Independent Evaluation Consultant – Colombia and Bolivia

Result of Service

To successfully deliver a high-quality, Subregional evaluation that: • Provides credible, context-specific evidence on project performance; • Strengthens the analytical depth of the overall Final Evaluation; and • Contributes to learning on urban climate resilience interventions.

Work Location

Colombia

Expected duration

3 Months (Part-time)

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND TO UN-HABITAT The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. For close to fifty years, UN-Habitat has been working in human settlements throughout the world, focusing on building a brighter future for villages, towns, and cities of all sizes. Under its Strategic Plan 2026-2029, UN-Habitat advances integrated solutions that address housing, basic services, land, and infrastructure as foundational elements for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. Within the Strategic Plan, Environment and Climate Action is identified as a key Impact Area, recognizing that climate change and environmental degradation pose significant risks to housing, human settlements, and the wellbeing of urban populations, particularly those living in informal and inadequate housing. BACKGROUND TO CONSULTANCY This consultancy supports the Final Evaluation (FE I-II) of Phases I and II of the project Accelerating the Implementation of the Paris Agreement by Building the Climate Resilience of the Urban Poor in Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Tunisia (hereafter “the project”), through a subregional in-depth assessment focused primarily on Colombia and Bolivia. The subregional analysis will provide detailed insights into: • project implementation dynamics, • stakeholder engagement, • contextual factors influencing results, and • evidence of outcomes at local and national levels. These findings will serve as a complementary input to the overall Final Evaluation and will be integrated and synthesized by the lead evaluator. Project background The project is funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and implemented in three sequential phases: • Phase I (January 2024 - June 2025): Focused on community-based, participatory Multilayered Vulnerability Assessments (MVAs) to understand climate, urban, socio-economic, and biodiversity vulnerabilities in highly exposed urban poor communities. • Phase II (January 2025 - June 2026): Builds on Phase I by strengthening institutional capacities of local and national authorities, developing Urban Resilience Action Plans (URAPs), preparing bankable climate resilience project pipelines, and advancing enabling conditions for implementation, scaling, and integration into policy frameworks (such as NDCs, NAPs, municipal plans). • Phase III (planned - January 2026 - June 2027): Phase III falls under a separate project document and will then require a standalone evaluation. It will focus on scaling, institutionalization, and implementation of prioritized resilience actions and investment pipelines developed under Phases I and II, including replication in two cities in Colombia and Bolivia, and strengthened linkages to climate finance, multilevel governance, and long-term sustainability of project tools and approaches. Evaluation sequence In line with donor requirements, independent evaluations are to be conducted for Phases I, II, and III. However, for implementation purposes, Phases I and II were approved by UN-Habitat as a single, continuous project. Accordingly, it has been agreed that the Phase I evaluation - already concluded and submitted to the donor - serves as the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of the combined Phases I and II. The present evaluation will therefore serve as the Final Evaluation (FE) of the overall Phase I-II project. The evaluation is expected to build on the findings of the Phase I evaluation, focusing on progress, results achieved under Phase II, and the overall effectiveness, sustainability, and impact outlook of the combined intervention. The subregional in-depth evaluation, which is the focus of this ToR, will be conducted by a locally based consultant, with a focus on Colombia and Bolivia, to explore contextualized findings, stakeholder engagement, and implementation dynamics. This subregional analysis will be provided as a complementary input to the Final Evaluation and should be integrated, validated, and synthesized by the lead evaluator as part of the overall assessment. A separate independent evaluation will be conducted for Phase III, which adopts a more programmatic approach. This will provide an opportunity to assess longer-term outcomes, including scaling, institutionalization, cross-project learning (notably with the UNPDF-funded sister project), and progress toward implementation and financing of bankable resilience actions. Evaluation focus A comprehensive internal evaluation of Phase I has already been conducted by UN-Habitat. Its findings will serve as key inputs to this assignment. This subregional assessment will contribute evidence to the independent Final Evaluation of the combined Phase I-II intervention by providing in-depth, context-specific analysis. The evaluation will examine how project components—participatory diagnostics (MVAs), capacity development, planning support (URAPs), and implementation readiness—have been applied and evolved at country level. Particular attention will be given to: • stakeholder engagement and local ownership, • institutional uptake and capacity strengthening, • contextual drivers and constraints affecting implementation, and • evidence of results and sustainability. The analysis will also consider the effectiveness of key project mechanisms (e.g. ToT approach, participatory processes, and knowledge exchange) in supporting implementation at national and subnational levels in Colombia and Bolivia. Purpose of the evaluation The purpose of this consultancy is to provide subregional evidence and analysis to inform the independent Final Evaluation of Phases I and II. Specifically, the consultant will: • Assess implementation progress and results in Colombia and Bolivia. • Analyse stakeholder engagement, institutional uptake, and ownership. • Identify enabling factors and constraints affecting effectiveness and sustainability. • Generate context-specific findings and recommendations to inform the overall evaluation. Scope of the consultancy The consultancy will provide subregional evaluation inputs to the Final Evaluation (FE I-II), covering: • Project implementation in Colombia and Bolivia. • The full duration of Phases I and II (January 2024 - June 2026). • Engagement with key stakeholders at local and national levels. • Contextual factors influencing implementation, including political and institutional developments. Cross-cutting considerations such as gender equality, inclusion, and participation should be reflected. OBJECTIVES AND RELATED PROJECT OUTPUTS The consultant will be responsible for the independent design, implementation, and reporting of a subregional-level assessment (Colombia and Bolivia) contributing to the Final Evaluation of Phases I and II of the project, in accordance with UN-Habitat Evaluation Policy and OECD-DAC criteria. Objectives of the consultancy The objective of the consultancy is to conduct a subregional assessment contributing to the Final Evaluation by analyzing relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the project at national and local levels, and generating actionable insights to: • support evidence-based conclusions of the Final Evaluation; and • inform future climate resilience programming. Duties and responsibilities: The consultancy is located in the Climate Change and Urban Environment Section, Global Solutions Division of UN-Habitat. The consultant will be supervised by the Programme Coordinator and Section Lead and will undertake the following duties leading to the requested outputs: 1. Evaluation design and preparation • Review relevant project documentation and subregional outputs. • Align approach with the overall evaluation framework and guidance from the lead evaluator’s Inception Report. • Prepare a brief data collection plan, including stakeholder mapping. 2. Data collection and analysis • Conduct interviews and consultations with key stakeholders in Spanish and English, including government counterparts, implementing partners, and communities where feasible. • Gather evidence on implementation, participation, capacity-building, and results. • Analyze country-specific enabling factors, constraints, and contextual dynamics. • Apply triangulation to ensure robustness of findings. 3. Reporting and coordination • Prepare a Subregional Evaluation Report (Colombia and Bolivia) with clear findings, conclusions, and recommendations. • Coordinate with the lead evaluator to ensure alignment and integration of findings into the overall Final Evaluation. • Incorporate feedback from UN-Habitat while maintaining independence and analytical rigor.

Qualifications/special skills

Minimum advanced university degree (M.A or M.Sc. or equivalent) in relevant field in Social Sciences, International Relations, Public Policy, Urban/Regional Planning, Environment Studies, International Development, Evaluation is required. A first degree with 2 additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in evaluation is required Demonstrated experience conducting independent evaluations of development programmes, preferably in multi-country or multi-stakeholder contexts is required Proven experience applying participatory and gender-responsive evaluation approaches is required. Strong analytical and research experience related to climate change, environmental sustainability, urban resilience, or sustainable urban development is an added advantage Experience working with local and sub-national governments, preferably in Latin America and previous experience working with an international development organizations is highly desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required. Fluency in other UN languages is considered an advantage.

Additional Information

Competencies: • Professionalism: Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. • Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.