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Hire a national consultant for the evaluation of the EU4SC Project

Apply now Job no: 591696
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Tirana
Level: Consultancy
Location: Albania
Categories: Social Policy

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Development!

UNICEF Albania, in partnership with World Vision Albania, is currently in the third and final year of implementing the project “Enhancing Local Social Care Services: Partnerships with Citizens and Toward EU Standards,” funded by the European Union. The project is closely aligned with the Albanian Government’s priorities in the sector, focusing on advancing social care reforms that promote social inclusion, equal opportunities, and the decentralization of social care services in the municipalities of Durres, Kavaja, Kruje, Kurbin, Vlore, Kukes, Vore, Kamez, Pogradec, Gjirokaster, Librazhd, Elbasan, Korce, Cerrik. The goal of the project is to strengthen municipal and central level capacities to establish and deliver social care services for citizens and in alignment with EU standards, ensuring equitable and effective support for citizens at risk of social exclusion. The Project primary target groups and final beneficiaries (right-holders) are individuals and families at risk of poverty, social exclusion, and with limited access to essential social care services in 14 targeted municipalities. The main categories identified during the design and implementation of the project are families living in poverty, adults, children at risk of exclusion, people with disabilities, women and children, and survivors of violence and abuse.
An evaluation of the project has been foreseen from the outset of project planning, as requested by the donor and included in the original project proposal. It was intentionally scheduled for the third year of the implementation cycle to allow sufficient time for project activities to be implemented and for their results to be meaningfully assessed.
 
To ensure the quality and independence of the evaluation process, UNICEF Albania will engage an external national evaluation consultant to support the implementation of the evaluation in accordance with this Terms of Reference (ToR). The national consultant will work under the guidance of the lead evaluation consultant, who is responsible for the overall management and delivery of the evaluation.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the overall guidance of UNICEF Albania and in close coordination with the lead Evaluation Consultant and the Steering Committee of the EU4SC project, the national consultant will support the evaluation process across the Inception, Data Collection, and Reporting phases, with a primary role in the organization and implementation of field data collection across participating municipalities.
 
1. Inception Phase
The evaluation will begin with a desk review of key project and contextual documents provided through an electronic library maintained by UNICEF. The national consultant will contribute to the desk review process and participate in consultations with UNICEF and the lead Evaluation Consultant to clarify the evaluation process, milestones, roles and responsibilities, quality assurance requirements, and the proposed methodology. The national consultant will support the development of the Inception Report (IR), including contributing to the refinement of the evaluation matrix, contextual analysis, proposed data collection approaches, and the preparation of data collection tools, particularly those relevant for fieldwork at municipal level.
 
2. Data Collection Phase
Following approval of the Inception Report, the evaluation will proceed to the data collection phase. The national consultant will play a central role in organizing and conducting field data collection across all participating municipalities, including coordinating and undertaking interviews, focus group discussions, and other agreed data collection activities with relevant local stakeholders. The national consultant will ensure that data collection is implemented in accordance with the agreed methodology and ethical standards and will document and systematize the information collected to support the evaluation analysis. The lead Evaluation Consultant will provide methodological oversight and will focus primarily on consultations with national-level and strategic stakeholders. UNICEF will facilitate coordination with partners and stakeholders and will support access and logistical arrangements where feasible.
 
3. Reporting Phase
The national consultant will contribute to the analysis of collected data and support the preparation of relevant sections of the evaluation report, particularly those related to field findings and municipal-level implementation

Specific deliverables for the consultant are:

Deliverable 1 - Detailed comments to the Draft Inception Report

Specific tasks: 

  • Desk review of relevant project materials. Familiarize with all the guiding UNICEF documents for the conduct of quality evaluation.
  • Engage in virtual discussions with UNICEF team and the local evaluation consultant.
  • Based on the tasks assigned by the Lead Evaluation consultant, provide contribution to the Inception Report

Timeline: to be completed by June 30, 2026 - 10 working days

Deliverable 2: Transcription of data collection activities

Specific tasks: 

  • Engage with Lead Evaluation Consultant to prepare the data collection agenda/plan.
  • Conduct interviews and focus groups with evaluation information as per the data collection plan – 14 municipalities. This could require presence for at least 2 days at each municipality to complete the data collection.
  • Provide all transcript in English language.
  • Contribute to the preliminary observations of the data collection phase

Timeline for submission: June- August 2026 for 30 working days. Travel will take place during this period in 14 municipalities.

Deliverable 3: Detailed comments to the Draft Evaluation Report
 
Specific tasks: 
  • Based on the tasks assigned by the Lead Evaluation consultant, provide contribution to the Inception Report.
  • Participate in all the meetings organized to discuss or launch the evaluation report.

Timeline for submission: until December 2026 for 5 working days

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

  • Advanced degree on Social science, humanities and related field
  • At least 10 years of documented experience engaged in studies/research, monitoring and evaluation activities, with hands on experience in data collection.
  • Previous professional exposure in social subject matters/areas of work
  • Ability to produce content for high standard reports in English
  • Previous experience / familiarity with UNICEF and the UN in Albania
  • Presentation and communication skills.
  • Knowledge of English and Albanian is a must
What to submit:
1. Complete full profile in the e-recruitment system and upload CV.
2. Proof of previous work conducted in this area of expertise including links, copies of reports (the 2 most recent, and for which evaluation has played the leading role, and/or attribution of the consultant can be identified).
3. Brief proposal (up to 4 pages) clearly articulating how the TOR is understood and unpacked.
4. Lumpsum fee with a budget breakdown on consultancy fee (daily offer in ALL all taxes inclusive) and travel offer to cover 14 municipalities for data collection, 2 days for each municipality - Durres, Kavaja, Kruje, Kurbin, Vlore, Kukes, Vore, Kamez, Pogradec, Gjirokaster, Librazhd, Elbasan, Korce and Cerrik.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advertised: Central Europe Standard Time
Deadline: Central Europe Standard Time

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