Social Impact, Team Leader, USAID/DRC CCF Assessment, Remote

Social Impact, Team Leader, USAID/DRC CCF Assessment, Remote

Candidates are reviewed on a rolling basis, early submission is recommended.

Social Impact is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.

In the DRC, SI will be supporting Integrity to carry out an evaluation of USAID Complex Crisis Fund (CCF) programming ahead of the 2023 election. The evaluation will begin with an electoral landscape assessment, examining the landscape if CCF programming did not take place. The team will then conduct an evaluation to analyze the impact of CCF programming on citizen awareness and behavior towards the electoral process; changes in hate speech, misinformation, and fake news; trust and social cohesion; perceptions of legitimacy for the elections; and the participation of marginalized groups in the electoral process. Findings will be presented in learning products which will provide guidance on how to design future programming.

Project Objectives:

USAID/DRC has engaged the PEARL mechanism to conduct a conflict assessment for DRC. The purpose of the assessment in DRC is to explore the following preliminary questions:

• To what extent have civic education efforts and campaigns succeeded in increasing citizens’ awareness and behavior towards the electoral process? In particular, what impact did these efforts have on youth, women, and other marginalized groups during the voter registration process as well as on election day itself?
• In what ways has elections-related and media programming been successful in combating hate speech, misinformation, and fake news?
• To what extent did elections programming help foster dialogue, trust, and social cohesion during the electoral period? Which conflict mitigation approaches were most effective in helping to reduce the potential for electoral violence?
• Considering that a large part of CCF-funded activities are focused on improving the transparency and accountability of the electoral process, what was the impact of large-scale elections observation on the legitimacy (or perceptions thereof) of the electoral process?
• How effective were the CENI’s strategic frameworks for women, people with disability, and youth inclusion in fostering equitable access and participation in the electoral process?
• Results will be disseminated through various learning products, such as stakeholder presentations, written reports, and workshops.

Position Description:

SI is seeking a Team Leader who will be responsible for the overall performance of the assessment team’s effort. Under the technical leadership of the PEARL Management Team, the Team Leader will execute a mixed methods evaluation of USAID complex crisis fund programming in the DRC. The Team Leader will consult with and facilitate input from all team members throughout the duration of the assessment, including during the landscape assessment, fieldwork, analysis, briefings, and report writing.

The period of performance is June 2023 to June 2024, with an estimated LOE of 45-55 days. Within this timeframe, roughly 15 days of work is expected between June 2023 and October 2023, and the remainder to take place between January 2024 and June 2024. Travel is expected in January or February 2024 and flexibility around changing timelines is bonus.

Expected deliverables:

• Evaluation Design Report including data collection protocols – July 2023
• Preliminary findings matrix and workshop presentation from an electoral landscape assessment of existing research and literature
• Completed quality assurance checklists in line with Social Impact’s EQUI process
• Fieldwork schedule
• Findings, conclusions, and recommendations matrix based on robust analysis
• As allowed, in-person interviews, focus group consultations, structured observations, and similar exercises to collect and process information about the conflict
• Briefing at the end of the fieldwork
• Draft and final report in line with USAID expectations and Social Impact’s quality guidelines

Responsibilities:

• Oversee and lead on major assessment activities, including the electoral landscape assessment, the evaluation design, methodology, development of instruments, data collection, synthesis of data and formulation of conclusions, and preparation of final report with team contributions.
• Provide leadership for the team and coordinate activities as necessary.
• Liaise with USAID/CCF and USAID/DRC and lead briefings with relevant stakeholders.
• Oversee the teamwork plan and ensure all team members are contributing expertise and technical input.
• Perform desk review and identify additional information required for analysis.
• Lead data collection and participate in interviews and surveys as needed.
• Coordinate team’s ongoing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Lead the preparation and presentation of the In-brief and Out-brief to USAID/DRC and other stakeholders as requested.
• Write the draft evaluation report with support from the team members, taking into consideration feedback from the out-brief presentation.
• Respond to USAID comments on the draft report and prepare a final report.
• Work collaboratively with team members throughout design, implementation, analysis, and report writing to complement each other’s areas of expertise.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of five years of experience leading and conducting evaluations in the democracy, rights, and governance space with mixed-methods data.
• Advanced technical skills in qualitative data collection and analysis and mixed-methods evaluations incorporating secondary survey data into evaluation results;
• Research or evaluation experience in electoral programming in complex or transitional environments, including in Central Africa.
• Must have familiarity with a ‘Do No Harm’ (or conflict sensitivity) framework.
• Advanced degree in international conflict resolution, research, or related field.
• Experience in preparing persuasive, well-written technical reports and making verbal presentations, explaining issues in a clear and concise manner.
• Experience facilitating and providing leadership in collaborative and participatory research with multiple stakeholders.
• Previous experience as a team leader is advantageous
• French proficiency is advantageous

Come join our energetic and innovative team! We offer you the opportunity to play a leading role in the growth of our company, work as part of a creative and committed team, and make a difference in the well-being of our world.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.