Consultant for final evaluation – South Sudan 44 views0 applications

We are Searchers.

We are over 600 strong worldwide. We believe in our mission to end violent conflict.

It’s our purpose- our call to action.

A Searcher understands our vision of a world where:
Differences stimulate social progress, rather than precipitate violence

Respect for and cooperation with those we disagree with is considered the norm

A Searcher is a dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate individual, committed to our values.
Shared Humanity. Empathy. Impartiality. Inclusivity. Courage. Hope. Humility. Audacity.

With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, we implement projects from 55 offices in 34 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. You will be joining other highly motivated Searchers with a good team spirit and through commitment and dedication, have opportunities to grow.

Search South Sudan

For decades, civil war raged in Sudan that culminated to the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the South and North in January 2005. The CPA paved way for a referendum that led to South Sudan gaining independence from Sudan in July 9th 2011. After just two years South Sudan again plunged in to another civil unrest in mid-December 2013 following disagreement between the political elites. Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) was quickly signed between the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLAM/A) factions in 15th August 2015 to put an end to the conflict, raising some hope for peace. However, the hope quickly sidelined, as the two antagonistic SPLA forces clashed in Juba mid-July 2016. The ongoing uncertainty and instability underscores the fragile justice system that has thus far failed to provide effective legal remedies to the most vulnerable segments of South Sudan’s population, particularly women and youth in marginalized rural communities across the country. Compounding the supply-side challenges to the establishment of a vibrant and healthy justice system is the lack of capacity amongst rule of law actors to effectively carry out their duties in a manner that respects human rights and the needs of citizens. Additionally, the absence of information, trust, transparency and confidence in the justice sector has limited the ability of the citizenry to demand effective legal remedies. The low capacity in civil society has hindered their ability to fill the critical gaps in the current justice system, placing the responsibility in the hands of limited interventions by international actors.

About the project

To address the aforementioned issues, the Access Partnership Consortium (APC), consisting of Search for Common Ground (Search), in partnership with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the Initiative for Peace Communication Association (IPCA), is completing the implementation of a project funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law (INL). The overall goal isto improve access to justice services that provide legal remedies to rural and marginalized citizens in five South Sudanese counties.

This overall goal was supported by a three-pronged approach that sought to: (1) increase demand for effective justice services, (2) improve supply of quality legal remedies for the most marginalized populations, and (3) produce community-rooted research leading to policy reform to ensure nationwide impact.

The project’s theory of change is:

If marginalized citizens have increased access to an improved justice sector and interconnected media and civil society support this access, then the foundation will be laid for a more functional and equitable justice sector and improved peaceful coexistence at the community level.

To progress towards the proposed change, the project team implemented the following activities:

1. To increase demand for effective justice services:
2. Radio programming, including live radio talk-shows and a radio drama
3. Community dialogue forums
4. Participatory theatre shows
5. A comic book
6. A multimedia public information campaign
7. A justice newsletter
8. To improve supply of quality legal remedies for the most marginalized populations:
9. Legal aid clinics and the provision of pro bono services
10. Trainings for paralegals
11. Scholarships for paralegals
12. CSO capacity-building and technical trainings
13. Rule of law actors’ coordination forums
14. Distribution of legal resources
15. To produce community-rooted research leading to policy reform to ensure nationwide impact:
16. A baseline and legal needs assessment

2. Objectives of Study

Search seeks to recruit an external consultant (individual or team) to conduct a final evaluation for the project. The objectives of the study are as follows:

1. Assess the following OECD-DAC evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact and sustainability.
2. Extract critical lessons learned and draw recommendations to inform future access to justice programming in South Sudan.

3. Research Questions

In addition to collecting endline values for the project’s indicators, the evaluation seeks to answer the following research questions, based on the selected evaluation criteria (drawn from the OECD-DAC criteria):

Relevance

1. Was the project intervention relevant in bridging justice gaps for the rural citizenry?
2. To what extent the project contributed to boosting the capacities of the targeted paralegal actors in supporting access to justice?
3. Were the activities relevant to the needs of the target populations?
4. To what extent communication messages and strategy were able to adapt to the changes in the context and to stay relevant and inclusive of different identity groups?

Effectiveness

1. To what extent have the intended project’s expected results been achieved?
2. To what extent was Search’s outreach activities and media-based programming effective? What was the “Reach, Resonance, and Response” (3Rs) of Search participatory theater for change and multi-media programming?
3. To what extent was IPCA/IDLO legal aid interventions effective?
4. Was Search able to respond and adapt to the challenges which arose during the project’s implementation? To what extent?

Impact

1. What changes, intended and unintended, positive and negative, have occurred in the target population?
2. To what extend did the project actively contributed to achieve enduring peace in South Sudan?

Sustainability

1. To what extent the achieved results are likely to be sustained after the project close out?
2. What enables or impedes the sustainability of results?
3. What opportunities exist for the CSOs, media partners and the legal aid structures to propagate the project’s achievements?

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

1. Which are the lessons learned that could be integrated in future access to justice programming in South Sudan?
2. How could Search and partners leverage their intervention and achieve enduring change in traditional justice system in South Sudan? Are there opportunities to link traditional justice system strengthening initiative with other partners on ground?
3. What are the main recommendations to inform future peacebuilding programming in South Sudan?

4. Geographic Locations

The project targeted indigent rural populace, in particular juveniles and women in five locations of South Sudan: Bor, Rumbek, Wau, Juba and Nimule. It engaged civil society groups and stakeholders in rule of law sector with intentional inclusion of women’s groups, in violence-affected communities and UN Protection of Civilian (POC) sites in Juba, Bor and Wau. Media programming targeted locations where Catholic Radio Network (CRN) stations, Radio Jonglei and Radio Nehemiah Trumpet Call have been operational.

5. Methodology

The consultant will be responsible for designing the evaluation methodology and developing the appropriate tools in line with the methodology used for the baseline study. The methodology of the baseline study was a mixed methodology approach utilizing a quantitative survey and qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs) with beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries as well as key informant interviews (KIIs) with actors that were directly or indirectly essential to the success of the project. The methodology must be developed taking into consideration Search policies on conflict sensitivity, do no harm and protection of participants. Search will review and approve the methodology before finalization.

Once the methodology has been approved, the consultant will be responsible for conducting the literature review, developing tools, training of enumerators, collecting the data, analyzing the data, and drafting of the final evaluation report. Search will approve the final methodology and tools before data collection begins, as well as provide feedback on the report.

6. Deliverables

Search expects the following deliverables from the selected consultant:

• Inception report detailing the proposed methodology, tools calendar and the literature review for the baseline study;
• Training of enumerators;
• Supervision and participation in data collection;
• Oversight of the data entry and data analysis processes;
• Submission of all databases to Search
• Production of a draft evaluation report in English, for review by Search staff and partners;
• A PowerPoint presentation in English summarizing the methodology, key findings, and recommendations;
• A final report in English (40 pages max in length, excluding appendices) consisting of:
• Table of contents
• Abbreviations
• Executive summary of methodology, limitations, key findings and recommendations
• Background information (project specifics)
• Methodology: Objectives, data collection and analysis and limitations of the study
• Research findings, analysis, with associated data presented (should be structured around the main objectives and should cover all indicators)
• Indicator table showing all baseline indicators
• Appendices, which include detailed research instruments, list of interviewees, terms of references and evaluator(s) brief biography

Logistical Support

The consultant will be responsible for logistics related to the evaluation. S/he will need to make the necessary administrative contacts and permissions in the areas targeted for the evaluation, with some facilitation from Search.

Costs for all transportation should be included in the submitted proposals. Search and partners can facilitate access to target communities.

Search and partners will share with the selected consultant all the available project documents and background materials, including project proposal and logframe, the M&E plan, quarterly reports, and other materials as requested by the external consultant, the baseline study, detailing the methodology and tools and all other relevant documents needed.

7. Timeline

Search expects to finalize the recruitment of the consultant by early May. The inception report with the agreed methodology, finalized tools, literature review and updated calendar must be available by the mid-May. Data collection will start at the end of May, through mid-June. Search expects to receive the finalized report by end of June. Search and the consultant will agree on final deadlines upon finalization of the contract.

You are…

The applications received will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• More than 5 years of experience in project evaluation or the equivalent in DM&E expertise, including innovative methods;
• Proven knowledge and experience working on access to justice programs;
• Experience working with international organizations;
• Fluency in English (written and spoken), working knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable;
• Experience in working with enumerator teams in South Sudan field sites;
• Understanding of communication for development, social and behavior change communication;
• Experience in media monitoring is a comparative advantage;
• Demonstrated qualitative and quantitative data collection skills
• Contextual knowledge of and experience working in the targeted locations in South Sudan will be a comparative advantage.

In addition, the consultant is required to respect the following Ethical Principles:

• Comprehensive and systematic inquiry: Consultant should make the most of the existing information and full range of stakeholders available at the time of the review. Consultant should conduct systematic, database inquiries. He or she should communicate his or her methods and approaches accurately and in sufficient detail to allow others to understand, interpret and critique his or her work. He or she should make clear the limitations of the review and its results.
• Competence: Consultant should possess the abilities and skills and experience appropriate to undertake the tasks proposed and should practice within the limits of his or her professional training and competence.
• Honesty and integrity: Consultant should be transparent with the contractor/constituent about: any conflict of interest, any change made in the negotiated project plan and the reasons why those changes were made, any risk that certain procedures or activities produce misleading review information.
• Respect for people: Consultant respects the security, dignity and self-worth of respondents, program participants. Consultant has the responsibility to be sensitive to and respect differences amongst participants in culture, religion, gender, disability, age and ethnicity.

In addition, the consultant will respect Search’s evaluations standards, to be found in Search’s evaluation guidelines: http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/ilt/dme_guidelines.html

Sound good? To apply, interested candidates should:

To apply, interested candidates (individuals or teams) are requested to submit the following documents to our website:

• Curriculum vitae (CV) including the contacts of three referees, and a short cover letter
• A technical proposal proposing a methodology for the evaluation together with a financial proposal for the completion of the aforementioned deliverables;
• A copy of one evaluation conducted by the candidate(s) in English;

Note: Only two documents can be submitted per each application; therefore, the technical and financial proposals must be combined into one PDF document, and the CV and cover letter in another PDF document. The maximum size for each document uploading is 2GB.

This position will close on 4/30/2018. We are looking to fill this position with the right candidate. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work