Overview
The Senior Evaluation Officer leads complex evaluations of GEF strategies, policies, and interventions to contribute to institutional accountability, learning, and improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, co-lead, or serve as senior member of complex thematic, programmatic, and corporate evaluations assessing effectiveness, relevance, efficiency, and sustainability of GEF interventions.
- Provide leadership across the full evaluation cycle, including conceptualization, preparation of approach papers, design of frameworks and methods, data collection, analysis, and drafting and finalization of reports.
- Contribute to evaluations across key thematic areas—biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, chemicals and waste—as well as integrated and cross-cutting approaches, and other areas as required.
- Present findings to senior management, the GEF Council, and other governance bodies, and support follow-up and learning processes.
- Lead or contribute to synthesis notes, learning products, post-completion verifications, and other cross-cutting analytical outputs, in coordination with knowledge management and communications colleagues to ensure effective dissemination and uptake of findings.
- Provide methodological leadership and quality assurance, ensuring high standards in evaluation design, analytical rigor, evidence use, and reporting.
- Promote the use of advanced analytical methods, as well as innovative tools suited to environmental evaluation.
- Ensure consistent and appropriate application of methodologies under real-world constraints (time, data, and resources), while safeguarding independence and credibility.
- Contribute to internal training and learning initiatives on evaluation methods and analytical tools, including structured modules and hands-on support.
- Lead, supervise, mentor, and coach junior staff and consultants, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, high-performing work environment, and providing technical advice to colleagues and management.
- Represent the IEO in engagements with GEF Agencies, the Secretariat, partner institutions, and external stakeholders, and participate in international evaluation networks and professional forums.
- Undertake mission travel as required to support evaluation activities and stakeholder engagement.
Required Experience
- Minimum of eight years (but preferably at least twelve) of relevant professional evaluation experience, with demonstrated progression in responsibility, including significant experience in multilateral organizations, major NGOs, or bilateral agencies.
- Proven experience leading and delivering complex evaluations for at least 6 years, including responsibility for design, conduct of evaluations, team management, report writing and quality assurance.
- Advanced knowledge and application of qualitative, quantitative, theory-based, and mixed-methods approaches, including innovative methodologies that enhance rigor and usefulness.
- Recognized expertise, evidenced by publications or equivalent outputs, in areas such as biodiversity, climate change, private sector conservation finance, land degradation, or sustainable forest management.
- Strong understanding of agency self-evaluation systems and independent validation processes.
Qualifications
Master’s degree in environmental sciences, geography, evaluation methods, economics, or related fields.
