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Organization: BRAC
Country: Uganda
City: Kampala
Office: BRAC Kampala, Uganda
Terms of Reference for Short-Term Consulting Engagement to Support BRAC’s Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents in Schools (ELAS) Impact Evaluation
Purpose of Assignment
The goal of this consultancy is to support the research team, Drs. Manisha Shah at the University of California-Los Angeles and Jennifer Seager at George Washington University, with the implementation of a randomized impact evaluation of BRAC’s Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents in Schools (ELAS) pilot.
The current position will be contracted as a consultant through BRAC USA for the period of baseline data collection. The consultancy will be based in Kampala, Uganda, with travel to the study site locations in Central, Eastern, and Western Uganda as needed.
Essential Duties:
The Consultant will be responsible for supporting data collection monitoring, assessing data quality and assisting with data cleaning, and coordinating communication between the researchers and data collection and program implementation partners. In addition, they will conduct quantitative data analysis using STATA and assist with report/presentation preparation. Responsibilities will include the following: Data Collection Monitoring and Quality Assessment
Provide close, on-site supervision of data collection while surveys are ongoing
Communicate field activities and concerns with the research team
Ensure data quality through data monitoring and high-frequency checks during data collection
Provide quality control for collected data through data cleaning
Coordinating Communication
Providing day-to-day coordination between the researchers and the project implementation teams, ensuring that concerns are effectively communicated between parties, flagging emerging issues that may be of potential concern to one or both parties, and, in general, ensuring effective and productive collaboration.
Keep the impact evaluation team and relevant members of the projects’ implementation teams routinely updated on activities, concerns, and decisions.
Communicate regularly with relevant members of the projects’ implementation teams and impact evaluation leadership on matters including finance and logistics.
Cooperating effectively with all project implementation agencies and co-workers, as well as national, provincial, and local government officials and any other stakeholders or external collaborators.
Report Writing and Analysis
Generating variables from the survey data using STATA
Creating tables of summary statistics and baseline balance
Assist in the writing of project reports
Do-No-Harm Approach: As BRAC adheres to the do-no-harm principle, the potential risks to participants linked to this analysis and mitigation plans to overcome risks should be outlined.
Application submission date: 20 January 2023
Anticipated assignment period: 6 February 2023 to 30 April 2023, with the potential to renew pending budget availability and satisfactory work
Background
BRAC International is a leading non-profit organization with a mission to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and social injustice. Our approach is grounded in the conviction that people living in vulnerable situations can be agents of change if they are empowered with the tools, skills, and hope they need to change their lives. We design proven, scalable solutions that equip people with the support and confidence they need to achieve their potential. BRAC’s institutional expertise on successfully implemented programs is applied across 10 countries, touching the lives of over 130 million people, where our models are adapted according to the country’s context.
In 2021, BRAC Uganda launched a prototype of the Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents (ELA) model in schools in partnership with the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES). The ELA in Schools project (ELAS) aims to establish a viable, cost-effective pathway to scale the ELA model through secondary government schools. The project intends to use the evidence generated to show government education administrators a proof of concept for an impactful, replicable model for adolescent girls’ empowerment.
ELAS began with formative research engaging key stakeholders at the ministry and district levels, followed by a small-scale prototype that generated positive feedback from participants and other stakeholders. BRAC is now conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluation in 150 schools across Uganda to assess the impact and cost of the program to gauge the viability of scaling the program through all government schools. As part of this evaluation, a baseline survey is being implemented from February – April 2023.
This ToR is inviting interested individuals to apply for this consultancy.
Eligibility
Education and Experience:
Academic Degree/ Level & Years of Professional Work Experience: Master’s in Economics or related field and a strong interest in research
Areas of Expertise: Development economics, Education Economics, Impact evaluation.
Knowledge and Skills: The ideal candidate has:
Experience with primary data collection, RCTs;
Demonstrated understanding of the technical and logistical challenges involved in designing and implementing surveys;
Proficiency in analyzing quantitative survey data with STATA;
Familiarity with SurveyCTO-based computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) tools;
Strong written and oral communication skills in English;
Interest in women’s empowerment and Africa.
In addition, the ideal candidate is well-organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously with minimal supervision.
How to Apply
The application must contain the following:
A cover letter explaining the reasons for applying and understanding of the context and the task and noting any time limitations or constraints to your availability during the proposed period should be clearly stated.
A CV demonstrating eligibility criteria.
Two professional references should be provided (name, designation, address, and contact info) who could be contacted to comment on the individual applying for this task.
All proposals shall be in the English language and shall remain valid for 90 days after submission.
Applicants are required to identify and disclose any actual or potential Conflict of Interest.
The deadline for the submission is 20 January 2023.
All responses must be received on or before the date and time indicated above. All responses submitted after this date will not be accepted.
Communication or persuasion to influence the selection process in any form will disqualify the candidate for the assignment.
BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment process includes extensive reference and background checks, self-disclosure of prior issues regarding sexual or other misconduct, and criminal records and our values are a part of our Performance Management System.
BRAC is an equal opportunities employer.
Deliverables and Payment
The Consultant will have an Assignment Supervisor at BRAC USA and report to Dr. Manisha Shah and Dr. Jennifer Seager.
The Consultant’s performance will be assessed along the consultancy duration, particularly the quality of work produced, their timely implementation, time commitment, and meeting the scope and objective of the task. Other conditions like incidental liability, intellectual property, non-disclosure policy, ethical standard and data protection protocol, and safeguarding policy will be applicable as per BRAC’s related policies.
For the initiative contract, the Consultant will be compensated $300 per full working day ($150 per half day) for up to 25 full days. Payment will be made monthly pending the submission of a work update and invoice indicating days worked per task and subject to approval by the Assignment Supervisor.
When possible, the Consultant will travel with the BRAC Uganda team for field visits. When independent travel is necessary and with prior approval from the Assignment Supervisor, the Consultant will be reimbursed for all reasonable related travel expenses. The Consultant should provide a timely summary report of expenses on a monthly basis or as relevant – all expenditures must be supported by receipts or invoices to qualify for reimbursement.
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