Economic Commission for Africa SPORD/SCQAS- Consultant: Development of RCP Theory of Change Jobs in Ethiopia

Economic Commission for Africa SPORD/SCQAS- Consultant: Development of RCP Theory of Change Jobs in Ethiopia

Background:

The Africa Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) which was launched in December 2020 is a revitalized regional collaborative mechanism that brings together all UN Development System entities, funds and programmes across the continent, working on sustainable development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

The RCP in addition addresses key challenges that transcend country borders and that are of regional concern, and at the same time supports UN Country Teams (UNCTs) at the country level, through the provision of advisory services.

The Africa RCP also collaborate with the African Union towards the joint implementation of Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030. The Africa RCP has eight Opportunity and Issue-based Coalitions (OIBCs) and three Task Forces (TFs)( Annex 1). The OIBCs and TFs serve as the main platforms of the substantive work of the RCP.

To reflect the regional UN Development System value proposition and ensure transparency and accountability for results, a Task Team on the UN regional reform in Africa articulated in an inception report Re-profiling and Restructuring of UNDS Regional assets in Africa), made a series of proposals on how to operationalize the UNSG recommendations including Recommendation 3 on efforts to enhance transparency and results-based management at the regional level, including through annual reporting on UN system-wide results at the regional level in support of the 2030 Agenda.

A Task Force on Recommendation 3 was established to be part of the Africa RCP, to implement this recommendation. The TF assists the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) in their oversight of planning, monitoring and reporting of the work done by OIBCs and Taskforces.

The Taskforce additionally advises and supports OIBCs and other Taskforces to institutionalize results-based management (RBM) through the development and contextualization of guidelines, provision of quality assurance, advice, capacity development and knowledge management to foster learning and accountability.

Duties and responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Systems-Wide Coherence & Quality Assurance Section (SCQAS) of the Strategic Planning, Oversight & Results Division (SPORD) the consultant will assume the following duties and responsibilities:

As part of its functions as articulated above, TF on recommendation 3 would like to hire a consultant to support development of the RCP Theory of Change in the past two years since the establishment of the RCP. A coherent theory of change (TOC) is required to demonstrate the interlinkages among the OIBCs and TFs and the mechanisms through which they will bring about expected results at the regional and country levels.

“A theory of change is a method that explains how a given intervention, or set of interventions, is expected to lead to specific development change, drawing on a causal analysis based on available evidence.

A theory of change helps identify solutions to effectively address the causes of problems that hinder progress and guide decisions on which approach should be taken, considering UN comparative advantages, effectiveness, feasibility and uncertainties that are part of any change process.

A theory of change also helps to identify the underlying assumptions and risks that will be vital to understand and revisit throughout the process to ensure the approach will contribute to the desired change” . The theory of change report should be consultative, evidence based and should promote continuous learning and it should act as a guide for implementation of the proposed change.

Objective of the consultancy assignment

The objective of this assignment is to develop the RCP Theory of Change that will clarify mechanisms through which the RCP is expected to bring about results expected from the UN Africa RCP following the reforms. The consultant should also provide guidance for reporting for all stakeholders in order to provide accountability and document the evidence-based value proposition.

Scope

The consultancy assignment will focus on the Africa RCP in its rationale, operations and efficacy (along with its Joint Secretariat, OIBCs and Taskforces and its partners (RCs/UNCTs and AU) in developing the theory of change. In terms of the timeline to validate and integrate lessons learned and best practices, the timeframe to be covered is since the inception of the
Africa RCP (2020) to the present

Approach

The consultant will devise an appropriate methodology. The following methods however can be considered:

Provide and inception report inclusive of a proposed outline and ToC development methodology

Desk review of relevant documents.

Consultations with members of RCP Joint Secretariat, Taskforce on recommendation 3 and members of OIBCs and RCP generally and the other 2 Taskforces.

Consultative workshops/meetings with RCP at large (if feasible within the work time frame).

Consultations with RCs and UNCTs and the AU

Consultations with other regional RCPs

Submit draft final report for comments and approval

Present the report to an expert group meeting

Incorporate the inputs from the expert group meeting

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university (Master’s degree) in Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Change Management or related fields is required. Certification in Programme Management and/or Monitoring and Evaluation is desirable. A first level university degree in a combination of additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree.

A minimum of seven (7) years of experience is required. Experience in programme design, programme management and/or monitoring and evaluation is an asset. Development of ToC or similar results frameworks, familiarity and/or experience in working with the United Nations, broad understanding of African development issues and challenges, with demonstrated ability to provide advice and guidance in coordination matters is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English is required for this consultancy. Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; Economic Commission for Africa SPORD/SCQAS- Consultant: Development of RCP Theory of Change Jobs in Ethiopia

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