Vacancies – Consultancy
Seeking Quantitative Data Analytics and Qualitative Consultants
USAID Malawi/IREX Youth Excel (YE) Program’s Youth Landscape and Learning Platform (YLLP) Activity
September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024
About IREX:
IREX is a global development and education organization. We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive. IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information. Our workincludes reducing corruption, stopping disinformation, and building social trust.
About Timveni:
Timveni Children and Youth Media Organization is a local, youth-led, and youth-serving organization based in Malawi. TCYMO is a private, non-profit, non-political/partisan organization with the purpose of providing a platform and safe space for children and young people to influence decisions that affect them. This is Timveni Child and Youth Media
Organization’s first subaward with USAID funding and it will co-facilitate learning and application of the CLA approach for Youth Excel Youth Landscape and Learning Platform in Malawi.
Youth Excel Background
The Youth Excel “Our Knowledge, Leading Change” program (YE) is a 5-Year, $30 Million USAID-funded activity that seeks to strengthen youth-led local development by building capacities of youth-led and youth-serving groups to conduct quality implementation research (IR) and strengthen local systems through intergenerational dialogue for collaborative learning,
advocacy, and partnerships with diverse stakeholders. The YE program is being implemented by a consortium of partners, led by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) globally. Youth Excel’s Youth Landscape and Learning Platform Activity (YLLP) in Malawi is co-led by Timveni Child and Youth Media Organization. Timveni is recruiting Two Consultants (One Quantitative Analytics Expert and One Qualitative Research Consultant) to support YLLP for a yearlong contract, renewable for an extension year.
By systematically addressing barriers and creating opportunities for diverse youth to build capacity; access flexible funding; connect and learn with peers and adult decision-makers; and leverage, synthesize, and disseminate learning locally and globally, Youth Excel (YE) can seize this extraordinary moment to support youth, YL/YSOs, and youth-led networks’ (YLNs)’ impact on youth programming and policy worldwide.
The goals of YE are that:
I. Local youth-led and youth-serving organizations will improve and sustain positive outcomes for youth
II. Local youth-led and youth-serving organizations will advance local, national, and global development agendas.
To achieve the above goals, the YE program, through its various program activities, focuses on attaining three main outcomes that include:
Outcome I:
Improved performance of local youth-lead or youth-serving partners in implementation research to strengthen PYD programming.
Outcome II:
Increased engagement by relevant local and national stakeholders in youth-led implementation research to support PYD outcomes.
Outcome II:
Improved synthesis, dissemination, and integration of findings from research from research into programming among local YL/YSOs and other non-traditional partners.
In Malawi, the Youth Excel program has partnered with the USAID/Malawi to implement the Youth Landscape and Learning Platform (YLLP) described below.
YLLP Background and Objectives
The five-year Youth Landscape and Learning Platform (YLLP) was designed to support the USAID/Malawi Mission’s implementation of Development Objective 2 (DO2): Youth lead healthy, informed, and productive lives and the ability to collaborate, learn, and adapt across the Program Cycle. It will continuously provide key information on the youth context in Malawi. It also will support the Mission’s DO2 Learning Agenda and facilitate feedback loops with relevant stakeholders, including the Government of Malawi (GOM). It will be responsible for assessing and reporting on DO2’s progress achievement over the life of the CDCS.
This multi-year YLLP requires Youth Engagement, hence the partnership with the Youth Excel program. Consistent with the Mission’s approach to engage youth throughout the program cycle, youth will be active participants throughout the design, implementation, and analysis of findings. It is expected that this activity will work in close collaboration and partnership with Mission staff, Implementing Partners (IPs), and youth organizations as well as support engagements with the Mission’s Youth Advisory Council and key stakeholders such as the GOM and Donor Partners.
The objective of the YLLP is thus to establish a centralized Mission-wide mechanism, managed by the Program Development and Analysis (PDA) Office, to implement a specific set of interventions designed to support the achievement of DO2, including:
- (Task1) conducting a youth landscape analyses,
- (Task 2) facilitating the DO 2 learning agenda and fostering feedback loops and capacity building, and
- (Task 3) measuring and reporting on the progress achieved under DO2.
{Theory of change: IF data and information on cross-sectoral youth opportunities, challenges, and outcomes is systematically collected and IF key stakeholders within USAID/Malawi, its implementing partners, the GOM, other donors, civil society organizations, and beneficiaries regularly engage in learning activities, THEN USAID/Malawi’s cross-sectoral youth-focused portfolio will adapt programming, better integrate youth across its sectors, more effectively provide opportunities and services to young Malawians, and strengthen its DO2 results.}
A. Role No. 1 – Quantitative Data Analytics Consultant
The YE/YLLP activity in Malawi is seeking the services of an individual Quantitative Data Analytics and Reporting Consultant who will co-lead the three YLLP workstreams with IREX, as outlined below.
Workstream 1: Data Management and Analytics
The YLLP activity, under the co-leadership of IREX and The Data Collection, Analytics and Reporting Consultant (“The Consultant”) for this workstream, will support the USAID/Malawi Mission (“The Mission”) to collect, manage and analyze the data required for tracking key, prioritized Development Objective 2 (DO2) indicators over the life of Malawi’s 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). [Note: The Consultant’s long-term partnership with YLLP and engagement in this workstream is contingent upon extension of this yearlong subcontract.]
The YLLP will use data the Mission gathers from Implementing Partners (IPs) through its standard quarterly and annual reporting requirements and the indicators that YLLP tracks to inform the twice-annual mission portfolio reviews (YLLP will provide data and visuals; the Mission will present/facilitate portfolio reviews.) While the Mission’s IPs will be responsible for collecting data for a vast majority of the DO2 performance indicators, there are indicators that may need to be directly collected by YLLP over the life of the CDCS on an annual basis or as a follow-up after an activity ends to assess post-intervention outcomes.
The Consultant, with YLLP support will review the DO2 Indicator Tracking Table, work with USAID and YLLP to identify and prioritize key indicators, develop a data collection and management protocol in line with USAID’s Performance Indicator Reference Sheets (PIRS), then compile this together with an inception report and workplan for this task.
With support from IREX, The Consultant will use our organization’s Activity Info relational database and system, to clean, manage, conduct analysis, and submit data on the indicators as agreed on with IREX and the Mission. He/She may conduct primary data collection, and aggregate secondary data from selected IPs.
The Mission will also call on The Consultant to support the analytics and visualization of some of the data it collects directly from its DO2 Implementing Partners. For this to happen, The Consultant will be granted access to the Mission’s DIS system and other databases as and when necessary, working closely with their MEL leads.
A tentative list of DO2 indicators that The Consultant will be responsible for directly collecting and/or analyzing data on behalf of the mission, is provided in the annex section. The final list of direct data collection indicators vs indicators for secondary data aggregation/analysis and time limits will be determined with USAID based on the mission’s priorities, as agreed with IREX and The Consultant, based on available funding and reasonable periods. The Consultant and IREX will also consult the Mission to identify sources of secondary data from other
implementing partners.
Using IREX’s internal Activity Info database, The Consultant will aggregate The Mission’s DIS
data, using appropriate units for each indicator, and – in line with agreed upon processes – analyze data for identified indicators bi-annually and report this data into the Mission. The Consultant will clean, analyze, and report this data to USAID as per the agreed reporting schedules.
Workstream 2: Performance Indicator data collection
The Consultant will also collect, manage, clean, and report on Youth Excel’s YLLP indicators as outlined in the Youth Excel YLLP AMELP (Activity MEL Plan). They will use existing Youth Excel (YE) data collection tools and processes as guided by the Global MEL Advisor. These indicators relate to the objectives and results of the global Youth Excel program activities, which the YLLP is part of. The list in Annex 1 (Part 2) below gives an overview of the main YLLP/YE indicators that the successful candidate will be required to collect data against and report to the YE MEL Advisor quarterly. NOTE: This list may be updated.
Workstream 3: Overall support to other YLLP Tasks
The Consultant will also be required to provide ad hoc support to the YLLP partners that are implementing Tasks 1 (Youth Landscape Analysis) and 2 (Learning Agenda Implementation), with any data management and analytics needs that they may have. This support role will be coordinated with the YLLP Activity Lead and the other partners.
Key Deliverables and Reporting Requirements:
For Workstream 1, An inception report and workplan will be due within 30 days of subcontract signing, contingent on required inputs and concurrence from IREX and USAID, and subject to agreed upon revisions over time. The volume, frequency, and timelines of data reporting for the indicators (and partners) required by the USAID Mission in Malawi will vary with the indicators selected, as per the DO2 AMELP. The specific reporting formats and timelines will be jointly determined by the Mission, the Consultant, and the YE/YLLP team as part of the onboarding process and documented in the workplan.
Under Workstream 2, The Consultant will collect data for reporting against the selected YE/YLLP indicator data, as outlined in the Youth Excel program AMELP. This data will be collected using the standard YE Program/MEL reporting guidelines, tools and templates as shared by the YE Global MEL Advisor, for each quarter. Quarterly reports will be due for the
April 1 to June reporting period by July 20, July 1 to September 30 reporting period by October 20; October 1 to December 31 reporting period by January 20; and January 1 to March 31 reporting period by April 20 of each fiscal year.
Minimum Requirements
1. The applicant should be a Malawian National with at least 6 years; experience in the application of quantitative research and data analytical/visualization skills in support of donor-funded development programs
2. Experience directly working with or supporting USAID funded programs with high-level data management and analytics roles is highly desired
3. Demonstrable experience of working with a variety of systems for data management (e.g., SQL, Access, Activity Info etc.) and data analysis (e.g., SPSS, R, STATA, SAS) and data visualization (e.g., Power BI, Tableau etc.) and any other relevant platforms
4. Demonstrable experience in working in the fields of research and/or evaluation using mixed methods in Malawi and/or any other developing countries contexts.
5. Knowledge of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework and experience evaluating youth programs and using youth-friendly participatory approaches are required.
6. Experience with management, analytics and visualization of large datasets from multi/cross sectoral studies, including the repackaging of findings into learning products including actionable reports and facilitating a culture of learning
7. Experience working with USAID data management systems (DIS) and/or similar donor data management systems
8. Familiarity with USAID’s MERL guidelines, systems and approaches, particularly the standard (youth) indicators
9. A good understanding of the Malawi youth landscape and other relevant stakeholders working on youth-related issues
B. Role No. 2 – Qualitative Research Consultant
The YE/YLLP activity in Malawi is seeking the services of an individual Qualitative Research Consultant who will provide overall adhoc qualitative support to YLLP: Task 1 (Youth Landscape Analysis), Task 2 (Learning Agenda) and Task 3 (Progress Achievement) as outlined below.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
Workstream 1: Youth Landscape Analysis
Data Analysis
Develop an analysis matrix/framework
Review existing data set including summaries and develop patterns and intersectionality across cases
Conduct data analysis for a subset of the data and produce summaries/narratives
Conduct data triangulation with comparative studies
Report Writing:
Support and contribute to report writing
Workstream 2: Overall support to YLLP Tasks
The consultant will support implementation of the Learning Agenda Implementation Plan with guidance from IREX. This will include but not limited to tools development, literature review, application of the Positive Youth Development and GESI methodology to the research process, gather qualitative inputs from Mission staff, Implementing Partners and USAID program participants to interrogate data where applicable, review and analysis existing data, and facilitate stakeholder engagement. Provide data analytics and visualization support to data deep dives and development of learning products
Skills and Qualifications
1. A masters degree in a relevant field, such as behavioral science, demography, education, public policy, economics, international development
2. Technical knowledge and expertise in conducting youth development, programming and youth focused research in one or more sectors (education, employment, civic engagement, health.)
3. Experience with producing technical and learning products (briefs, reports and manuscripts)
4. Demonstrated experience in undertaking systematic or rapid reviews, mixed methods large-scale research, assessments, surveys and/or analyses within Malawi and Africa and use of analytic software (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, NVIVO, Deboose) for data analysis and visualization and developing narratives and/or conceptual frameworks from qualitative data a plus.
5. Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects in fast-paced work environments and deliver high quality results/learning outputs under tight deadlines.
6. In-depth understanding of the Malawian political, economic and social context and great familiarity with development opportunities and challenges of the country.
7. Experience in drafting and repackaging research reports for multiple audiences and ability to communicate professionally in English.
8. Experience and skills in facilitation of diverse groups, both in-person and virtually.
Terms of Engagement
Each role will be recruited separately, on a one Year Renewable Contract, depending on the timely delivery of the milestones and availability of funding
The consultant(s) will report directly to the YLLP Activity Lead and the Youth Excel Program’s Global MERL Advisor.
We anticipate the successful consultant(s) to be engaged for approximately 10 days every month for this first year of technical support. (This will vary with the actual support needs of the program, and for each role)
How can you apply?
Submit application by July 19, 2023, at 23:59 CAT by email to [email protected] and [email protected]
1. The Email title should state the position being applied for i.e., either YLLP Quantitative Analytics Consultant or YLLP Qualitative Research Consultant
2. CV that emphasizes your relevant experience for this assignment. Please include the country where you are currently located as well as countries/regions where you have experience, and relevant language skills. (We are looking for Malawian Nationals based in Malawi)
3. Cover letter: Please submit a cover letter briefly outlining general information about the consultant, limited to 2 pages or less.
Brief consultant profile
Daily rate of consultant
Provide 3 sample products, for example:
- Research/Findings Report i.e., an assessment, evaluation study
- A learning/knowledge/technical product or brief
- Data visualizations
TIMVENI reserves the right to accept late and incomplete applications when it is in the best interest of Youth Excel objectives; otherwise, late, and incomplete applications will be automatically disqualified.
Key links
IREX – IREX – Investing in people. Inspiring change.
Youth Excel – Youth Excel: Our Knowledge, Leading Change | IREX
YLLP – Youth Landscape and Learning Platform
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]
