Search for Common Ground (Search) is seeking a consultant who can evaluate the role of Rwandan civil society organisations, particularly youth CSOs, and media in shifting social norms relating to good governance and their level of collaboration with institutions in promoting more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance. Following our 24 months program, we are primarily interested in the norms around agency, polarization and institutional legitimacy. Consultant’s research proposals should include a plan to analyze these shifts across location, sex, age, and other demographics. Candidates’ teams should have experience researching norms to explain the connection between programming, the context, and the changes observed.

Context

The Projects:

• •  Search, with support from the European Union through its Civil Society Organizations and Local Authorities’ mechanism, and in partnership with the Rwandan Scouts Association, Radio Ishingiro, Radio Isangano, and Radio Izuba, implemented a 24-month project (1 January 2018 – 31 December 2020), Ubufatanye mu Miyoborere: Advancing CSO-led Participatory Governance in Rwanda, with the overall goal to enhance the capacity and confidence of Rwandan civil society organisations to promote more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance. The project was implemented in the districts of Ngoma, Gicumbi, Nyamasheke, and Ruhango, while Kigali hosted national level activities like policy forums and award ceremonies.
  • Promoting Fiscal Transparency in Rwanda was a 24 months (September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2020) USAID funded project which aimed to increase the engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs) and Rwandan citizens in the government budget process. The key stakeholders of the project were civil society organisations (CSOs), including youth- and women-led CSOs; communities and community leaders, government actors and local authorities; community radio stations, and the Rwanda Scouts Association (Scouts). The project was implemented in the districts of Ngoma, Gicumbi and Nyamasheke, while Kigali will host national level activities like the policy forums and award ceremonies.

Goals & Objectives of Study:

• • Determine to what extent the projects were able to enhance the capacity and confidence of Rwandan civil society organisations to promote more inclusive, responsive, and transparent local-level governance;
  • Assess if the projects were able to bridge the gap between the media and CSOs creating a powerful and mutually-beneficial relationship, allowing for broader reach, innovation, and impact around fostering good governance in Rwanda;
  • Explore how the projects contributed to shape the way local authorities are engaging youth and civil society actors in governance;
  • Evaluate the level of achievement of the results in the two projects and their level of endurance, as per agreed results chain and project logic;

Methodology & Data Collection Tools:

Deliverables:

• • • An inception report detailing the methodology, data collection tools and timeline;
    • Any necessary training of data collectors or set-up of systems for data collection;
    • Supervision and participation in data collection;
    • Oversight of data coding and analysis;
    • All original data submitted to Search;
    • A draft evaluation report in English [insert other languages if needed], for review by Search staff and partners;
    • A final report in English (40 pages max in length, excluding appendices) consistent with Search branding and standards for evaluation.

Requirements:

• • Proficiency in English, knowledge of Kinyarwanda is a plus;
  • More than 5 years of experience in project evaluation, including collecting data in interviews, surveys and focus groups;
  • Experience in conflict analysis and working in governance and with civil society sectors;
  • Experience working with international organizations;
  • Experience conducting quantitative surveys and analysis;
  • Evaluation methods and data collection skills;
  • Familiarity and experience with contextual challenges in the geographic location(s) where the study will take place.

Proposals must be submitted by August 30th. Proposals will be evaluated during the month of September and shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview mid-September. The selected candidates will finalize the inception report and data collection tools by early October. We expect data collection to start mid-October and the first draft of the report to be shared by Mid-November. The final report will be submitted by early December at latest.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.