Final Evaluator, OPTIMA

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

For the past two years, Internews’ OPTIMA project has been working with civil society groups in countries at risk of experiencing shutdowns to build resources and guides, train activists and build technical expertise, establish multistakeholder networks, and develop advocacy campaigns focused on preventing and responding to internet shutdowns. OPTIMA has developed the Prepare, Prevent, Resist Internet shutdowns Risk Assessment and Workflow, providing custom information for individuals and organizations to assess the shutdown risks they face and understand the many resources available for them to prepare for and advocate against shutdowns. The project also hosts periodic trainings designed to train activists and advocates to detect shutdowns through network measurements, analyze that data, and conduct informed qualitative research to promote stronger, evidence-driven advocacy efforts. Through these activities, we promote informed and coordinated advocacy that is based on identified needs, supported by a network of allies and experts, and bolstered by data and clear empirical evidence.

LOGISTICS

This is a remote-based, part-time, short-term consultancy with an expected term of April through July 2023, approximately 15-20 working days during that period.
All remote candidates will be considered. However, you must have work authorization in your location that does not require sponsorship from Internews. Additionally, there are locations in which Internews is not able to support fully remote work.
The project is global and the evaluator should be willing and able to conduct virtual interviews with partners and other members of the community located in multiple time zones.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates should apply soon.

This a limited duration position, with an expected end date of July 2023

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

FINAL EVALUATION PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES
This consultancy is designed to help the Internews team as the project ends to assess the project across various metrics, including its success in accomplishing its stated goals, its responsiveness to changes and ability to pivot, and where it could be improved for future programming on the subject. The final evaluation report will examine the impact of project activities on beneficiaries as well as the sustainability of results.

SCOPE OF WORK
Inception phase:

• Evaluation Planning: Initial discussion with key project team stakeholders to identify internal priorities, lines of enquiry, and sensitivities. Based on this activity, the contractor will draft an evaluation workplan and methodological framework, detailing the qualitative and quantitative tools and evaluation questions to be used during the primary data collection phase. This workplan and framework will be shared with the Program Officer for review.
• Consolidate results by synthesizing past quarterly progress reports (to be included in final report analysis)
  • This should include key accomplishments across the life of the project, notable challenges, and compilation of deliverables and reports.

Primary data collection:

• Collect new data through a survey and in-depth interviews with key staff and partners to paint a more complete picture of the program and its impacts (what is different now as a result of the project).

Final analysis and write up:

• Formulate recommendations: The evaluation should gather lessons from experience in carrying out data protection advocacy campaigns to identify recommendations for what future programming should look like/consider. Recommendations will be prepared in collaboration with Internews staff to ensure they are relevant and useful;
• Produce a report and smaller case studies that includes those elements and captures lessons learned and effectiveness of the project. In addition to reporting what the project delivered, it is also important to learn from how it operated and whether it substantively met all objectives;
• Meeting and finalizing report: Prepare and hold meeting with Program Director and Program Officer to review preliminary findings. Incorporate final comments by Program Director and Program Officer;
• Presentation: Organize and conduct a presentation of key findings, recommendations, and lessons learned.

In all duties, an understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

TIMEFRAME
The evaluation will comprise of an estimated 15-20 days of work, and involve the following elements:

• Desk Review (3-5 days). This will involve reviewing quarterlies and other documentation that the project produced to track the evolution of the project as a whole;
• Data Collection and Analysis (3-5 days). In order to gather feedback from a wide range of project participants, formulate a survey or questionnaire to be disseminated with project partners, key communities, and key project stakeholders. Additionally, conduct a series of in-depth interviews or focus group discussions with project staff, subgrantees, fellows, and/or beneficiaries. Internews will provide introductions as necessary;
• Writing the Report and case studies (5-7 days). Outside of the work to analyze interviews and compile information from documentation, approximately 5-7 days will be needed to draft the report.

DELIVERABLES

• Report: The final product will be an 8-10-page report. The body of the report will provide a narrative description of results achieved (and impacts, when possible), operational lessons, and recommendations. Where appropriate, it will also include illustrative graphs and charts that provide useful summaries of project data. Appendices will provide detail such as cross tabulations from reviewing quarterly reports and interviews, as well as a list of people interviewed, and survey results (if any), so readers can clearly see the data that supports the findings and conclusions;
• 1-2 page “snapshots”: Develop four brief (1-2 page) country “snapshots” highlighting the strategies, key successes/challenges, impacts, and next steps based on current work from each of OPTIMA’s advocacy partners.
  • As a part of the final evaluation and based on interviews with OPTIMA’s core country partners, construct case studies for each country of focus that highlight key approaches or lessons learned in carrying out internet shutdown awareness and advocacy. These reports should include the following structure:
    • Introduction to the country and its context (see and link to needs assessment reports);
    • Key approach or lesson learned (as determined by the partners and Internews);
    • Results/impacts on civil society capacity and shutdown awareness in country.
  • Some potential core questions to be asked of partners include:
    • What do you see as the biggest highlight/most successful element of your campaign?
    • What approach did you take to make this possible, and why?
    • What direct impacts do you think this had?
    • What lessons would you share with others based on this success?
  • Example collection of 1-pagers (format will be similar, content different): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NBTzcMIFVCcZlJbOmMOvSc4-O5ZvVDpA/view?usp=sharing.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field;
• Fluency in both written and spoken English required;
• Demonstrated experience conducting evaluations of advocacy and human rights programs,
  particularly for US donors;
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative M&E data collection and analysis methods;
• Strong facilitation, presentation, writing and communication skills.

Preferred

• Graduate degree preferred;
• Proficiency in French is a plus;
• Experience in the field of digital rights and/or internet freedom preferred.

Note: Candidates who do not have these preferred qualifications, but are interested and willing to learn, are encouraged to apply.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications should include the below documentation:

• A 1-2 page statement of interest/draft proposal, describing how your profile meets the qualifications outlined above and highlighting how your methodological approach will address the scope planned for this evaluation. Please indicate possible survey questions, and a very brief explanation of how you would propose to evaluate the project’s impact through conversations with our partners;
• A short cost justification (not included in the 1-2 page limit);
• A CV or resume and the names of at least two references (these should be clients for whom you have conducted external evaluations previously);
• Evidence of evaluation work (e.g. link to evaluation reports or PDF attachments), highlighting evaluation theories and approaches.

This position is being offered and hired by Internews Network. Benefits will be consistent with Internews Network’s offerings and will be reviewed during the hiring process. Additional information can be found on our About Working for Internews page.

Internews Network is an EEO/AAP/OFCCP employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. Internews does not discriminate based on race, gender, gender identity or orientation, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.