Consultant for Evaluation of the Global Landscapes Forum

Reference number: 2105
Job Status: Inactive
Job Category: Consultancy
Duty Station: Home-based
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CIFOR-ICRAF
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) envision a more equitable world where forestry and landscapes enhance the environment and well-being for all. CIFOR-ICRAF are non-profit, scientific institutions that conduct research on the most pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world. Using a global, multidisciplinary approach, we aim to improve human well-being, protect the environment, and increase equity. Our work focuses on innovative research, developing partners’ capacity, and actively engaging in dialogue with all stakeholders to inform policies and practices that affect forests and people. Our work spans the globe, with expertise in the ‘global South’. Founded in 1993 and 1978 respectively, CIFOR-ICRAF began merging on January 1, 2019. They are members of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.

CIFOR-ICRAF is looking for a

Consultant for Evaluation of the Global Landscapes Forum

Overview

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is a partnership initiative led by CIFOR through its GLF Team. The team is based in the new CIFOR office in Bonn, Germany and at CIFOR headquarters in Indonesia. It is responsible for delivering all GLF activities, and for expanding the GLF partnership and community. The GLF, the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated landscapes, aims to create a movement of 1 billion people around productive, prosperous, equitable and resilient landscapes. Founded by CIFOR, UN Environment Programme and the World Bank, the GLF has 30 charter members among the world’s leading development organizations, and core funding provided by the German government. The GLF is founded on four principles: connecting, sharing, learning and acting. From its Secretariat in Bonn, it focuses on five main themes: restoration, finance, rights, food and livelihoods and measuring progress.Since 2013, over 200,000 participants and 7,400 organizations from 185 countries have been connected through the GLF in person and online. Stakeholders range from community and indigenous peoples’ organizations to finance, civil society, government, media and youth. We have reached over 950 million people online and through traditional media. In addition, the GLF has produced global conferences in the following cities: Warsaw, Lima, London, Paris, Marrakech, Jakarta, Bonn, Washington, Nairobi, Katowice, Kyoto, New York, Accra and Luxembourg. The GLF has been at the cutting edge in hosting and facilitating all manner of discussions – from building the investment case for sustainable landscapes, to developing a gold standard for indigenous peoples’ rights, to supporting the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Ultimately, it seeks to accelerate positive action for people, for the environment and for the achievement of global climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Duties and responsibilities

Objectives of the Assignment

The GLF is seeking the support of a consultant in carrying out an external evaluation of progress towards its vision for impact, which depends on two main intended outcomes:

Outcome I: The GLF Global Community of Practice acting as a global accelerator of best practices around sustainable landscape approaches to the environment and climate change, supporting the necessary preparatory work for a successful UN-Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.

Outcome II: Holistic and rights-based approaches for restoration, protection and sustainable management of forests and landscapes are increasingly applied at a global scale, with particular focus upon the African region, and contribute to sustainable protection of natural resources as well as to improved food security and local livelihoods.

The evaluation should focus on three research questions:

1. To what extent have GLF activities from 2017 to 2020 contributed to progress towards Outcome I?

2. To what extent have GLF activities from 2018 to 2020 contributed to progress towards Outcome II?

3. Based on findings from (1) and (2), what are the strategic takeaways from the GLF’s pursuit of its objectives since 2017? Specifically:

What lessons have been learned?
How might GLF and its partners leverage progress to-date to maximize impact beyond 2021?

The evaluation outputs should consist of two short reports, each discussing results by outcome and final reports due at the end of March 2021. The reports should include a discussion of the results in conversation with the GLF Theory of Change, which will be provided to the consultant.

Summary of responsibilities

The Evaluation Consultant will work closely with the CIFOR Research-to-Impact (RTI) and GLF teams to conduct an assessment of GLF activities, with a specific focus on activities supported through funding from the German Federal Ministries for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The evaluation will examine the extent to which the GLF has made progress towards its outcomes and dependent objectives.

The Evaluation Consultant will work with RTI and GLF to design an evaluation plan, data collection tools and analytic frameworks. They will work with GLF team members to collect and synthesize information against the key evaluation questions and assess the need for any further data collection to address information gaps as needed before compiling the evaluation reports.

The evaluation shall include, but not be limited to, the following four phases: planning, data collection, analysis and reporting. Below is an outline of the specific responsibilities of the Evaluation Consultant in each phase.

Phase 1: Design and planning

The evaluation design and planning will be conducted in a consultative manner and will involve members of the evaluation team discussing the proposed approach with CIFOR and GLF. During this phase, the Evaluation Consultant will:

conduct an inception meeting
undertake an initial document review
develop, with inputs from CIFOR and GLF, an evaluation plan proposal, to include essential background and rationale for the chosen analytical framework and methodology.

Phase 2: Data collection

The evaluation team will lead the collection of evaluation data with the support and facilitation of the project team.

1. Compile all existing data related to the evaluation questions. Relevant existing information includes:

bi-annual and interim project reports
minutes and outcome reports of internal GLF strategy meetings
post-event outcome statements and donor and partner reports
reports on the results of internally-led episode studies
post-event participant survey data
data on reach and depth of social and traditional media and digital channel engagement.

Phase 3: Analysis and sense-making

The Evaluation Consultant will lead the analysis of the collected evaluation data and be prepared to present a summary of findings in reference to supporting evidence.

Undertake data analysis in line with agreed plans and frameworks
Share preliminary results and incorporate comments.

Phase 4: Reporting

The Evaluation Consultant will lead the writing of the reports in consultation with the CIFOR and GLF teams. The Evaluation Consultant will produce:

1. Two short reports with executive summaries and annexes.

Education, knowledge and experience

master’s degree in geography, forestry, land use planning and design, rural development or other disciplines related to landscape approaches (PhD would be an advantage)
minimum 5 years’ experience in project evaluation
proven experience conducting theory-based evaluations, i.e. outcome assessments and impact evaluations
excellent communication and interpersonal skills, especially in multicultural and international settings
experience producing written products (in English) for a variety of audiences, including bilateral and multilateral partners, and governments.

Personal Attributes and Competencies

Strong knowledge of issues related to sustainable landscapes, development and policy impact evaluation are preferred.

Terms and conditions

This is a part-time consultancy position.
CIFOR offers competitive remuneration commensurate with skills and experience.
The consultancy period is for 1 month.
Working location: home-based.To apply, please visit our career site at: http://www.cifor.org/careersTo learn more about CIFOR-ICRAF, please visit our websites at: https://www.cifor.org and www.worldagroforestry.orgCIFOR-ICRAF is an equal opportunity employer. Staff diversity contributes to excellence.