International Research and Assessment Consultant

About Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Committee(MEC)

Job Summary

Job Summary:
The primary responsibility of the International Research and Assessment Consultant will be leading wide-ranging analysis of the corruption vulnerability in Afghan Public Institutions. MEC plans 3 large studies (Ministry Wide Vulnerability to Corruption Assessments, MVCAs) for 2019, each with the support of the respective Minister. The International Research and Assessment Consultant, under the direct supervision of the Technical Director, will have the lead on developing a scoping study and a research plan, including research methodology for each project. After approval of the research plan, the International Consultant will assign the teams, consisting of researchers from MEC secretariat and external research consultants, to collect the required data. The data collection method will be defined by the International Consultant in close coordination with the Technical Director. The International Consultant will supervise the research teams and lead the data analyses, including data triangulation verification processes. He/She will have the primary responsibility for writing the 1st draft of the report, including development of SMART-tested recommendations to mitigate the identified corruption vulnerabilities. After collecting internal and external comments on the 1st draft, the International Consultant will have the responsibility to incorporate/address those issues to produce the Final Report.

Duties & Responsibilities

● The International Consultant will work closely with technical teams in MEC.
● The International Consultant will be required to be present in Kabul for at least 80% of the time, though some work will be able to be done from home (by agreement from MEC management).
● As one of the first responsibilities, the International Research and Assessment Consultant, in close coordination with MEC’s Technical Director, will revise MEC’s template for scoping studies MVCAs and VCAs. Once revised, the template will be used as component of all MEC research projects.
● The International Research and Assessment Consultant, in close coordination with MEC’s Technical Director, will refine MEC’s Research Guide.
● The Consultant will draft the scope of each the three planned MVCA projects, and upon approval, develop the detailed research plans and methodologies, including project-specific budgets and timeframes.
● The Consultant will act as the lead and support for the research teams in project development and implementation – including assigning the duties and responsibilities to members of the Research teams, developing data collection tools or adapting existing tools, managing data collection and triangulation processes, collating the results, analyzing their meaning and developing the findings. Over the final months, the Consultant will finalize – as the primary author – the VCA or MVCA Final Report (in English, with accompanying SMART-tested recommendations) that MEC will issue under the name of the MEC Commissioners.,
● The Consultant will not be expected to complete, nor be reimbursed for, any tasks performed outside of his or her expected work-days.
● The final number of working days will likely range from 150 - 180, depending on the agreed-upon timeframe and schedule of the International Consultant, supporting officers, and MEC Team.
● Assigning data-collection, report-writing, and any other tasks to the MEC Officers working on this project.
● As an internal resource to the International Consultant, MEC’s M&E Team will be directly involved in Recommendation development and SMART-testing proposed recommendations.

Deliverables:
1) A revised template for Scoping Studies for MVCAs and VCAs which can be flexibly used for any Studies by MEC.
2) A refined MEC Research Guide.
3) Leading and supporting MEC’s MVCAs in 2019, from the scoping stage until the delivery of the approved Final Report, a detailed list of deliverables and timeframes will be agreed with MEC’s Technical Director.

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

● The International Consultant for Research and Assessment must have the following qualifications: Professional level English skills are required. Advanced university degree in Public Policy, Economics, Finance, Public Administration, Business Administration, Project Management or a related field;
● A minimum of seven years of experience planning and conducting research in politicized environments;
● Experience drafting and completing research reports and related written materials focusing on large sectors or Ministries, with a prior record of professional publications;
● Prior international experience, preferably in conflict or post-conflict environments, with a preference for experience in Afghanistan;
● Knowledge of internationally accepted norms and standards in anti-corruption;
● Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
● Ability to effectively lead a team in a challenging, multi-cultural and fast-paced environment;
● Ability to work in a politicized environment on highly sensitive topics;
● Native-level oral and written English required, including the ability to write sophisticated reports in English;
● Dari and/or Pashto language skills are not essential, but would be a significant asset.
The Consultant will report to the MEC’s Technical Director and Executive Director.

Submission Guideline

Candidates can apply for the position by sending their cover letter and CV in one PDF or Microsoft Word document, named in the following way: "LAST_NAME_first_name.pdf" or "LAST_NAME_first_name.doc." Supplementary documents - degrees, certificates, etc. - should not be sent at this time. The single PDF or Word file should be emailed to below email with the subject line “International Research and Assessment Consultant” by Jan 07, 2019.
MEC will accept application on rolling bases and interview the applicants as they apply for the job.

Functional Area

Economic Growth

Countries

Submission Email

jobs@mec.af

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