Duties and Responsibilities
The evaluation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Sri Lanka (2023–2027) serves as a critical mechanism for fostering learning, strengthening accountability, and informing strategic decision-making within the United Nations Development System, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator and in coordination with the Development Coordination Office (DCO). Rooted in UNEG norms and standards and aligned with Cooperation Framework evaluation requirements, this evaluation will provide an independent and system-wide assessment of the UN’s collective contribution to national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The evaluation will assess progress achieved under the UNSDCF, identify key lessons learned, and examine the extent to which UN interventions have contributed to addressing Sri Lanka’s evolving development challenges, including recovery from the recent economic crisis, strengthening institutional resilience, promoting inclusive governance, and advancing equitable human development. The primary purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and orientation towards impact of the UN system’s support to Sri Lanka, in line with established evaluation criteria. It will also examine the extent to which cross-cutting principles, such as human rights, gender equality, and the commitment to leave no one behind, have been integrated and operationalized throughout implementation. In accordance with UNSDCF evaluation guidelines, the evaluation will support accountability to national stakeholders while providing a platform for learning and dialogue to inform the next Cooperation Framework cycle. The findings, conclusions and recommendations will serve as a strategic resource for the UN and key stakeholders to strengthen coordination, refine programmatic approaches, and enhance the effectiveness of future UN support. This evaluation will be led by two independent external consultants. The team will consist of a Team Leader (International consultant) and will be supported by a Team Member (National consultant) The Team Member (National Consultant) will work under the strategic direction and supervision of the Team Leader (International Consultant) to support the independent evaluation of the UNSDCF Sri Lanka 2023–2027. The Team Member will bring in-country expertise, local stakeholder knowledge, and contextual understanding of Sri Lanka's development landscape to complement the Team Leader's methodological and strategic leadership. The Team Member is jointly responsible for the quality and timely delivery of all evaluation outputs. 1. Support with Strategic Oversight and Methodological Leadership • Contribute to the design of the evaluation framework by providing country-specific context and expertise, including input into the refinement of core evaluation questions and the selection of data collection methods appropriate to the Sri Lankan context. • Support the development of data collection tools (interview guides, surveys, document review matrices), ensuring they are culturally appropriate, contextually grounded, and aligned with the agreed evaluation methodology. • Assist the Team Leader in ensuring the technical rigor and relevance of the evaluation, providing evidence-based inputs grounded in knowledge of national development systems, institutions, and programming realities. • Contribute to maintain consistency, impartiality, and transparency throughout all phases of the evaluation. 2. Support for Planning, Team Coordination, and Stakeholder Engagement • Support the Team Leader in developing and adhering to the detailed evaluation work plan and timeline, flagging any risks to timely delivery of activities. • Facilitate access to key national stakeholders, including government counterparts, civil society organizations, development partners, and UN agency staff based in Sri Lanka, leveraging existing professional networks and in-country relationships. • Lead or co-lead stakeholder consultations at the national level, including Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions, and other primary data collection activities, as assigned by the Team Leader. • Support the coordination of logistics for stakeholder consultations, document collection, and any field-level data gathering conducted through virtual modalities with stakeholders outside Colombo. 3. Support to Evaluation Quality and Ethical Integrity • Uphold UNEG norms and standards, ethical principles, and recognized best practices throughout all assigned tasks, with particular attention to gender equality, human rights, and the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups. • Ensure that data collection activities reflect diverse perspectives, including those of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other groups at risk of being left behind. • Flag any methodological concerns, data gaps, or ethical issues to the Team Leader in a timely manner to enable corrective action. • Support the triangulation of evidence across data sources to strengthen the validity and reliability of evaluation findings. 4. Contribution to Reporting and Deliverables • Contribute substantively to all evaluation deliverables as directed by the Team Leader, including the Inception Report, Initial Evaluation Findings Report, and Final Evaluation Report. • Draft assigned sections of evaluation reports, ensuring that analysis is evidence-based, well-structured, and aligned with the agreed evaluation criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and orientation towards impact). • Prepare and contribute to presentations to the Evaluation Steering Committee and other stakeholders, ensuring findings are communicated clearly and accessibly. • Provide inputs on cross-cutting issues — including gender equality, human rights, Leave No One Behind, youth, disability inclusion, and digital transformation — drawing on knowledge of their operationalization within the Sri Lankan context. 5. Contribution to Report Finalization and Strategic Recommendations • Contribute to the drafting and review of conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations, ensuring they are grounded in evidence, contextually relevant, and actionable within the Sri Lankan development environment. • Provide inputs to ensure that recommendations are aligned with national development priorities, the SDGs, and the requirements of the next UNSDCF programming cycle. • Support the Team Leader in ensuring that the final evaluation report meets quality standards and is submitted on time. • Contribute to the preparation and delivery of the Dissemination Workshop, including supporting the development of associated presentation materials.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies, Economics, Law, Social Sciences, or any another related field is required. 7 years of professional experience in development programming, evaluation or policy analysis in Sri Lanka or the South Asia region; Experience in evaluating UN programmes, government development programmes or donor-funded country programmes is required; Familiarity with UNEG Norms, Standards and evaluation methodologies (qualitative/quantitative) is required. Knowledge of UN programming principles, including Leave No One Behind, human rights-based approaches and gender equality is required; Experience in at least one of the six UNSDCF outcome areas is required; Previous experience contributing to a UNSDCF or UN agency country programme evaluation is highly desirable.
