Evaluation of Urban Forestry Component of the Livelihood in Forestry (LiF) Team Leader

Position Description

EnCompass LLC’s Monitoring and Evaluation Support Program in Lebanon (MEPL) is seeking a Team Leader to support the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Urban component of the Livelihood in Forestry (LiF) Activity rapid performance evaluation. The Team Leader will work under the direct supervision of the MEPL Senior M&E Specialist and in close collaboration with the MEPL team to coordinate and implement all evaluation activities. The Team Leader is responsible to ensure deliverables are completed on schedule and in accordance with EnCompass’ and USAID’s quality standards. The MEPL team represented by the Senior M&E Specialist holds ultimate responsibility for the quality and completion of all deliverables outlined in this scope of work and will work collaboratively with the team leader to achieve that end.

LiF Activity Description:  

Livelihood in Forestery (LiF) Activity was launched in September 2018 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The activity was a three-year $5 million program implemented by the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI) NGO through a Cooperative Agreement. The LiF cost extension phase that was launched in October 2021 is a one-year $ 1.1 million activity designed to ensure the sustainability of the initial LiF Activity (2018-2021) which was implemented during a major economic crisis and the COVID19 pandemic and to extend the work to major cities through Urban Forestry. This raises the total amount of the LiF activity to $6.1 million.

The LiF Activity is based on the theory that rural communities, which sustain their forest resources, will have improved livelihoods through economic benefits of seasonal job creation and Increased income from forestry if they are supported to 1) have good governance over their shared resources; 2) participate in forest conservation activities; 3) improve their skills in forest management and 4) establish forest-related economic activities.

The LiF extension added the theory that vulnerable Lebanese residents in urban settings will have improved livelihoods if they are supported through short-term employment in urban forestry labor-intensive activities allowing them to earn their living and improve food security for their families in face of the increasing environmental and economic threats.

The urban forestry component addresses livelihoods in urban areas within 4 major coastal cities (Beirut, Tripoli, Saida and Byblos). It supports the short-term employment of the most vulnerable urban Lebanese residents through urban forestry labor-intensive activities; thus allowing them to earn their living and improve food security for their families while creating beneficial services for the entire urban community. 

Rapid Evaluation Description: 

The objective of this rapid evaluation is to evaluate the Urban Forestry Component implemented by LRI NGO under the LiF Activity. The evaluation should examine the relevance of the component to the overall LiF objectives and verify the completion of the work in four sites: Saida, Byblos, Tripoli and Beirut. The evaluation will also provide recommendations on how to build on the work achieved by LiF in relation to urban forestry interventions. It will provide the Mission, the USG, and the wider donor-community with usable lessons learned for future programming and decision-making.  The Urban Forestry Component was completed by the end of July 2022 whereas the LiF Activity ends in September 2022. The evaluation is expected to be conducted throughout September-October 2022. The consultant is expected to have approximately 29 days of LOE.

 Position Duties and Responsibilities

The specific tasks of the Team Leader are as follows:    

Review documents and available information related to the urban forestry interventions implemented by LRI. Expected date: 1- 6 September.  

Lead the evaluation team in developing and finalizing the inception report and data collection tools. Expected date: 1-13 September. 

Conduct visits to the intervention sites (Beirut, Byblos, Saida and Tripoli). Expected date: 14- 19 September.  

Identify related key informants and conduct necessary interviews. 

Hold a findings Validation and Recommendations Co-creation Workshop. Expected date: 26 September.  

Draft and submit a report summarizing the findings, conclusions and recommendations. Expected first draft on 30 September and final draft by 17 October. 

Dissemination of evaluation products. Expected by 28 October.  

Position Requirements

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

Hold an advanced degree in natural resource management, reforestation, environmental preservation, silviculture or other related field.

Experience and Skills

Minimum of 8 years of experience in evaluation, research or assessment of livelihoods in forestry, agriculture, land management, natural resource management or similar activities.

Strong knowledge of urban forestry concepts in developing countries. 

Strong knowledge of USAID practices and policies related to evaluation or assessment of projects preferred.

Excellent written communication, presentation and analytical skills in English.