Honduras Local Governance Performance Evaluation, USAID/Honduras Monitoring and Evaluation Support for Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (MESCLA 2.0) Activity
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
About Social Impact and MESCLA 2.0:
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.
Social Impact, together with partner IBI, is implementing the USAID/Honduras Monitoring and Evaluation Support for Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (MESCLA 2.0) Activity. MESCLA 2.0 provides USAID with flexible and adaptive support, as well as reliable information to inform its programming in the face of demanding challenges in the Honduran context. MESCLA 2.0 is organized around three main components: (1) evaluations, studies, and assessments; (2) collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA); and (3) monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) capacity development. All tasks under MESCLA 2.0 are implemented with a focus on learning on USAID’s key priorities, including migration, youth, anti-corruption, gender-based violence, and gender and social inclusion (GESI).
About the Honduras Local Governance Activity:
MESCLA 2.0 intends to conduct the performance evaluation of the intervention of the Honduras Local Governance (HLG) Activity under the Democracy and Governance Office (DGO) in the USAID Honduras Mission. On November 14, 2016, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the HLG Activity a five-year mechanism to enhance basic service delivery provision through increased citizen influence and governance in western Honduras. The Activity ensured that USAID investments in nutrition, water, education, and other critical services are expanded, deepened, and more sustainable as part of a holistic effort to reduce extreme poverty in western Honduras. HLG focuses on governance actions at subnational levels, where basic services are delivered and where most citizens interact with the government. The objectives of this external evaluation are to assess past experiences and key outcomes achieved during the life of the Activity from 2017 to 2025 and measure the new strategy outcomes in the implementation period to determine whether the new strategy at local level is relevant and sustainable or not.
Position Description:
SI is seeking an Evaluation Team Leader (TL) to lead the USAID/Honduras MESCLA 2.0 HLG Performance Evaluation. The TL is responsible for leading the technical team, guiding evaluation activities, and ensuring the production and completion of all deliverables. In collaboration with MESCLA 2.0 and the Evaluation team members, the TL will guide the development of the desk review, direct data collection and compilation, support the design of tools for data collection, conduct data analysis, coordinate technical inputs of team members, and lead the production of a final report and two learning workshops.
The TL will ensure quality assurance and timeliness of all deliverables, including adherence to MESCLA 2.0’s quality assurance standards. The team lead is expected to plan primary and secondary data collection. This is a short-term consultancy with an estimated level of effort (LOE) of 60 days, and a period of performance from September 2023 through January 2025.
Responsibilities:
The Evaluation Team Lead will:
- Lead the Evaluation Team collaboratively with the MESCLA 2.0 HQ Team and fellow members of the Evaluation Team according to the SOW approved by USAID/Honduras.
- Conduct a desk review of literature and program documents and identify any gaps in existing data, as needed.
- Lead the development of the evaluation design and data collection instruments, coordinating technical inputs from the team.
- Administer virtual and onsite data collection with stakeholders in Honduras.
- Guide and oversee the development and finalization of project deliverables, including: the inception report, desk review, and data collection tools; client inbrief and outbrief presentations; draft and final reports; and learning and dissemination materials and events.
- Ensure quality work in all deliverables; implement quality assurance processes
- Work closely with MESCLA 2.0 team and communicate in a timely and effective manner with all project personnel.
Qualifications and skills:
The Consultant must have/hold:
- At least 5 years of senior-level experience in research or evaluation in the development sector, with experience in evaluating governance interventions or citizen engagement in the Central American context. Experience in Honduras desired
- Bachelor’s Degree and 15 years of related experience, Master’s degree in Social Science and 12 years of related experience, , or PhD and 8 years of related experience, including substantial demonstrated experience in evaluations and assessments
- Demonstrated experience leading evaluations and/or assessments and producing actionable recommendations
- Demonstrated experience in sampling design and the design of instruments
- Demonstrated experience leading quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
- Excellent oral communication and written skills in English and Spanish
- Demonstrated experience in communicating with local stakeholders at managerial and technical level
- Well-versed in research methodology in the context of evaluation and have strong attention to detail
- Strong analytical skills
Preferably, the applicant will possess:
- Experience working with international donors, especially USAID
- Experience conducting research or evaluations in the governance sector in Honduras
Level of Effort (LOE): Up to 60 days
Expected timeline: September 2023 – January 2025
The closing date for application: August 25, 2023. Selection and interview will be performed on a rolling basis, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To apply, please merge both your CV and a cover letter into onepdf file and submit it through the online portal.
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, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls.
How to apply
Apply here, through SI's Career Center: https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=SOCIIMPA2&cws=39&rid=4554