External Evaluation of Psychosocial Project

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) seeks an External Project Evaluation Consultant for a short-term assignment.

Organization:

The Center for Victims of Torture works toward a future in which torture ceases to exist and its victims have hope for a new life. We are an international nonprofit dedicated to healing survivors of torture. We provide direct care for those who have been tortured, train partners around the world who can prevent and treat torture, and advocate for an end to torture. We are headquartered in Minnesota with offices in Africa and the Middle East.

Purpose and Scope of the Evaluation

The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the areas of success of a specific initiative (approx. 18 months, $1M) in meeting its objectives. This evaluation will contribute to developing a more robust picture of the immediate outcomes and potential longer-term impact of the initiative and its activities. As funding is sought to continue the initiative beyond its current expansion phase, this evaluation will contribute analyses of which activities are most likely to be feasible and contribute most effectively to meeting the objectives. This evaluation should address the current initiative’s progress towards all objectives, but proportionally greater focus will be devoted to objectives where more activities have taken place.

The final report and all supporting materials or data will be shared with CVT and used to inform programmatic decisions. Findings may also be shared with the initiative donor. The report and/or its findings may be shared with partner organizations to promote discussions about how to enhance collaborations, overcome challenges, and strengthen the efficacy of joint activities.

EvaluationGoals

This evaluation should gather information to:

(1) Describe the scope of the activities conducted since the initiative start

(2) Assess the responsiveness of the initiative to contextual challenges and the appropriateness of adaptations made to activities

(3) Evaluate the outcomes of activities conducted

(4) Analyze the potential for longer-term impact of activities conducted

(5) Consider the degree to which the initiative has achieved its five objectives

(6) Suggest learnings for future initiative design, objectives, and/or activities

Data and Approach

This evaluation should collect primary information from CVT staff, partner organization staff, and beneficiaries or participants in activities (where it is appropriate to do so). Relevant individuals are located in the United States and the Middle East. A qualitative approach will be most effective, but may be supplemented by relevant quantitative data.

All standard monitoring and evaluation data collected in the initiative and quarterly reports submitted to-date will be shared. Due to the complex nature of the initiative, the evaluation will need to be conducted with a creative approach. CVT’s Research team is available to consult on this evaluation, as needed.

Technical Requirements & Key Deliverables

Evaluation plan. CVT will provide all necessary background information, including M&E data, proposal(s), reports, and other documentation of activities. The evaluator will prepare an evaluation plan to meet the six goals described above. The evaluation plan should specify an evaluation approach, such as most significant change, outcome mapping, a beneficiary assessment, causal link monitoring, horizontal evaluation, or participator evaluation. The evaluation plan should specify data collection methods, such as interviews or focus group discussions. The plan should also identify key participants in the evaluation. Data collection instruments should be developed. The evaluation plan should be created by the evaluator, but refined in an iterative process with the team. The evaluation plan will be approved by research and program management prior to implementation.

Reports and presentations. The evaluator should prepare a comprehensive report that details the findings of the evaluation in each of the six areas. The report should include: an executive summary; a summary of the evaluation’s purpose, objectives, and questions; details of the evaluation plan; a discussion of the evaluation’s findings in each of the six areas, with supporting evidence from collected information; a discussion of conclusions and recommendations; and any supporting information or documentation. The evaluator should also prepare a set of all materials gathered in the course of the evaluation and remit to CVT. The evaluator will prepare a presentation, to CVT staff, which should be interactive, designed to facilitate interaction, feedback, and learning.

Competencies. The evaluator must have experience evaluating complex programs. Experience in mental health and psychosocial programing and/or human rights documentation will be an asset. The evaluator must have strong qualitative skills, including the ability to design effective data collection tools, understand participant selection, conduct appropriate interviews or focus group discussions, analyze qualitative data accurately, and clearly communicate key findings. The ideal evaluator would be fluent in English and Arabic. Finally, the evaluator should have a strong understanding of and practical experience working in sensitive contexts and subject areas.

Timeline

The timeline for this consultancy is as soon as possible. It is estimated to take between 25-30 working days, but this may be re-evaluated following preliminary discussions with the successful applicant. At that stage, the consultant will offer a tentative evaluation workplan with specific dates based on the deliverables. The overall consultancy should be completed no later than October 31, 2018.

Location and Required Travel

Much of this consultancy may be conducted remotely; however, some travel to Minneapolis, USA and/or Amman, Jordan may be required.

Qualifications

In addition to the competencies described above, applicants should have:

· Academic qualifications related to social research and/or program design and evaluation

· Minimum 10 years relevant experience, including in the humanitarian sector

· Experience designing and/or evaluating projects involving vulnerable populations

· Experience designing and/or implementing projects in the Middle East, preferably in conflict-affected countries

· Demonstrated experience conducting evaluations, gap analyses, or needs assessments

· Experience evaluating partnership-based projects

To Apply

Send CV and a statement of interest to crobinson@cvt.org. Statement of interest should include the following: details on your relevant experience; daily consultancy rate, availability, evaluation writing sample.