Evaluation Officer, CGIAR Advisory Services Shared Secretariat

Evaluation Officer

CGIAR Advisory Services Shared Secretariat

Background

The CGIAR Advisory Services Shared Secretariat (CAS Secretariat), based in Rome, Italy, implements the CGIAR System’s multi-year independent evaluation plan and provides operational support for the CGIAR external advice functions, namely the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) and the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC). The CAS Secretariat is recruiting an Evaluation Officer, to support the evaluation workstream. The workstream supplies funding partners and internal and external stakeholders with programmatic and on-demand evaluations.

On behalf of the CAS Secretariat, the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)[1], which hosts the Secretariat in its Rome, Italy, office, is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as a CGIAR advisory services Evaluation Officer.

Role

The Evaluation Officer is a critical role that supports the evaluation workstream within the CAS Secretariat. The incumbent will work collaboratively with the other independent advisory services and CGIAR colleagues to ensure that information generated through independent evaluations is timely, of high quality, available and accessible, to support System-wide management, learning and decision-making processes.  The position is based in Rome, Italy, and involves international travel.

Key Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the CAS Secretariat Senior Evaluation Manager, specific responsibilities include:

• Support the development and implementation of the evaluation multi-year work plan
• Prepare reports and presentations conveying evaluation information to the CGIAR governing body
• Facilitate the planning and time-bound management of deliverables by external independent experts
• Provide research and technical input to the production of standards, guidelines and methodologies, and for overarching Evaluation Policy revisions, as needed
• Implement the procurement process to engage independent reviewers, in compliance with the host institute’s prevailing policies
• Facilitate the quality assurance and peer review process for evaluations
• Maintain a CGIAR evaluation database, and other forms of related knowledge management and record-keeping
• Prepare communication and knowledge management products that support the effective use of evaluation findings and recommendations in the CGIAR System, as well as the translation of evaluation policy into action
• Lead logistical preparations for and technical inputs to evaluation-related meetings, events and workshops
• Foster and contribute to highly collaborative teamwork and communication within the CAS Secretariat and with other system entities
• Represent the evaluation workstream at meetings as required

Qualifications and competencies

Essential qualifications and competencies

• Relevant university degree in fields related directly to the position requirements, including program evaluation and measurement, social sciences, business or public administration, international development, or other fields pertinent to CGIAR evaluation
• Minimum of 7 years’ relevant experience, of which at least five years with direct experience in implementing evaluations
• Evidence of a proficient level of evaluation technical skill and expertise, including relevant quantitative and qualitative research, analysis and synthesis skillsets
• Proven experience working with large data sets and techniques in data visualization
• Working proficiency in one of a number of statistical softwares (e.g., Stata, R, SPSS, etc)
• Excellent written and spoken English, including for report preparation for executive and multicultural audiences
• Proven experience and understanding of evaluation processes for development organizations, and conversance in techniques and methods appropriate to the evaluation of CGIAR’s research for development activities
• Demonstrated understanding of the branches of science pursued within CGIAR, and work experience in agriculture research for development
• Proficiency in the use of standard office software (Microsoft 365 suite)
• Consistently models evaluation ethics, including impartiality, integrity and independence

Desirable qualifications and competencies

• An evaluation-related accreditation or certification and/or Master’s degree
• Experience in an international working environment, in particular evaluations in emerging and developing economies
• Additional foreign language(s) beyond English

Terms and conditions: This is an internationally recruited position. The salary is level 4, in a scale of 6 levels, with level 1 being the highest. The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, non-contributory retirement plan, medical insurance, housing allowance and leave provisions. All benefits are denominated and paid in US dollars. The initial contract will be for a period of 2 years, subject to a probationary period of 6 months, and is renewable based on performance and availability of funds.

Applications: Please apply online through the Alliance Job Opportunities web page (https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/) by clicking on the “Apply” button, completing the online application and attaching the required information, no later than 10 July 2020. Please note that in the application you are required to provide the contact details (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of at least three referees, whom we will contact for short-listed applicants. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

This Job Description is an integral part of the employment contract and is subject to change from time to time.

For more information about the CGIAR evaluation function and the CAS Secretariat, refer to https://cas.cgiar.org/.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity.

[1] Bioversity International and CIAT are a CGIAR Research Centres. For further information consult the websites at https://www.bioversityinternational.org and www.ciat.cgiar.org