Consultant – Technology for Development Evaluation – Remote

Background

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

The Technology for Development (T4D) team is housed within the Program Department’s Technical Support Unit. It collaborates with Mercy Corps’ global teams and external partners to unlock new possibilities that increase program quality, impact, and innovation, helping improve more lives through the power of technology. Our mission and purpose are to drive sustainable program impact through responsible application of existing and emerging digital technologies.

Purpose/Project Description

This consultant will evaluate the extent to which T4D’s initiatives Digital Communities and the Field Technology Testing Program adhered to the Digital Impact Alliance’s Principles for Digital Development. Principles-focused evaluation is a new prescriptive evaluation model within the utilization-focused evaluation (U-FE) approach. Recognizing that organizations and change initiatives are turning more and more to principles to guide action in the face of complex challenges, P-FE “examines (1) whether principles are clear, meaningful, and actionable, and if so, (2) whether they are actually being followed and, if so, (3) whether they are leading to desired results.” In collaboration with DIAL, Mercy Corps seeks to implement a Digital Principles-Focused Evaluation, a P-FE through the lens of the Principles for Digital Development, to evaluate the meaningfulness, adherence, and results of effectiveness principles in the past 5 years of implementing the two work streams.

Consultant Objectives

The consultant will work directly with DIAL to design and conduct a DP-FE within Mercy Corps and examine three minimum evaluation questions:

1. Meaningfulness: To what extent and in what ways are the Principles for Digital Development meaningful to our organization or initiative?
2. Adherence: If meaningful, to what extent and in what ways are the Principles for Digital Development adhered to in practice at our organization or initiative?
3. Results: If adhered to, to what extent and in what ways are the Principles for Digital Development leading to desired results?

Consultant Activities

• Attend a training facilitated by a DIAL staff to acquire general competencies needed to conduct the evaluation.
• Support DIAL to identify, organize, and engage primary intended users for the DP-FE.
• Using the GUIDE framework, conduct a Digital Principles-focused situation analysis jointly with primary intended users.
• Identify primary intended uses by establishing the Digital Principles-focused evaluation’s priority purposes.
• Collaborate with Mercy Corps and DIAL to develop additional evaluation questions specific to the evaluation context, primary intended users, and the intended uses of the evaluation.
• Negotiate appropriate methods to generate credible findings and support intended use by intended users.
• Review the utilization-focused evaluation checklist for data collection, as well as for analysis, reporting, and presentation strategies that enhance use.
• Follow up with primary intended users to facilitate and enhance ongoing attention to the principles and ongoing Digital Principles-focused evaluation.
• Lead on writing and documentation of the outcomes of meetings and the overall project.

Consultant Deliverables

Both Principles-Focused Evaluation and Digital Principles-Focused Evaluation are highly participatory and iterative, with an emphasis on process use, or the “impacts of an evaluation that go beyond the findings. It includes what is learned by those involved, the capacity for evaluation that is built through doing evaluation, and the variety of impacts that result from the fact that the inquiry is even being undertaken” (Patton, 2018, p. 233). While Mercy Corps expects there to be meaningful *findings*for program staff and leadership after the receipt of the following two deliverables, it is expected that what is behind these reports are multiple evaluation activities, exercises, and possibly artifacts that will have fostered both process and findings use.

1. 12-20 page report with accompanying 3-5 page executive summary analyzing the Digital Communities’ initiative over 5 years of implementation, including adherence to the Principles for Digital Development and opportunities for refinement in the future.
2. 12-20 page report with accompanying 3-5 page executive summary analyzing theField Technology Testing initiative over 5 years of implementation, including adherence to the Principles for Digital Development.

Timeframe/Schedule: approximately 2.5 months

The Consultant will report to:

Director, Technology for Development

The Consultant will work closely with:

• Digital Communities initiative lead and other technical experts in governance and peace and conflict teams, country teams implementing digital civic engagement and digital peacebuilding program.
• Field Technology Testing Program focal points, current and former country teams implementing pilots as well as other technical teams engaged in pilots (i.e. Mercy Corps Ventures, water security, etc.).

Required Experience & Skills:

• 5-7 years of experience in an M&E role in the international development sector; experience in technology focused role preferred
• Familiarity with Principles-focused Evaluation methodology
• Ability to be self-directed
• Experience working collaboratively with diverse and internationally-based teams

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.