Local Expert/Employment Specialist
Mid-Term Evaluation of USAID/Djibouti’s Workforce Development Program
Company Profile:
MSI, a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. Our core expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), institutional development, public sector management, governance and anti-corruption. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Jordan, Kenya, Indonesia, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Colombia, and Mexico. As one of the leading companies in our field, MSI has partnered with organizations across all sectors of international development to support clients ranging from large bilateral and multilateral donors such as USAID, the World Bank and the UNDP to national and local governments, NGOs, think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.
Project Summary:
MSI implements USAID’s E3 Analytics and Evaluation Project, which supports the design and implementation of rigorous evaluations for USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (E3). Under this Project, the MSI team will conduct a mid-term performance evaluation of USAID/Djibouti’s Workforce Development Program (WFD), which is implemented by the Education Development Center and runs from December 2016 through December 2021.
WFD aims to help reduce the high unemployment rate in Djibouti by better preparing the Djiboutian workforce to meet private sector needs. These needs include technical skills in specific sectors (e.g., heavy transport operators for the Ethiopia/Djibouti corridor; shipping and port operations; hospitality and tourism), as well as soft skills (e.g., timeliness, strong work ethic, ability to communicate and work effectively with others) required by enterprises operating in Djibouti.
The evaluation will assess the relevance and effectiveness of WFD’s approach and implementation, the performance of the implementing partners in meeting project objectives, and unintended effects of WFD activities. The evaluation will assess WFD’s performance on three project intermediate results: 1) expanding quality workforce readiness programs (particularly technical and vocational education training institutions; 2) developing sustainable, productive linkages between the public sector and the private sector; and 3) strengthening job placement, retention, and advancement services. The evaluation will also explore how the WFD relates to and interacts with larger efforts of USAID, the Government of Djibouti, and other partners, in contributing to the development of the country’s human capital. USAID/Djibouti will use the evaluation results to determine any adjustments to WFD for the remainder of its implementation and/or its broader portfolio to more effectively achieve the U.S. government strategic objectives in Djibouti.
The evaluation will take a mixed-methods approach that is likely to include desk research, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, an online survey of beneficiaries, and process analysis. The evaluation team will spend three to four weeks in Djibouti around March-April 2020 conducting field research.
Position Summary:
MSI is seeking a Djibouti-based local expert and employment specialist (“local expert” hereafter) to support design, implementation, and reporting activities for the WFD mid-term evaluation. The local expert will work closely with a workforce development specialist and a capacity development/organizational development specialist throughout the evaluation and will receive support from the MSI home office team.
Responsibilities:
The local expert is expected to be responsible for the following:
- Support the evaluation team in drafting and finalizing the evaluation design proposal including contributing to the: evaluation framework, data collection instruments, data collection and analysis plans, work plans, and other relevant sections.
- Conduct desk research and provide inputs to inform required evaluation design documents.
- Support the implementation of all evaluation activities, including the organization of the schedule, travel, and meetings.
- Carry out data collection and analysis tasks based on the approved evaluation design and methodology. This may include reviewing and analyzing secondary documents, conducting key informant interviews and focus group discussions in Djibouti (and remotely as needed), supporting the development and implementation of the online survey, and other approaches to collect and analyze data.
- Participate in in-brief and out-brief presentations to the USAID/Djibouti Mission.
- Participate in a findings/conclusions/recommendations workshop with the USAID/Djibouti Mission and/or other key project stakeholders, as required, prior to drafting the evaluation report.
- Contribute to the draft and final evaluation report; including responding to comments from the MSI team and USAID.
- Support presentations to USAID regarding findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the evaluation as required.
- Provide input on dissemination materials, such as briefs and one-pagers, including text, photos, and diagrams.
- Help ensure that all evaluation processes and products meet the requirements and quality standards of MSI and USAID.
Qualifications:
- Must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant social science field.
- Must have at least five (5) years’ experience with economic analysis, focused primarily on the Djibouti workforce metrics and labor market.
- Must have at least five (5) years’ experience with international development agencies on Djibouti labor market trends and developing informative products based on quantitative and qualitative data gathering.
- Must have at least five (5) years’ experience working on evaluations of donor-funded projects in Djibouti, preferably in the area of workforce development.
- Must have demonstrated familiarity with donor-funded workforce development projects and an understanding of USAID programs.
- Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative data collection (e.g., key informant interviews, focus group discussions).
- Fluent in English and French including demonstrated ability to collect data and conduct interviews in French and write in English.
Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.
To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com
PI117849054
More Information
- Job City Djibouti
