews.
• Contribute to the Biennial Evaluation Synthesis Report, lead selected special studies, and advise management on evaluation findings.
• Lead team members in collecting and analysing data so it can be used for planning, decision-making and reporting.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Natural Resources, Environmental Studies/Sciences, Development Planning or a related technical field; a first-level degree plus two years of qualifying experience may be accepted.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in evaluation oversight, management and project or programme management in complex socio-economic settings.
• At least 5 years of experience leading diverse, multicultural teams of staff and consultants.
• Experience in developing, appraising and evaluating projects aimed at capacity development.
• Desirable: experience with UN Evaluation Group norms and standards, digital tools and AI in evaluation, and data analytics.
• English at UN Level III (reading, writing, listening, speaking); French at UN Level I is desirable.