The Taso Foundation (TF) together with the UN Women and Women's Information Center has implemented a project "Women for Equality, Peace and Development in Georgia" (WEPD phase I) in 2010-2012 with the generous support of the Royal Government of Norway. The aim of the project was to support the efforts and strengthen the capacities of IDP and conflict-affected women's groups, other partners from civil society and government to advance gender equality and women's human rights in Georgia.

Title: National consultant to monitor and evaluate the projects supported with small grants in the framework of WEPD project II phase

Location:Georgia

Application Deadline:31 January, 2014

Primary Category:Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of grassroots women's social and livelihoods activities

Type of Contract:SC

Post Level:National consultant in monitoring and evaluation

Languages Required:Georgian and English

Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)15 February, 2014

Duration of Initial Contract:15 February - 15 October, 2014

In the framework of the second phase of the UN Women project "Women for Equality, Peace, and Development in Georgia" (WEPD phase II) UN Women, together with its partners, the TF will take stock of the results achieved in the first phase of the WEPD project and expand technical and financial assistance to relevant national partners in the government and civil society. The overarching goal of the intervention is to support the realization of gender equality, empowerment of grassroots women for social activism and the reduction of feminized poverty through addressing women's social, economic, and political needs, with particular focus on internally displaced (IDPs), conflict-affected and national minority women's groups.

To this end, the project will continue to work at the three interdependent and mutually reinforcing levels:

** at national policy level, to ensure that the strategies, policies, plans and budgets are in line with CEDAW and UN SC Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (1325, et. al);

** at the level of national institutions, towards strengthening capacities to deliver better information and services for IDPs, conflict-affected and national minority women, and

** at the grassroots level, by supporting the organization of IDPs, conflict-affected and national minority women's groups and communities and participate actively and effectively in influencing policies and decisions that affect their lives

WEPD project II phase continues to work with IDP, conflict-affected women's and national minority women (rights-holders) to increase their awareness of their human rights, and strengthen their capacities and abilities to reach decision-makers (duty-bearers).The implementing partner of WEPD, the TF, contributes to the empowerment of IDP and conflict-affected women by using the strategy of social mobilization to form and strengthen the capacities of self-help groups (SHGs) and community based organizations (CBOs). During the WEPD phase I, in order to ensure the sustainability of all attained social mobilization results as well as to establish better access to resources for the groups' income generation activities and future collaboration with local municipalities, the SHGs were supported to establish four CBOs uniting about 30 SHGs in Shida Qartli, Qvemo Qartli and Samegrelo regions. In total over forty-five SHGs, which involve some 225 individuals (89% women and 11 % men) implemented 52 small-scale projects in 2010-2012.

WEPD project phase II (2013-2015) expands the social mobilization method in the target regions of Samegrelo, Shida Qartli and Qvemo Qartli region, in addition to a new location that targets Azerbaijani national minority women residing in Marneuli municipality of Qvemo Qartli Region. The project supports the function of existing and the creation of more SHGs and the strengthening of their capacities in the issues of their interest including but not limited to women's rights, bio-farming, application of Gender responsive budgeting to local planning and budgeting processes, etc.

Since 2010, the WEPD announces a small scale grant competition for the mobilized SHGs and their CBOs, which will continue until 2015. The small grants are for the projects that meet the needs of local communities and are implemented in close cooperation with local governments. Women's economic empowerment is one of the objectives of the social mobilization effort led by TF through WEPD project. The goal is to maximize the efficiency of the small grants issued for benefit of the whole communities. In 2013 WEPD project funded 26 small-scale grant projects implemented by the SHGs and CBOs.

For this purpose, the WEPD project would like to hire a national consultant to conduct continuous monitoring of the grants, consult the grantee and evaluate the outcomes of the funded small-scale projects and set recommendations for better practice. It is also expected that cooperation and communication between the national consultant and the grantee will contribute in further institutional development of SHGs/grantees and the individual development of SHG's members as well as that of the community workers who function in the respective communities by coaching the SHGs of internally displaced, conflict-affected and national minority women in the rural areas of Samegrelo, Shida Qartli, Imereti and Qvemo Qartli regions.

Duties and Responsibilities:

In further details the duties and responsibilities of the national consultant will be as follows:

** Draft the detailed work plan and methodology for small-scale grants' monitoring and evaluation in accordance with the social mobilization methodology used within the WEPD project in close collaboration with TF and community workers; ;

** Conduct monthly field visits to monitor each of the projects supported in target regions of Qvemo Qartli (4 projects), Shida Qartli (9 projects), and Samegrelo (10 projects) in order to monitor, document and report about the challenges and achievements/progress of implementation of 26 small scale projects funded within the WEPD project in 2013 and implemented by SHGs and community based organizations (CBOs);

** Provide coaching, consultations, trainings and capacity building of the grantees in small-scale grants' management tools and approaches that will increase their skills in grants' management, implementation and progress reporting;

** Deliver regular consultations to grantees through phone, e-mail and/or Skype conversations, including technical support, such as providing them with necessary samples of tailored-made tools and forms;

** Participate in the WEPD project management and coordination meetings to review and update TF and UN Women management teams on M&E progress and results;

** Elaborate monthly and final reports of monitoring and evaluation including progress and efficiency of small scale grants' implementation and final results with the list of recommendations what has to be improves and measures to be implemented in the future in terms of capacity building of the grantees for their individual and institutional development, skills training etc.

Deliverables:

** Elaborated detailed work plan and the M&E methodology agreed with the TF and WEPD project management teams - 28 February, 2014;

** Monthly field visit monitoring reports on spot coaching, training and consultations with SHGs and CBOs during the field visits in each project target regions and elaborated samples of tailored-made tools to be used by the grantees - every 27th of each month;

** Final report on small-scale grants' monitoring and evaluation with list of recommendations of progress in individual and institutional development of grantee partners - 10 October.

The timeframe for the work of National Consultant: 15 February - 15 October, 2014

Submission package:

** CV;

** Proposed technical proposal on M&E methodology providing a brief methodology concept-vision on how she/he will approach and conduct the work;

Management Arrangements: The National Expert will work in close cooperation with the TF WEPD Project implementation team and under the direct supervision of TF General Director and Project Coordinator.

Financial arrangements: Payment will be disbursed upon submission of monthly reports and approval of the final report on small-scale grants' monitoring and evaluation.

Required Competency and skills:

** University degree in social sciences or a related field;

** At least three years of experience in M&E of projects and programs;

** The experience in working in agriculture sector and with IDP and conflict affected population. Will be considered as an asset;

** Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of actual status of internally displaced and conflict affected population of Georgia;

** Proven knowledge and experience in working on gender equality principles and women's rights with the special focuses on women's social participation and economic strengthening;

** Excellent writing skills with demonstrated ability to plan and undertake mapping studies, collect and analyze data;

** Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

** Fluency in Georgian and good command of English;

Applictions submission deadline: January 31, 2014, 6 pm.

The application consisting of a CV, cover letter (methodological concept) for the position of consultant in M&E must be in English, and sent to ketevan@taso.org.ge or hand delivered to Taso Foundation: 15, Rezo Tabukashvili Street, 0108, Tbilisi.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

source: jobs.ge