International Consultant (Team Leader) - Endline Evaluation of the UNFPA/Norway Project (P5)

Background & Project Description:

II. BACKGROUND

Nigeria continues to face persistent challenges in achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly for women and adolescent girls. Maternal mortality remains high, contraceptive prevalence is low, adolescent fertility and child marriage persist, and harmful gender norms continue to undermine women’s autonomy and access to services. These challenges are exacerbated by regional disparities, with northern states bearing a disproportionate burden of poor SRHR outcomes.

To respond to these challenges, UNFPA, with funding from the Government of Norway, has been implementing the project “Advancing Access to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Adolescent Girls and Women in Nigeria” since 2023, with a no-cost extension requested to June 2026. The project operates in Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom States, strengthening SRHR service delivery systems, supporting adolescent empowerment, addressing harmful practices, and promoting gender-transformative social norm change.

An endline evaluation is being undertaken to assess the project’s performance, results, and contribution to UNFPA’s transformative results and national SRHR priorities. The evaluation will be conducted by an International Consultant (Team Leader) supported by a National Consultant, who will play a critical role in contextual analysis, field engagement, gender analysis, and interpretation of findings.

Role and Purpose of the Consultant:

III. ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT (TEAM LEADER)

The International Consultant will provide overall technical and managerial leadership of the evaluation and will be accountable for the quality, independence, and timely delivery of all evaluation outputs.

Specifically, the Team Leader will:

• Lead the evaluation design and methodological choices;
• Coordinate and guide the National Consultant and other team members;
• Ensure alignment with UNFPA Evaluation Policy, Handbook, and OECD-DAC criteria;
• Serve as the primary technical interlocutor with UNFPA’s Evaluation Manager, WCARO Evaluation Adviser, and the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG).

IV. SCOPE OF WORK AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Evaluation Design and Methodological Leadership

The International Consultant will:

1. Lead the desk review of project documentation, National policies, monitoring data, and relevant literature.
2. Refine and validate the Theory of Change, applying contribution analysis.
3. Finalize the evaluation questions, indicators, and analytical framework in consultation with UNFPA and the ERG.
4. Lead development of the Design (Inception) Report, including:
   • Evaluation approach and methodology;
   • Evaluation matrix;
   • Sampling strategy and data-collection methods;
   • Risk and limitation analysis.
5. Ensure that gender equality, human rights, youth engagement, and LNOB principles are systematically integrated.

Interface with National Consultant:

The National Consultant will provide contextual analysis, support tool contextualization, and review gender-related components, while the International Consultant retains responsibility for the final methodological design.

B. Coordination of Data Collection

The International Consultant will:

1. Provide technical guidance and oversight to the National Consultant during field data collection.
2. Ensure consistency, quality, and ethical compliance across all data-collection activities.
3. Participate remotely in selected KIIs and validation discussions, as appropriate.
4. Review and validate field notes, summaries, and emerging findings submitted by the National Consultant.

Interface with National Consultant:

The National Consultant will lead in-country fieldwork and primary qualitative engagement; the International Consultant will supervise remotely and ensure analytical coherence.

C. Data Analysis, Synthesis, and Validation

The International Consultant will:

1. Lead the analysis and triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data.
2. Synthesize findings across thematic areas (FP, EmONC, fistula, adolescent SRHR, social norms, policy).
3. Ensure evidence-based conclusions linked clearly to evaluation questions.
4. Facilitate internal team analysis sessions and ERG validation discussions.

D. Reporting and Knowledge Products

The International Consultant will:

1. Draft and finalize:
   • Draft Evaluation Report (Version 1);
   • Final Evaluation Report (max. 80 pages, excluding annexes).
2. Ensure compliance with UNFPA Evaluation Quality Assessment (EQA) standards.
3. Prepare:
   • PowerPoint presentations (design, debriefing, final results);
   • Inputs for the evaluation brief and management response process.
4. Incorporate feedback from UNFPA, ERG, and WCARO into final outputs.

V. DELIVERABLES

The International Consultant is responsible for final delivery and quality assurance of:

1. Design (Inception) Report
2. PowerPoint presentation of Design Report
3. Debriefing presentation (emerging findings)
4. Draft Evaluation Report (Version 1)
5. Recommendations Worksheet
6. Final Evaluation Report
7. PowerPoint presentation of final results
8. Inputs for Evaluation Brief

VI. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND REPORTING

1. The International Consultant reports to the UNFPA Nigeria Evaluation Manager.
2. Technical oversight is provided by the WCARO Evaluation Adviser.
3. Strategic guidance is provided through the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG).
4. The International Consultant provides technical leadership to the National Consultant.

VII. DURATION AND LEVEL OF EFFORT

The consultancy will be conducted over 30 working days between February and June 2026, distributed across:

• Design and inception;
• Oversight of field phase;
• Analysis and reporting;
• Dissemination support.

All outputs will be submitted electronically, according to the approved timeline in the Design Report and overall schedule.

Progress will be monitored through:

• Weekly/Bi-Weekly meetings with the Evaluation Manager
• ERG technical review at critical stages
• Quality assurance by the UNFPA Regional Office Evaluation Advisor
• The evaluation team must follow UNFPA’s Evaluation Handbook and adhere to agreed timelines and quality benchmarks.

The international consultant is expected to work remotely while the co-consultant (National) is expected to travel within Nigeria during data collection phase.

The consultant (National) will undertake field missions to project sites across Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom. Travel will include facility visits, community discussions, and stakeholder engagements.

VIII. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Academic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public health, social sciences, demography or population studies, statistics, development studies or a related field.

  Professional Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in conducting or managing evaluations in the field of international development
• Extensive experience in leading complex evaluations commissioned by United Nations organizations and/or other international organizations and NGOs.
• Substantive knowledge of SRHR, including ASRH, maternal health, and family planning, obstetric fistula. 
• In-depth knowledge of theory-based evaluation approaches and ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and to uphold high quality standards for evaluation as defined by UNFPA and UNEG.
• 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.
• Excellent management and leadership skills to coordinate the work of the evaluation team, and strong ability to share technical evaluation skills and knowledge.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent ability to analyze and synthesize large volumes of data and information from diverse sources.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the region and the National development context of Nigeria.

Competencies

• Proven ability to lead complex evaluations, provide clear technical direction, and effectively coordinate and mentor national consultants and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong command of theory-based and mixed-methods evaluation approaches, with demonstrated ability to design robust evaluation frameworks and synthesize qualitative and quantitative evidence.
• Demonstrated capacity to ensure high-quality, credible evaluation outputs in line with UNFPA and UNEG standards, and to deliver results within agreed timelines.
• Proven ability to integrate gender equality, human rights, youth engagement, and Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) principles across all phases of the evaluation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with UN agencies, Evaluation Reference Groups, government counterparts, donors, and partners.
• Strong commitment to evaluation ethics, independence, confidentiality, and the principle of “do no harm,” particularly when working on sensitive SRHR and gender-related issues.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Knowledge of Hausa and/or other Nigerian languages is an advantage.

IX. LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

UNFPA will facilitate:

• Access to project documentation and stakeholders;
• Coordination with state offices and partners;

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of deliverables:

• 20% – Upon approval of the Design Report
• 40% – Upon submission of a high-quality Draft Final Report
• 40% – Upon approval of the Final Report and PowerPoint presentation

X. OTHER CONDITIONS

• The consultant must not have been involved in the implementation of the project.
• All information accessed during the assignment must be treated as confidential.
• The consultant must adhere to UNFPA ethical standards, including zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Use of artificial intelligence tools requires prior written approval from UNFPA.