Requisition ID: req43485

Job Title: 2021 Afghanistan Crisis Appeal Consultant

Sector: Protection and rule of law

Employment Category: Consultant

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

Job Description

1. Background of the project

   The IRC applied for DEC funding in 2021 to cover gaps in the humanitarian response following the collapse of the government authorities and the De Facto Authorities took power in August 2021. The political system change triggered the withdrawal of development funding and international sanctions that led to the almost collapse of the banking and financial system in Afghanistan. Also, because of the end of the hostilities, the IRC was able to access many hard-to-reach areas that could not be supported in the past two decades due to the conflict. Hence, the IRC has designed a project aiming at supporting the immediate needs of the target populations, through the distribution of multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) but also to provide those in need with the tools and ability to build their resilience and strengthen disaster risk reduction mechanisms. The project has been implemented in Bamyan, Badghis, Kunduz and Helmand due to the high needs of the populations, their vulnerability to climate change-related shocks (i.e. drought and floods) and the remoteness of the communities assisted. The IRC, thanks to DEC funding, has implemented:

• Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)

• Cash for Agriculture and Livestock

• Capacity strengthening and technical Training for Crops and Livestock farmers

• Cash for Work

• Community-based Disaster Risk Management Committees

  2. Scope of work

  The final evaluation will cover the full project implementation period (15th December 2021- 31 December 2023). The aim of the evaluation is to assess whether the program has been able to meet its goal and outcome. The evaluation will also provide evidence on the extent Core Humanitarian Standards on Quality and Accountability (CHS) are applied throughout the project's live cycle. The evaluation report shall give a summary of the results seen (outputs, outcomes, and impact). The measurement will be around the project’s objective to provide evidence on its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact and highlight related challenges and problems. The report should also identify key lessons learned and give recommendations on how future collaborations with DEC can be improved and adapted to the new scenarios in Afghanistan. In addition, the evaluation will serve as an accountability tool for the Donor, the beneficiaries, and the IRC itself,

  The main objective of this evaluation is to provide IRC with an assessment of the project, its design, the extent to which Core Humanitarian Standards on Quality and Accountability (CHS) applied through the project life cycle and results. The aim is to determine the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, developmental efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. The evaluation should provide information that is credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons learned into the decision-making process of IRC and DEC in Afghanistan. Further, it will inform the development of future programmes in Afghanistan and contribute to IRC/DEC global lessons learning.

  The evaluation shall follow the criteria of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as following:

  2.1 Relevance: The appropriateness of project objectives to the problems that it was supposed to address. It should include an assessment of the quality of project preparation and design – i.e. the logic and completeness of the project planning process, and the internal logic and coherence of the project design.

  2.2. Efficiency: The fact that the project results have been achieved at a reasonable cost, i.e. how well inputs/means have been converted into activities, in terms of quality, quantity, and time, and the quality of the results achieved. This requires comparing alternative approaches to achieving the same results, to see whether the most efficient process has been adopted.

  2.3. Effectiveness : An assessment of the contribution made by results to achievement of the project purpose, and how assumptions have affected project achievements. This should include a specific assessment of the benefits accruing to target groups.

  2.4. Impact: The effect of the project on its wider environment, and its contribution to the sectors’ objectives (as summarized in the project’s overall objective). In particular, the evaluation of impact should address the following key elements:

• Social level impact;

• Economic level impact;

  2.5. Sustainability: An assessment of the likelihood of benefits produced by the project to continue to flow after external funding has ended, and with reference to the following factors:

• Results sustainability;

• Financial sustainability;

• Value for Money (VfM)

  2.6. Accountability to Affected Populations: an assessment of accountability mechanisms established and how communities had an opportunity to raise their feedback, complaints and concerns with the organization and to which extent the affected populations’ feedback informed decisions within the organization.

  3. Deliverables:

  The evaluator shall provide IRC Office in Kabul with the following deliverables:

  3.1 Inception Report in the English language outlining:

• Review design and methodology (review tools, data collection, organization and data analysis etc.)

• A detailed workplan

• A detailed budget

  3.2 Final report in the English language including the following elements:

  3.3 Final two pager with lessons learned/recommendations

  4. Duration:

  This assignment is planned to be accomplished within 3 months expected to commence on the 15th August 2023 to end by 15thNovember 2023.

  Qualifications

  Requirements:

  The consultant should have the following background:

• At least 5 years of experience in project Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning of Emergency Response, Economic Development and Natural Resource Management (Agriculture and livestock) programing.

• Previous experience of conducting external evaluations for international organizations in Afghanistan

• Preferred presence in Afghanistan

• Ensuring access for women staff (i.e. enumerators) in the targeted provinces to guarantee principled approach.

• Experience, knowledge and clear understanding of the Afghanistan context.

• Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings.

• Excellent report writing skills in English. Knowledge of Dari and Pashto is an advantage or a ccess to local interpreters if the lead consultant is unfamiliar with local languages (required) .

• Being able to deploy culturally sensitive teams across the project areas to ensure principled access to the clients.

• Proven experience in Afghanistan in the past one year.