Foodand Agriculture organization of the United Nations

Terms of Reference for Consultant/PSA

Minimum number of years of relevant experience required: 1yr  5yrs  12+yrs 

Job Title: / Morocco Evaluation Lead consultant
Division/Department: / Office of Evaluation / OED
Programme/Project: / Evaluation of FAO’s programme in Morocco
Location: / Morocco
Expected Start Date of Assignment: / 14 September 2015 / Duration: / 80 days, WAE
NTE: 31 June 2016
Reports to: / Name: / Amelie Solal-Celigny / Title: / Evaluation Officer, OED

General Description of task(s) and objectives to be achieved

The Office of Evaluation is conducting a Country Programme Evaluation of FAO in Morocco between September 2015 and June 2016. The evaluation will be jointly led by the OED Evaluation Manager and an externalLead Consultant. The exact composition of the team will be jointly determined after recruitment of the Lead Consultant.
The evaluation will cover the period 2011-2015 et cover the entirety of FAO’s work in the country. The total budget of FAO’s portfolio in Morocco during this period is USD 15 million. During the time period under evaluation, FAO supported national institutions by strengthening individual and organizational capacities, and provided support to policy in the agriculture and food security sectors. FAO interventions included technical assistance and policy support in the area of agriculture and aquaculture production, climate change adaptation, sustainable management of natural resources, integrated pest management, and food and nutritional security.
The evaluation will assess FAO contributions in the priority areas outlined in the Country Programming Framework, in particular:
  1. Development for all and without exclusion of vulnerable groups and women of the agriculture and maritime sector as a driver of economic and social development;
  2. Sustainable management of natural resources and the improvement of the rural livelihoods, in particular for the most vulnerable, within the context of climate change adaptation;
  3. The management of food crises.
The evaluation will be carried in in various phases:
  • Review of existing documents and preparation of synthesis documents on the programme;
  • Drafting the evaluation Terms of Reference
  • A one-week inception mission to involve government, FAO Country Office personnel and other FAO partners in the evaluation process, define the questions to which the evaluation should respond, and outline a detailed methodology;
  • Drafting an initial evaluation report and selection of evaluation team members;
  • One-month main evaluation mission, during which time the evaluation team will conduct meetings with stakeholders in the government, civil society and the private sector. Field visits to provinces in which FAO has implemented interventions and projects during the time period evaluated will also be carried out;
  • At the end of the mission, an evaluation restitution workshop for FAO Representation in Morocco and programme stakeholders;
  • Drafting of the evaluation report and dissemination for feedback;
  • Integration of feedback and drafting of the final report;
  • Organisation of workshops and events to foster open dialogue on evaluation results, in collaboration with FAO Representation.
Under the overall supervision of the Director of the Office of Evaluation (OED), and in collaboration with the designated Evaluation Manager from OED, the Lead Consultant will be responsible for coordinating evaluation team members, launching different phases of the evaluation, and production of the final report. His/her mandate is directly related to the Evaluation Terms of Reference, and he/she reports directly to the OED Evaluation Manager.
Specifically, in continued collaboration with the OED Evaluation Manager, the Lead Consultant will coordinate the activities of evaluation team members, ensure that the proposed evaluation methodology as detailed in the Terms of Reference is carried out, and organise the division of tasks amongst evaluation team members according to their respective area of expertise.
He/She will be responsible for the following:
  1. Examine relevant documents provided by OED, including project documents and reports, evaluations previously carried out in the country, etc.;
  2. Develop a methodology in collaboration with OED;
  3. Carry out the methodology as defined in the Terms of Reference, contribute to the elaboration of evaluation tools including questionnaires and interview guides;
  4. Conduct and coordinate the collection of primary data by the evaluation team through interviews and discussions with FAO personnel, government stakeholders, and partners in Morocco, as well as during field missions in the country, with key informants, including FAO implementing partners, programme participants and non-participants, as needed;
  5. As needed, organize training sessions for the national team researchers in methods of data collection;
  6. Manage and coordinate the collection of relevant secondary data, according to the needs identified in the evaluation Terms of Reference;
  7. Ensure that all primary and secondary data collected are recorded throughout the evaluation process, and organised in a structured format following the key questions and criteria of the evaluation, on the basis of which a triangulation of findings can be ensured;
  8. Conduct and/or coordinate the data analysis by the evaluation team in order to draft findings and produce conclusions responding to the evaluation questions. Ensure that all findings are sufficiently validated;
  9. In collaboration with the Evaluation Manager, conduct the analysis and discussion of evaluation results with the evaluation team and FAO Representation in Morocco, in order to formulate recommendations from the developed conclusions;
  10. Present the evaluation results to key actors over the course of information sessions, planned as required
  11. Coordinate the participation and contributions of team members’ deliverables according to the needs of the evaluation, including the evaluation report and its annexes.

key performance indicators

Résultats attendus: / Date:
  1. Initial evaluation report containing the methodology and final evaluation questions;
  2. Primary and secondary data collected during the main evaluation mission;
  3. Draft report with findings and conclusions
  4. Revised version of the report integrating OED feedback as well as those of different actors;
  5. Submission of final report to OED.
Partial payment of honorarium corresponding to the number of days When Actually Employed (WAE) will be released at the end of each month upon reception of deliverables and/or the final report. /
  1. 31 October 2015
  2. 31 March 2016
  3. 30 April 2016
  4. 31 May 2016
  5. 30 June 2016

Required Competencies

Selection criteria:
  • University degree in agricultural economy, geography, agronomy, rural development or related fields;
  • 12 years’ experience in rural development and/or food security, with significant experience in evaluation
  • Strong knowledge of the region and its challenges in the field of food security
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Excellent mastery of written and oral French, working knowledge of English
  • Knowledge of research methodologies and evaluation techniques applied in the field
  • Ability to organize and manage an internationally and professionally diverse team
The Lead Consultant will not have had any professional ties to FAO during the time period under evaluation. He/she must sign a declaration form affirming such with FAO’s Office of Evaluation.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to send their CV or Personal Profile Form (see instructions at to: , in copy.
Deadline for applications: 25 August 2015
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.

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