Evaluation Specialist - USAID North East Connection (NEC) Final Evaluation at Navitas

Details

• Navanti supports a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Support Activity program that assists USAID/Nigeria in advancing its broader organizational learning and development efforts.
• This program strengthens the Mission’s capacity and performance in programmatic monitoring, evaluation, learning, collaborating, and adapting.
• The MEL Support Activity closely aligns with USAID/Nigeria’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and provides a broad range of specialized technical assistance, training, data gathering and analysis, field-based monitoring, evaluations and assessments, facilitation of organizational learning and adaptation initiatives, and short-term technical assistance.

Project Objective

• USAID/Nigeria has engaged the MEL Support Activity to conduct an external final evaluation of the North-East Connection Activity. This Activity is theorized that developing local conflict mitigation capacity and increasing social cohesion in areas not yet under terrorist control would serve as a barrier against VE infiltration. The activity was implemented in 90 communities across 15 LGAs as shown below:
  • Adamawa sate – Guyuk, Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Mubi South, and Mubi North
  • Borno state – Kwaya Kusar, Hawul, Shani, Maiduguri, and Biu
  • Yobe state – Potiskum, Damaturu, and Gujba
• The primary purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the effects of NEC activity on the levels of violence in targeted LGAs and impact of the use of nonviolent conflict resolution methods to address violent extremism. The evaluation is also expected to provide feedback on its design and how learnings can be used to improve future projects.  
• The evaluation will achieve this purpose by assessing the activity's design, the approaches to achieving the activity objectives, its impact on violence in the LGAs, public perception on the use of non-violence skills to address conflict and its contribution to building community members' resilience to violent extremist groups.
• The estimated start date will be June 05, 2023. The evaluation is expected to last until November 2023, and the estimated LOE will be 48 days, maximum.

Position Description

• We are seeking an Evaluation Specialist who will be responsible for the overall design of data collection tools and procedures, lead training of research assistants, manage and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data collected from the field.
• Under the technical leadership of the MEL Support Activity, The Evaluation Specialist will be working alongside three other team members on the evaluation of the NEC activity.
• The Evaluation Specialist will consult with the team lead, USAID, NEC Activity implementation team and partners to develop appropriate questions before the assessment and will also facilitate input from all team members throughout the duration of the evaluation.

Responsibilities
The Evaluation Specialist will:

• Design the data collection instruments and ensure it addresses all evaluation objectives.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Analyze data sets using statistical methods and relational databases.
• Support in preparing reports of research findings.
• Work with the team leader in planning, developing, coordinating, and administering research tools.
• Perform quality assurance reviews of both quantitative and qualitative data.
• Support the team leader in writing or editing technical reports and summaries of findings.
• Work with the team leader to perform desk review and identify additional information required for analysis.
• Work with the Team Leader in preparation and presentation of the In-brief and Out-brief to USAID/Nigeria and other stakeholders as requested.
• Support the team leader to develop the draft Evaluation report with support from the team members, taking into consideration feedback from the Out-brief presentation.
• Work with the team leader to respond to USAID comments on the draft report, incorporate USAID/Nigeria staff comments into the final version of the report and finalize the report.
• Work collaboratively with team members throughout design, implementation, analysis, and report writing to complement each other's areas of expertise.

Qualifications
The candidate is expected to have the following qualifications:

• Advanced Degree in Conflict Resolution, Peace Studies, Social work, Psychology, Sociology or related field.
• A minimum of eight years of experience in program evaluation design, management, and implementation or a similar role.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of statistical software programs, such as SPSS or STATA.
• Previous experience as evaluation specialist on peacebuilding, conflict resolution and conflict assessment-sector evaluations, assessments, and research studies. USAID evaluation experience strongly preferred.
• Previous experience working in Africa preferably Nigeria.