Impact Evaluation Consultant (International -Remote based) (Kabul, Afghanistan)

The Asia Foundation has had a long presence on the ground in Afghanistan, from 1954 to 1979 and from 2002 to the present. With a long history of planning and implementing effective programs that benefit the country and its citizens, the Foundation maintains strong relationships with the government and civil society that have led to sustainable initiatives in governance and law, women’s empowerment, education, regional cooperation, and our signature Survey of the Afghan People, an annual nationwide opinion poll that has been carried out for over a decade.

In addition to the Survey of the Afghan People, the Foundation has a number of other projects, including surveys on Afghan returnees, Afghans living with disabilities, and a series of surveys on peace, economy and Covid–19.

Position Description

The Asia Foundation’s Policy and Research Department is seeking a consultant to lead the 2020–2021  impact evaluation and assessment of the 2018 and 2019 Survey of the Afghan People project. He/she will be responsible for gathering data to assess impact, including uses of the survey by international and national stakeholders. These stakeholders may include, but are not limited to, academic researchers, policy analysts, government officials and employees, and those working in policy formation within civil society or NGOs.

The consultant will:

Propose a methodology for an impact evaluation (3 days) to include the following at minimum:

Follow up with parties who have accessed SAP data to inquire how it was used, and what was learned from the use. (Specifically, which questions in the survey were consulted? What did the analysis reveal? Were results used in any products? Were conclusions disseminated, and how?)
Engage through interviews stakeholders involved in Afghanistan policy formation or implementation, within NGOs, embassies, local and international development partners, as well as academics, to determine how the survey could be improved.
Propose a strategy to determine the survey’s priority thematic directions in 2021-2025 based on the anticipated needs of the Afghan government, NGOs, and international partners. This strategy may take into account, for example, the UN Millennium Goals, but also areas of growing concern where longitudinal data may be missing and not otherwise answered in outside surveys.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region addresses five overarching goals—strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.

Headquartered in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation works through a network of offices in 18 Asian countries and in Washington, DC. Working with public and private partners, the Foundation receives funding from a diverse group of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals. In 2019, we provided $84.9 million in direct program support and distributed textbooks and other educational materials valued at $7.3 million

Qualifications:

Graduate level degree (PhD preferred) in a related field from an accredited university
A proven track record of publications, preference given to peer reviewed academic publications

Experience:

At least eight years’ experience in M&E including previous experience leading assessments.
At least 10 years of experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research, particularly with elite interviews and survey methodology; collection of primary data; research design and evaluation
Experience in and knowledge of Afghanistan’s social and political situation.
Experience working in or with international development and/or INGO
Previous M&E experience in Afghanistan an asset
Experience working with a diverse team
Experience in cross-cultural dialogue, ability to communicate effectively across barriers

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for producing the following documents:

Work Plan: The consultant will deliver a detailed work plan and proposed methodology and criteria.
Interim Report: The consultant will deliver an interim report at the midpoint of the assignment, to provide The Asia Foundation’s Policy and Research Department an opportunity to review progress and consider any adjustments.
Exit Briefing: The consultant will deliver an exit briefing, including a PowerPoint presentation, to be provided at the conclusion of the evaluation, to be presented to donors on key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Final Evaluation Report: The consultant will deliver a detailed final evaluation report addressing key questions posed in this terms of reference. As a guiding framework, the final report should include the following sections:

Executive Summary
Introduction

Project Background
Evaluation Purpose
Evaluation Questions
Limitations

Methodology
Findings
Recommendations
Conclusions
Annexes, including a list of all individuals interviewed, including their contact details (if possible)
Bibliography of all documents reviewed

The duration of the evaluation will be no more than 30 days. The rough draft of the final evaluation report is due January 31, 2021. The report should be submitted 14 calendar days prior to the consultant’s contract term end to ensure time for revision and provision of comments which should then be incorporated into the final report.

Be involved in any other task related to the assessment, as required.

Qualified applicants should submit a copy of their CV (No more than 4 pages) accompanied by a detailed application, contact details no later than November 27, 2020 to the following email ID

-country.afghanistan.consultantvacancy@asiafoundation.org. Please clearly indicate in the subject line the Position applied for. Due to volume of applications being received only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Submission Email
country.afghanistan.consultantvacancy@asiafoundation.org