POSITION SUMMARY

IREX seeks a qualified implementation research advisor (consultant) for the USAID Youth Excel (YE) Activity. Youth Excel has designed and is applying an approach to using implementation research to strengthen cross-sectoral positive youth development programming, help youth-led and youth-serving organizations use implementation research, and synthesize and promote findings broadly.

With the USAID Liberia Mission, Youth Excel will facilitate an implementation research activity to support a cross-sectoral  program aimed at providing youth with knowledge, opportunities, and skills to improve their livelihoods and realize their potential as productive members of Liberian society. Youth Excel will strengthen the capacities of a local organization to serve as a technical leader on implementation research and to use implementation research to strengthen cross-sectoral youth livelihoods programming at the national-level. The activity will also strengthen the capacities of 2-3 local organizations to use implementation research for similar aims at the local-level.

The Implementation Research Advisor (Consultant) will provide technical advising and mentoring to 3-4 organizations who are conducting different types of implementation research (national-level or local-level). The Advisor will be available for ad hoc consultations, providing technical assistance for research, reviewing and strengthening research plans, ongoing mentoring as youth organizations conduct research, input to facilitation or guides for workshops and trainings, supporting program adaptation using data, and/or input to knowledge products. Supported by Youth Excel global and regional experts, the Implementation Research Advisor will use Youth Excel’s implementation research approach and tools.

Additionally, the Implementation Research Advisor will co-lead the development of the national level implementation research workplan, coordinate research ethics approvals (if needed/appropriate) and develop periodic learning briefs which summarize findings from national-level and local-level implementation research.

This consultancy is expected to include 40-50 days of effort distributed from May 2022 to September 2022 with the possibility of renewal/extension.

 Summary of Responsibilities:

• Working collaboratively with the Youth Excel team, local partners, and USAID, serve as an implementation research technical mentor. Learn and use the Youth Excel implementation research approach.
• Provide individualized technical assistance and strengthen local partner capacities to use implementation research tools, use a variety of data collection methods, and help them succeed in using implementation research.
• Co-lead the development of the national-level implementation research protocol and manage any research ethics approvals (if needed/if appropriate).
• Support the development and strengthening of local partner implementation research plans at the local-level.
• Provide technical guidance to collaborative events and initiatives to interrogate, synthesize, and apply research data and finding from both national-level and local-level implementation research.
• Create periodic learning briefs summarizing findings from national-level and local-level implementation research.

Skills and Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a field related to implementation research and/or participatory action research in a field related to international development, youth development, education, employment, health, or another relevant field.
• Technical knowledge and expertise in youth livelihoods, youth employment, youth life skills, and/or gender and social inclusion.
• At least three (3) years’ experience using implementation research, participatory action research, or related methodologies with local organizations in West Africa. Experience working with youth researchers in these regions is strongly preferred.
• Experience providing technical assistance in research to individuals who may not have had research experience.
• Experience upholding high ethical standards in research. Experience working with minors in research preferred.

• Demonstrated facilitation skills with widely diverse groups.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects in fast-paced work environments, and deliver high quality results under tight deadlines.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English. Conversational skills in local Liberian languages (i.e. Lorma, Kissi, Bassa) a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, reflection, and learning.
• Physically based in Liberia preferred.

Application submission instructions:

1. CV that emphasizes relevant experience for this assignment. Please include the country where you are currently located as well as countries/regions where you have experience, and relevant language skills.

1. Cover letter: Please submit a cover letter briefly outlining general information about the consultant, limited to 2 pages or less.
   1. Brief consultant profile
   2. If attached to a firm, include a brief description (if a firm, note that one individual will be designated as key personnel in the agreement).
   3. If a firm, state whether firm/consultant is local, national, or international, and size of firm.
   4. Daily rate of consultant
   5. Indicate rough schedule of availability