NATIONAL CONSULTANT: Thematic Expert, Country Programme Evaluation (CPE), Viet Nam

Background:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), UNFPA is working towards three transformative results: (i) zero preventable maternal deaths; (ii) zero unmet need for family planning; and (iii) zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage.

The UNFPA Viet Nam Country Office (CO) is currently implementing the 10th Country Programme (CP) (2022 - 2026) with the Government of Viet Nam and other partners. The goal of the CP is to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, and accelerate the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, to improve the lives of women, adolescents and youth. In pursuit of this goal, the UNFPA Viet Nam CO seeks to achieve results in the following thematic areas of programming under the CP: (i) policy and accountability; (ii) quality of care and services; (iii) gender and social norms; (iv) population change and data; (v) humanitarian action; and (vi) adolescents and youth].

UNFPA Vietnam is seeking to hire two (02) national thematic experts to evaluate the thematic areas of the 10th CP.

Purpose, objectives and scope:

In line with the 2024 UNFPA Evaluation Policy, the UNFPA Viet Nam CO is planning to conduct an evaluation of its 10th CP (2022 - 2026). The purpose of the Country Programme Evaluation (CPE) is to strengthen accountability to stakeholders, support evidence-based decision-making, and improve learning. The overall objective of the CPE is to provide an independent assessment of the performance of the CP and to broaden the evidence base for the design of the next programme cycle. 

The evaluation will cover all interventions in the 6 thematic areas of the CP, which have been implemented across Viet Nam during the programme’s period. The thematic areas are described in section 3 of the terms of reference. In addition, the evaluation will also cover cross-cutting issues, such as human rights, gender equality, disability, and transversal functions, such as coordination, monitoring and evaluation, innovation, resource mobilization, strategic partnerships, etc.

Evaluation team:

The CPE will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of consultants. They should collectively have the qualifications and experience to design and implement a methodologically robust evaluation and cover all the above-mentioned thematic areas of the CP. The evaluation team will consist of: 

• Team leader: An international consultant with primary responsibility for the design of the evaluation methodology and the coordination of the evaluation team, as described in section 12.1 of the terms of reference. The team leader will also demonstrate the qualifications, experience and skills required to serve as a technical expert for one of the thematic areas.
• Thematic experts: National consultants who should demonstrate the qualifications, experience and skills required to serve as technical expert in at least one of the thematic areas, as described in section 12.1 of the terms of reference.
• A Young and Emerging Evaluator (YEE) who will provide support to the evaluation team throughout the evaluation process.

The evaluation team will conduct the CPE under the supervision of the CPE manager in the UNFPA Viet Nam CO from May 2025 to November 2025, as indicated in the timeframe of the evaluation in the ToR: section 10 and Annex D.

In their application, the candidates must clearly indicate the thematic area(s) for which they demonstrate the requested expertise that they intend to perform. Based on their qualifications, experience and skills, the candidates may propose to cover more than one thematic area.

Please see the attached terms of reference for more details on the CPE as well as on the required qualifications and experience of the team leader and team members (section 12.2). Section 10 indicates the evaluation timeline and the expected evaluation deliverables are described in section 8.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The national experts will hold the overall responsibility for the design and implementation of their thematic area of the evaluation, being involved in all phases of the CPE, from the design and development of evaluation tools to data collection, reporting and dissemination of results. 

You would be responsible for:

1. The SRHR expert will provide expertise on integrated sexual and reproductive health services, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, maternal health, adolescent health, and family planning. S/he will contribute to the methodological design of the evaluation and take part in the data collection and analysis work, with overall responsibility of contributions to the evaluation deliverables in her/his thematic area of expertise. S/he will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda for the field phase, participating in meetings with the CPE manager, UNFPA Viet Nam CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation team leader.
2. The gender expert will provide expertise on the human rights of women and girls, especially sexual and reproductive rights, the empowerment of women and girls, engagement of men and boys, as well as GBV and harmful practices. S/he will contribute to the methodological design of the evaluation and take part in the data collection and analysis work, with overall responsibility for contributions to the evaluation deliverables in their/thematic area of expertise. S/he will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda for the field phase, participating in meetings with the CPE manager, UNFPA Viet Nam CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation team leader.
3. The population dynamics expert will provide expertise on population and development issues, such as census, ageing, migration, the demographic dividend, and national statistical systems, ageing and social protection policies. S/he will contribute to the methodological design of the evaluation and take part in the data collection and analysis work, with overall responsibility of contributions to the evaluation deliverables in her/his thematic area of expertise. S/he will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda for the field phase, participating in meetings with the CPE manager, UNFPA Viet Nam CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation team leader.

Working under the supervision of the UNFPA’s CPE manager and in coordination with the evaluation team leader, the consultant will contribute to producing standard outputs and deliverables, including but not limited to those specified below:

Design phase

• Design report- version 1 and PowerPoint presentation 
• Design report - version 2
• Final design report (see Evaluation Handbook, section 2.4.4) with stakeholder map, site selection, and field work agenda.

Field phase

• Photos (see Evaluation Handbook, Section 3.2.5) 
• Evaluation matrix 
• PowerPoint presentation for the debriefing meeting with CO and ERG

Reporting phase

• Consolidated evaluation matrix 
• Evaluation report - version 1 and PowerPoint presentation
• Recommendations worksheet
• Evaluation report - version 2
• Final CPE report (see Evaluation Handbook, section 4.5) with PowerPoint presentation and audit trail

All the deliverables will be developed in English.

Duration and working schedule: Each consultancy will be for 35 workdays from May 2025 to January 2026 (9 months).
 

Place where services are to be delivered: The consultant will conduct most of their work remotely, occasionally visiting the UNFPA Vietnam CO for workshops and technical meetings.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):  The consultant will submit all deliverables and related documents/materials via email to the CPE manager, with a copy stored on Google Drive for future access. 

The evaluation team shall deliver UNFPA a hard copy of the report, including the tasks completed by the team members during the reporting period and the link to the deliverables and materials by the deadline below. 

• Final Design report: 30 June 2025
• Draft evaluation report version 1: 30 September 2025
• Final CPE report: 31 December 2025

Upon receiving a satisfactory report and payment request for the consultancy fee, UNFPA will proceed with the payment.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity, format and deadline: The CPE manager will be responsible for monitoring the consultant’s work and its progress. He will work closely with and support the consultant every week to ensure the quality of their work within the deadline as outlined in this TOR. 

The CPE manager is the UNFPA focal point in reviewing the deliverables and the report submitted to provide comments and feedback to the consultant. Communication will primarily be via email, telephone, and Google Meet.

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will report to the CPE manager and the evaluation team leader. The CPE manager will manage and monitor the overall progress of the evaluation, and consultancy payments will be released upon approval by the CPE Manager.

Expected travel: Travel is required for the field work and will be determined based on needs identified notably during the data collection phase.

Qualifications and Experience: 

1. SRHR expert

• Master’s degree in public health, medicine, health economics and financing, epidemiology, biostatistics, social sciences or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development.
• Substantive knowledge of SRHR, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, maternal health, and family planning, adolescent SRHR.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives and disability inclusion in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Viet Nam.
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Vietnamese.

      2. Gender expert

• Master’s degree in women/gender studies, human rights law, social sciences, development studies or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development.
• Substantive knowledge on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, GBV and other harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation, early, child and forced marriage, and issues surrounding masculinity, gender relationships and sexuality.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives and disability inclusion in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Viet Nam.
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Vietnamese.

      3. Population dynamics expert

• Master’s degree in demography or population studies, statistics, social sciences, development studies or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development and/or humanitarian assistance.
• Substantive knowledge on the generation, analysis, dissemination and use of housing census and population data for development, population dynamics, migration and national statistics systems.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian strategies, policies, frameworks and international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles, as well as the international humanitarian architecture and coordination mechanisms.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Viet Nam
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Vietnamese.

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:
UNFPA will:

• Coordinate to organise induction meetings for the consultant selected
• Provide inputs and/or support in sharing documents and materials prepared by the consultant for comments
• Facilitate and support logistics for technical meetings with partners in the UNFPA premises upon request.
• Share with the consultants the relevant document and support access to the available sources of information during data collection
• Provide administrative support for travel when requested.
   

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:
The consultant is requested to complete the following online training courses and submit the certificates to UNFPA before signing the ICC:

1. BSAFE, (https://training.dss.un.org/course/category/6) 
2. Fraud and Corruption Awareness and Prevention (https://extranet.unfpa.org/Apps/Antifraud/English/story_html5.html) 
3. PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) (https://extranet.unfpa.org/Apps/PSEA2017/story_html5.html?lms=1) 

• The consultant must have their own laptop.
• The consultant required to work from UNFPA premises and/or travel must submit a health statement ‘fit for work and travel’ from a certified physician/doctor before signing the ICC. 
• Payment in Vietnamese Dong, applied the UN exchange rate at the time of contract signing, will be made three times upon receiving the CPE manager's acceptance of the deliverables and consultancy report.

Compensation and Benefits:

These positions offer attractive consultant fees, payment made against deliverables-based. 

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.