Director, Independent Evaluation Office

Overview

The Director of the Independent Evaluation Office at UNFPA Nairobi provides strategic leadership and manages the office to ensure independent, credible, and high-quality evaluations aligned with the organization's Evaluation Policy. Reporting functionally to the Executive Board and administratively to the Executive Director, the Director safeguards impartial evaluation practices following UNEG Norms and international professional standards.

This office strengthens organizational effectiveness and accountability through thematic and programmatic evaluations, knowledge sharing, and establishing evaluation norms and standards in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.

Key Duties

• Provide visionary leadership and overall management of the Independent Evaluation Office.
• Design and oversee a multi-year costed evaluation plan in consultation with the Executive Board and stakeholders, securing approval from the Executive Board.
• Lead corporate evaluations as per the approved plan, including thematic and country program reviews.
• Develop and deliver advanced evaluation methodological guidance, technical support, and capacity building to enhance centralized and decentralized evaluation functions.
• Promote knowledge dissemination, learning facilitation, and capacity development related to evaluation.
• Advise the Executive Director and senior management on evaluation-related issues.
• Represent UNFPA in international evaluation forums such as UNEG and IAHE, fostering partnerships and innovation.
• Ensure ethical management of all human and financial resources and nurture a collaborative, performance-oriented team culture.
• Manage the Independent Evaluation Office’s budget, work plan, and performance monitoring to guarantee timely, quality outputs.
• Maintain a publicly accessible online repository of evaluation reports and management responses.
• Lead the periodic review and revision of the UNFPA Evaluation Policy.

Additional Information

The Director is appointed for a renewable fixed term of five years and barred from future UNFPA employment post-tenure. UNFPA commits to gender equality, cultural diversity, and inclusion, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups and fostering healthy work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level) in Management, Economics, Public Administration, Population/Demography, or related Social Sciences.
• At least 15 years of progressive experience in evaluation work, including 8 years internationally.
• Experience in international development and humanitarian contexts.
• Strong expertise in evaluation design, quantitative methods, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Proven leadership skills with a minimum of 5 years supervising professional teams.
• Proficiency in software tools such as Microsoft Access, Excel, and statistical applications.
• Fluency in English is mandatory; knowledge of French or another UN language is advantageous.

Competencies

• Values: Integrity, commitment to UNFPA and UN system, cultural inclusiveness, adaptability.
• Core: Results orientation, accountability, professional expertise, analytical and strategic thinking, teamwork, impactful communication.
• Managerial: Strategic focus, stakeholder engagement, leadership and empowerment, sound judgment.
• Functional: Accountability promotion, technical knowledge, influence, organizational awareness, knowledge sharing.

Compensation and Benefits

The role offers a competitive net salary with additional allowances including cost of living, housing, home leave, health insurance, and other benefits.