Search for Common Ground (Search) is seeking a consultant who can evaluate the role of Rwandan civil society organisations, particularly youth CSOs, and media in shifting social norms relating to good governance and their level of collaboration with institutions in promoting more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance. Following our 24 months program, we are primarily interested in the norms around agency, polarization and institutional legitimacy. Consultant’s research proposals should include a plan to analyze these shifts across location, sex, age, and other demographics. Candidates’ teams should have experience researching norms to explain the connection between programming, the context, and the changes observed.
Context
Search is an international conflict transformation NGO that aims to transform the way individuals, groups, governments and companies deal with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative solutions. Headquartered in Washington DC, USA, and Brussels, Belgium, with 52 field offices in 29 countries, Search designs and implements multifaceted, culturally appropriate and conflict-sensitive programs using a diverse range of tools, including media and training, to promote dialogue, increase knowledge and determine a positive shift in behaviors.
The Projects:
This consultancy will evaluate two main projects:
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- Search, with support from the European Union through its Civil Society Organizations and Local Authorities’ mechanism, and in partnership with the Rwandan Scouts Association, Radio Ishingiro, Radio Isangano, and Radio Izuba, implemented a 24-month project (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2020), Ubufatanye mu Miyoborere: Advancing CSO-led Participatory Governance in Rwanda, with the overall goal to enhance the capacity and confidence of Rwandan civil society organisations to promote more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance. The project was implemented in the districts of Ngoma, Gicumbi, Nyamasheke, and Ruhango, while Kigali hosted national level activities like policy forums and award ceremonies.
- Promoting Fiscal Transparency in Rwanda was a 24 months (September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2020) USAID funded project which aimed to increase the engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs) and Rwandan citizens in the government budget process. The key stakeholders of the project were civil society organisations (CSOs), including youth- and women-led CSOs; communities and community leaders, government actors and local authorities; community radio stations, and the Rwanda Scouts Association (Scouts). The project was implemented in the districts of Ngoma, Gicumbi and Nyamasheke, while Kigali will host national level activities like the policy forums and award ceremonies.
Goals & Objectives of Study:
With the aim of better understanding how these projects enhanced promoted more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance, this combined final evaluation has four key objectives:
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- Determine to what extent the projects were able to enhance the capacity and confidence of Rwandan civil society organisations to promote more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance;
- Assess if the projects were able to bridge the gap between the media and CSOs creating a powerful and mutually-beneficial relationship, allowing for broader reach, innovation, and impact around fostering good governance in Rwanda;
- Explore how the projects contributed to shape the way local authorities are engaging youth and civil society actors in governance;
- Evaluate the level of achievement of the results in the two projects and their level of endurance, as per agreed results chain and project logic;
Methodology & Data Collection Tools:
The consultant is expected to propose the methodology (in line with the baseline study done in March 2018). This approach, the tools utilized and the means of analysis should be determined based on what is necessary and relevant to the project, and a justification for this should be included in the submitted proposal. Each tool/method should then be listed with justification of its use, intended target groups for the tool, and numbers of each target group to be reached. Please include the sampling strategy and approach to the analysis for the study in your proposal. In addition Do No Harm strategies, any proposed deliverables for sharing the findings of the study should be included in this section of the proposal
Deliverables:
Search expects the following deliverables from the external consultant(s) as they correspond to the timeline and budget:
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- An inception report detailing the methodology, data collection tools and timeline;
- Any necessary training of data collectors or set-up of systems for data collection;
- Supervision and participation in data collection;
- Oversight of data coding and analysis;
- All original data submitted to Search;
- A draft evaluation report in English [insert other languages if needed], for review by Search staff and partners;
- A final report in English (40 pages max in length, excluding appendices) consistent with Search branding and standards for evaluation.
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Requirements:
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- Proficiency in English, knowledge of Kinyarwanda is a plus;
- More than 5 years of experience in project evaluation, including collecting data in interviews, surveys and focus groups;
- Experience in conflict analysis and working in governance and with civil society sectors;
- Experience working with international organizations;
- Experience conducting quantitative surveys and analysis;
- Evaluation methods and data collection skills;
- Familiarity and experience with contextual challenges in the geographic location(s) where the study will take place.
Proposals must be submitted by August 30th. Proposals will be evaluated during the month of September and shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview mid-September. The selected candidates will finalize the inception report and data collection tools by early October. We expect data collection to start mid-October and the first draft of the report to be shared by Mid-November. The final report will be submitted by early December at latest.
Click here to access the complete Terms of Reference:
As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
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.
All Search Employees must adhere to the values: Shared Humanity – Empathy – Impartiality – Inclusivity – Courage – Hope – Humility – Audacity. In accordance with these values, Search enforces compliance with the Code of Conduct and related policies on Anti Workplace Harassment, Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest and Anti-fraud.
Search for Common Ground does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
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