Midterm Performance Evaluation of USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Activity Evaluation Specialist

Midterm Performance Evaluation of USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Activity Evaluation Specialist

Practice: Data – MEL

Work type: Part-time/Consultant

Location: This position is based in Kathmandu and may require travel to USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Activity working districts of Nepal. You must be legally authorized to work in Nepal; Bixal does not provide sponsorship.

Background

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Learning for Development Activity is a 5-year award led by Bixal Solutions, Inc. that provides USAID/Nepal with technical and advisory services in planning, designing, conducting, and learning from the monitoring and evaluation of the Mission's strategies, projects, and activities in an efficient manner. USAID Learning for Development supports USAID/Nepal by providing services including a) learning and knowledge management; b) evaluations, study, and other studies; c) performance monitoring technical support; d) capacity building; and e) development outreach and communications support.

What will you do?

USAID Learning for Development is seeking a mid-level Nepali consultant with experience in the evaluation sector. The candidate should possess strong technical expertise in project evaluation with a good understanding of Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Combating Wildlife Trafficking, GEDSI, and green-enterprises development (both on-farm and off-farm enterprise development. This role is part of the mid-term performance evaluation team for the USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Activity and supports conducting evaluations and surveys in the local Nepali context. They will assist the team in creating tools for the evaluation, translating tools for the evaluation, and collecting data for the evaluation, following the direction of the Team Leader. They must be fluent in English and Nepali, among other local languages.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Evaluation Specialist will be part of a broader consultancy team, working closely with other consultants to ensure the smooth completion of the assignment. They will provide technical assistance in methodological areas and data collection. Key responsibilities include contributing to a comprehensive inception report, supporting the design of data collection methods and tools, and conducting qualitative data collection through methods such as Focused Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interviews (KII), and more. Additionally, they will assist the team with data analysis and preparing the final report.

The specific responsibilities of the evaluation specialist are as follows:

• Provide technical support in reviewing documents and other relevant materials related to the USAID Biodiversity Activity.
• Provide support in preparing the inception report detailing the evaluation design and work plan, including the evaluation tools, methodology, and schedule for data collection.
• Support to develop data collection tools – including translation and back translation, and schedule to ensure smooth data collection.
• Conduct FGDs and KIIs with relevant stakeholders, program participants, Local Government contact points, and USAID staff, which requires coordination and travel to activity locations.
• Conduct field collection and observations.
• Support the team in preparing a preliminary finding report.
• Attending regular check-in meetings with the USAID Learning for Development team.

Deliverables:

• Attend bi-weekly check-in meetings with the USAID Learning for Development team.
• Contribute to drafting and finalizing the design report, including evaluation tools and the work plan.
• Collect qualitative data, perform transcriptions, and assist in coding and thematizing.
• Assist in drafting the initial findings report.

Knowledge and Qualification:

• Master's degree in biodiversity conservation and/or climate change, environmental studies, natural resources management, development studies, or relevant subject area
• 3+ years of professional experience in evaluations or research
• Demonstrated skills in facilitating participatory processes to interpret and develop recommendations from research
• Strong communication skills, management, and writing skills required

Timeline and Level of Effort (LoE)

The assignment will span from approximately January 2025 to April 2025, with an estimated total of 25 days of Level of Effort (LoE).

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