IBTCI Job Vacancy For Senior Assessment Coordination Specialist

IBTCI seeks a Senior Assessment Coordination Specialist to manage a 5-country (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo) violent extremism (VE) risk assessment, which will involve both desk and field research. The Senior Assessment Coordination Specialist will oversee 3-member assessment teams in each of the 5 countries. This assessment is being funded by USAID West Africa’s Peace through Evaluation, Learning and Adapting (PELA) Activity. The purpose of this activity is to support USAID/West Africa to be a more effective, efficient and adaptable operating unit in achieving the development objective of strengthening systems of non-violent conflict management in West Africa. This is a five month consultancy beginning on or about April 1, 2019. This position is contingent on USAID funding.

Using your subject matter skills, perform tasks on specific task orders and/or contracts. Tasks could include, but not be limited to:

Scope of Work:

Assessment Planning and Process Management

• Responsible for directing the day-to-day implementation of assessment activities in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo, including pre-deployment, deployment, post-deployment and reporting by each of the country teams.
• Work closely with the PELA Research Director on assessment team recruitment and selection, assessment site selection, tool/protocol application and reporting.
• Collaborate with the lead researchers in each country to develop relevant qualitative data collection tools and protocols that correspond to the assessment framework.
• Establish a data storage and management plan for the assessment teams and ensure assessment teams use of the storage and management plan.
• Ensure that assessment teams are recording and storing data according to the data storage and management plan and spot-checking the qualitative data being collected in each country by the country assessment teams.
• Maintain regular check-ins with the country teams, including weekly pre and post deployment check-ins, and daily check-ins during deployment.
• In consultation with the PELA Research Director, lead the drafting of an overall report that compiles, synthesizes, and summarizes the country reports into one overall report to USAID that includes recommendations for future programming.
• Update the PELA Research Director and Program Director on a weekly basis or as needed.
• Troubleshoot and problem-solve challenges arising in the field with tact and diplomacy.
• Possible travel to research focus countries to assist as needed.

Relationship Management

• Work closely with the PELA Research Director to enable efficient and timely communication on all assessment-related matters with USAID and/or Embassies. Work to ensure that feedback on tool development, site selection list, country assessment team work plans, and reporting are incorporated in assessment planning and documents.
• Manage all documentation related to the assessment, including documents reviewed in the desk research, country team workplans and agendas, versions of individual country assessment reports and PELA Research Director and USAID feedback trail.
• Develop and maintain a tracking system for effective performance management of country assessment teams and deliverables.
• Partner with the country team leads in problem-solving and responding to issues identified in the field in each country.
• Make timely requests for periodic additional human resources (translation services, copy editors etc) with PELA leadership.
• Contribute to the presentation of the assessment findings to USAID and Embassies for each country and overall.
• Other duties/tasks as assigned.

Serve in the above consultant capacity to support the IBTCI technical practices of Crisis, Conflict & Governance, Agriculture & Food Security & Economic, Education & Growth and Global Health and/or Business Development divisions.

• This position does not authorize/require the consultant to directly communicate with IBTCI clients.
• This position does not authorize/require the consultant to have decision making authority on final work product.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of relevant USAID rules and regulations related to countering violent extremism, research, and VE and/or conflict assessment approaches.
• Ability to multi-task within tight deadlines.
• Strict attention to detail.
• Strong collaborative and relationship management skills.
• Ability to remotely problem solve and trouble-shoot issues in the field.
• Proven experience managing a virtual team working across multiple countries simultaneously.

Minimum Requirements:

• At least seven years of international experience in the management or research, assessments, and/or monitoring and evaluation across multiple countries simultaneously.
• Experience in developing qualitative data collection tools (interviews and focus groups), and training and managing staff in effective use of those tools.
• Experience analyzing and reporting multi-method data.
• Willingness and ability to travel to one or more of the assessment countries (the position is based in Ghana; additional travel to Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, or Togo as needed).
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to write effectively for a broad audience of non-specialists.
• Oral and written fluency in English required.
• Intermediate/professional level French required.

Education: Graduate degree in the field of evaluation, political science, anthropology, conflict resolution, security studies, international development, or a related technical field required.

Supervisory Responsibility: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Travel: Travel to Ghana for up to the duration of the assessment is required. Additional travel, up to 35%, in one or more of the assessment countries may be required, depending on need.

No phone calls please. All candidates will be acknowledged, but only final candidates for particular activities will be contacted.

IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.