Local Consultant (Conduct Political Economy Analysis) at Mercy Corps Nigeria - 4 Openings

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Operating in Nigeria since 2008, Mercy Corps has been providing critical relief aid, empowering communities to prevent and respond to violence, inclusive economic development, recovery from crisis, building better lives and transforming their communities for good.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Local Consultant to Conduct Political Economy Analysis

Locations: Jibia, Dan Musa, Kankara and Batsari - Katsina

Background of the Project

• The Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation Project funded by the European Union aim to reduce community violence, promote locally driven peace initiatives, and mitigate conflicts over natural resources in Katsina State of Northwest Nigeria. Northwest Nigeria is currently experiencing a complex crisis and high violence perpetrated by numerous armed actors, including clashes between farmers and herders, criminal gangs, and non-state armed groups. This large-scale violence is fueled by a spiral of attacks and retaliations affecting a significant part of the population. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives each year since 2018, causing substantial losses of assets, weakening institutional and socioeconomic infrastructures, and leaving communities without livelihoods.
• The interrelated and complex drivers of the violence in the Northwest are rooted in long-running development deficits and demographic pressure, tainted with religious and ethnic prejudices. Competition over land and water resources exacerbated by the impact of climate change and environmental degradation contributes to violence, primarily between farmer and herder communities who compete over the access of land and water resources. Poor resource governance and the justice system’s failure to resolve disputes and bring perpetrators to accountability have created mistrust between the authorities and the communities, leaving vacuum for criminal operations.
• The theory of change (ToC) behind the implementation of this project states that; If community structures are strengthened to address community grievances and find solutions to disputes in an inclusive manner. If communities are engaged in dialogue and cooperation, their youths and women are supported to participate in decision making and have a positive role in their communities.
• If communities are mobilized to cooperate in building an integrated natural resource sharing mechanism. If victims of human rights violations, gender-based violence and other affected members of communities including women, men, and youths are supported with mental health and psychosocial services. If a transitional justice system is in place, and the local government is supported to restore trust with communities, Then inter-and intra-communal conflicts will decrease, and the ground for reconciliation will be laid. Communities will rebuild their livelihood in an environment where a peaceful sharing of resources benefiting everyone is possible, and local governments will have the capacity and trust of their community to be the legitimate and accountable institution that guarantees the peaceful coexistence of their communities.
• The project is being implemented by a Consortium of IOM, MCN and CDD in Katsina State, Nigeria. The project is conducting a Political Economy Analysis to understand the power dynamics and resource management in the LGAs of implementation.

Purpose of the Political Economy Analysis

• A key focus for political economy analysis will look at how power and resources are distributed and contested within the respective communities in comparison to other locations currently not experiencing direct violence within the State.
• A comparison will be made to understand which political institutions are most conducive to the development and reform of the communities; and, secondly, under what conditions such institutions emerge.
• The assessment will get beneath the formal and informal structures to reveal the underlying interests, incentives, and institutions that enable or can frustrate change for the action.

Fundamental Questions To Consider:

• How are power and resources distributed within communities currently experiencing direct violence within Katsina State (all the LGAs), and how does this compare to communities that are not experiencing violence?
• What are the most conducive political institutions for the development and reform of communities, and what conditions are necessary for these institutions to emerge?
• What are the underlying interests, incentives, and institutions that enable or frustrate change for action in communities experiencing direct violence within Katsina State.How can this analysis reveal the formal and informal structures that shape power and resource distribution within communities, and what insights can be gained from this analysis to inform strategies for promoting positive change
• How people's access to resources and power is shaped by gender and other social inequalities, and how the program can make sure that the perspectives of women, men, and young people with various social identities are considered in the development of the analysis' methodology, scope, and application.

Evaluation Design And Propose Questions:

• The evaluation will employ the use qualitative approach and methodology involving the administration of focus group discussion and Key Informant Interview Guide to mapped stakeholders within the communities of intervention.
• The evaluator (consultant) is expected to use qualitative data collection methodology and develop a work plan approved by the MEL Focal person before the start of the evaluation. Data collection shall involve visits to program locations, meetings with program partners, targeted stakeholders.
• Travel to program locations is subject to security clearance and adherence to Mercy Corps safety and security protocols. The consultant will lead the qualitative data collection, including supervising data collection teams and completing the analysis within the approved timeline adopting the most appropriate sampling of stakeholders for the evaluation.
• The consultant will design the overall qualitative study approach and should consider a variety of primary data collection methods, including semi-structured in-depth interviews; focus group discussions; and observations. Data will be collected from all key stakeholders through interviews, discussions, consultative processes, and observations. Participants for the qualitative interviews will be selected using the purposive samples approach.

Consultant Deliverables
The consultant is expected to conduct the following tasks and to produce a comprehensive evaluation report including the following:

• An Inception Report and Data Analysis Plan with inputs based on Mercy Corps feedback (two rounds of revisions).
• Draft all data collection tools and revise according to Mercy Corps feedback (one round of revisions).
• Develop and propose a sampling strategy and sample size.
• Train, and oversee the work of enumerators.
• Conduct field data collection.
• Analyze data collected from primary data collection efforts.
• Prepare a draft evaluation report (one round of revision to be included based on feedback from Mercy Corps and other consortium members).
• Conduct presentation of findings to the Consortium.
• Prepare a report brief of 4-5 pages summarizing key findings.
• Prepare final (copy edited) evaluation report.
• Edit and finalize report with suggestions from donor after submission by Mercy Corps.

Final Report Structure & Content

• Cover Page, List of Acronyms
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary: This section should be a clear and concise stand-alone document that gives readers the essential contents of the PEA report, including a summary of major findings, and recommendations.
• Methodology: This section should be sufficiently detailed to help the reader judge the accuracy of the report and its findings.
• Limitations: This section should address constraints and limitations of the methodology, and the implications of these limitations for the findings, including whether and why any of the evaluation findings are inconclusive.
• Results: This section should provide a clear assessment of progress concerning objectives and evaluation questions. This section should highlight findings on the gender equality and social inclusion dynamics of the PEA.
• Recommendations, and Conclusion: This is space for the evaluation team to think about the findings and make concrete recommendations for current or future program improvements. Recommend social and political change agents and pathways that will not reinforce the hierarchies of power that systematically marginalize and harm women, youth and other disadvantaged groups. Everything presented in this section should be directly linked back to the information presented in the Results/findings section of the report.
• Conflicts of Interest: Disclose any conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest, including the interest of program staff in having a successful program.
• Annexes: These should include a complete file of data collection guide in English and translations if any; list of stakeholder groups with number and type of interactions; qualitative protocols developed and used, and photos.

Responsibilities

• Provide all relevant documentation and reports.
• Connect consultant with construction firm hired.
• Mobilization of participants/stakeholders
• Provision of accommodation for consultant
• Review Draft Reports
• Approve final reports.

Location:

• The consultancy will be requiring travel to be station in Katsina state and conducted across Batsari, Jibia, Kankara and Dan Musa Local Government Areas respectively.

Reporting Line:

• The Consultant will report primarily to Project Manager

Work closely with:

• Community Mitigation and Community Reconciliation -NW (CMCR-NW) Program & M&E Team.

Evaluation Criteria
The complete technical proposal (including support documentation) will be evaluated according to the criteria described below:

• Motivation Letter outlining how the applicant meets the requirements of this assignment and Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the applicant (30%).
• Technical proposal detailing understanding of the task and outlining how they propose to undertake this assignment including a work plan (30%).
• Financial Proposal (use the template provided) 20%
• Two previous reports on similar or related work (10%)
• Three referees’ names and contacts related to similar work and successful completion of past project (10%)

Note: Financial proposal guidelines:

• The financial proposal shall include professional fees, travel, per diems, for anticipated number of days (21) working days as in the above table.
• Payments are based upon milestones achieved.
• Submit your duly signed financial proposal separately from Technical Proposal in a PDF FORMAT

Payment Terms

• Mercy Corps will make payment based on agreed schedule through bank transfer. Mercy Corps will deduct WHT in line with government regulations.

Application Closing Date
8th June, 2023.