Benin: Lead Researchers (four Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) positions; one STTA in each of the following countries) – Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, or

International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a U.S. based international development consulting company established in 1987, has worked in over one hundred countries and implemented over three hundred projects. IBTCI serves government agencies, private sector companies and several donor agencies. IBTCI specializes in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) across many sectors including, but not limited to, conflict and crisis, democracy and governance, economic growth, education, environment, and global health.

Assignment Title: Lead Researchers (four Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) positions; one STTA in each of the following countries) – Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea
Department/Location: Remote, with three weeks field research
Technical Point of Contact: Research Director, PELA
Type: Short Term Consultancy
Classification: Consultancy

Overview: IBTCI seeks four STTA lead researchers; each lead researcher is to specialize in politics and/or security in one of the following countries - Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea - to lead a violent extremism (VE) risk assessment of each country – including a literature review and field research. This assessment is funded by USAID West Africa’s Peace through Evaluation, Learning and Adapting (PELA) project. The purpose of this activity is to support USAID/West Africa to be a more effective, efficient and adaptable operating unit in achieving the development objective of strengthening systems of non-violent conflict management in West Africa. This is a ten week consultancy beginning on or about February 26, 2019 and includes three (3) weeks of field research in the country of expertise. Please specify country of expertise in the application.

Using your research and subject matter expertise and skills, perform tasks on specific task order and/or contracts. Tasks could include, but not limited to:

Scope of Work:

• Advise PELA on the recruitment of the local research team in country of expertise - Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea (local researcher and logistics coordinator positions);
• Lead a literature review on risk factors to VE or violent conflict in country of expertise - Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea;
• Lead primary source data collection in Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea, according to the VE risk assessment framework;
• Collaborate with the PELA Research Director and the local researcher to develop key informant (KII) and focus group discussion (FGD) questionnaires and protocols;
• Lead a team of researchers to collect key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussions (FGDs) in assigned locations, to include a morning brief with the team on each day’s research agenda and an evening debrief with the team on any adjustments that need to be made, be it regarding logistics (e.g., interview schedules) or substance (e.g., adjustments to interview techniques, note taking, etc);
• Ensure that the data collected in the field are of the highest possible quality and are recorded and stored in a manner that meets ethical standards for human subject research and USAID regulations;
• Advise the PELA Research Director on the research permissions required by the host-country government and working with the assessment team’s local researcher to ensure that the project complies with host country’s laws and procedures for international research,
• Provide the PELA Research Director with daily updates during field research data collection;
• Ensure that transcripts and/or notes of each KII and FGD are typed and made available to the PELA team within 48 hours of the KII or FGD;
• Analyze the data;
• Draft a 15 to 25-page report of the assessment and findings;
• Participate in weekly coordination meetings with the PELA Research Director and the assessment teams from other West African countries, or as needed; and
• Other duties as required.

Serve in the above consultant capacity to support the IBTCI technical practices of Crisis, Conflict & Governance, Agriculture & Food Security & Economic, Education & Growth and Global Health and/or Business Development divisions.

• This position does not authorize/require the consultant to directly communicate with IBTCI clients.
• This position does not authorize/require the consultant to have decision making authority on final work product.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Oral proficiency in an Ivorian, Béninoise, Togolese, or Guinean language preferred.
• Familiarity with the West African context is preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• 5-8 years of research experience in one or more of the following countries is required - Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea or West Africa; 2 or more years of field research or living experience preferred in one or more of the following countries - Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea.
• Expertise in politics and/or security in one or more of the following countries required - Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, or Guinea; additional expertise in violent extremism or violent conflict is highly preferred.
• Research skills – ability to conduct literature reviews, use bibliographic software such as Zotero, attention to detail, ability to collect “off-the-shelf” data, and conducting interviews and FGDs – is required.
• Past experience and demonstrated success in leading cross-cultural teams of researchers in the field is required.
• Ability to communicate well through written work with diverse stakeholders, including donors, beneficiaries, and local officials is required.
• Intermediate/professional level French (oral and written) is required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is required.
• Oral and written fluency in English is required.
• Ability to meet deadlines is required.

Education: Master’s degree in international relations, politics and governance, peacebuilding, security studies, international development, or related field required. A PhD in one of these fields is highly preferred.
Supervisory Responsibility: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.
Travel: Travel is required.
No phone calls please. All candidates will be acknowledged, but only final candidates for particular activities will be contacted. Please specify in the application the country specialization of the candidate.

IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.

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