Research and Knowledge Manager At Global Giving UK

Salary range: £30,000-£40,000

*This is a contractual position, hence we expect the fee to be included in the project budget as per the proposal guidelines.

Request for Proposals: Research and knowledge management Consultant

GlobalGiving is looking for an experienced consultant to support with research and knowledge management for four months in the first phase of the programme – funded by USAID

Overview

GlobalGiving exists to transform aid and philanthropy to accelerate community-led change. Our aim is to develop an alternative model for philanthropy and development that puts communities in the lead. You should be motivated by our mission to do development differently. We are driven by our values: to never settle, remain always open, commit to wow our partners, and listen, act, learn so we innovate and strive for the best. GlobalGiving is the consortium lead for Assets, Agency, and Trust, funded by USAID Philippines LocalWorks initiative which aims to drive innovation and experimentation in locally-led development. GlobalGiving and its two consortium partners, Global Fund for Community Foundations and Nonprofit Finance Fund, strongly believe that community ownership is key to sustainable development and that resources that are generated by and for a community can create durable and thriving societies.

Through partnerships, research and engagement with civil society actors and social change makers in the Philippines, this two year action-research programme will:

• Explore new and emergent forms of community philanthropy in the Philippines
• Identify current challenges, opportunities and ideas for furthering community philanthropy models in the Philippines
• Support ‘anchor institutions’ (civil society organisations and/or other change-makers) in the Philippines to test and learn from ideas identified for furthering the use and support for community philanthropy approaches in the Philippines
• Document and communicate learning to key audiences as identified through influencing strategies with the long-term aim of shifting mindsets and funding practices in line with GlobalGiving’s vision.

The Assets, Agency and Trust programme is envisioned as a dynamic action-research programme, where information gathering around community philanthropy approaches in the Philippines overlaps with idea cultivation for furthering community philanthropy approaches and with the testing and piloting of ideas and new approaches based on learning. Learning and evidence will be captured throughout and used to inform consequent programme phases and/or make adjustments to programme activities and goals as needed.

The opportunity

GlobalGiving is looking for an experienced consultant to support with research and knowledge management for four months in the first phase of the programme; a phase which is focused on developing an overview of existing and emerging community philanthropy approaches in the Philippines in order to guide programme decision-making and inform subsequent phases of the programme.

The consultant will be responsible for ensuring that data, information, evidence, and learning is systematically and accurately collected and captured, organised and analysed in the first phase of the programme. Given the focus of this initiative on emergent trends, innovative thinking and identifying structural changes, we are looking for someone who is creative, open minded, adaptable, and curious.

The consultant should have experience in the following areas:

• Developing analysis frameworks for gathering large quantities of mainly qualitative information in ways that are non-extractive and respectful of local contexts
• Development and implementation of sampling plans and ability to set up systems for tracking incoming data against sampling plan
• Developing appropriate, participatory and innovative tools and methodologies for gathering primary data and programme learning (such as social network analysis, decolonising research methods, participatory action research, user-centered design research, or similar)
• Independently developing and implement information systems and processes for organising, verifying, cleaning, and analysing mainly primary qualitative data using relevant software (such as Nvivo, Stata, SPSS, or similar)
• Ability to use relevant information visualisation software to support in the development of information products for reporting, sharing, feedback, and influencing to key audiences

Deliverables

The project deliverables should be achieved through working closely with key GlobalGiving team members, specifically the Senior Programme and Consortium Manager, Evidence and Learning Programme officer and Programme Lead in the Philippines. At the end of this consultancy, the consultant should have completed the following deliverables:

1. An analytical framework to guide research processes and answer research questions throughout the programme (Note: the consultant will not be required to develop all the tools required to execute this analysis framework, see further below)
2. A reviewed and updated survey for gathering top-line information about existing community philanthropy approaches in the Philippines, with relevant research processes also updated accordingly (Note: a survey has already been developed and translated, but an expert review is required)
3. Information gathering tool(s) and methodology to allow for more detailed exploration of themes identified through the broad overview described in 2) above (using for example key informant or Focus Group Discussions methodologies)
4. A simple information management system and processes in place for verifying, organising, cleaning, and analysing information coming in from the broad overview (mentioned in 2)) and the detailed exploration (mentioned in 3)).
5. Initial verification, cleaning, organisation, analysis, and visual presentation of initial data gathered (no more than 100 data entries are expected at this stage)
6. On-going training on research recommendations, tools, systems and processes to GlobalGiving and partners as well as final training to GlobalGiving staff of tools and systems and processes developed.

Sample project timeline

GlobalGiving UK is initially looking for approximately 4 months of project support, with the possibility of extension. We are open to adjustments to this timeline and structure if the consultant recommends and shares a compelling rationale.

Month 1:

• Comprehensive introduction to programme by GlobalGiving staff
• Comprehensive introduction to research processes already developed
• Review documentation, data, systems, processes
• Development of plan and timeline to complete deliverables, including outline of resources and support required
• Review of survey (deliverable 2)
• Development of system, tools and processes for verifying, organising, cleaning and analysing information in-coming through survey

Month 2:

• Completion of analytical framework (deliverable 1)
• Development of methodology and information gathering tool(s) to allow for more detailed exploration of themes identified through the broad overview (deliverable 3)
• Review, verification, cleaning and organisation of data gathered; feedback and training as required to GlobalGiving staff and partners

Month 3:

• Further development and completion of simple information management system to include processes and tools for verifying, organising, cleaning, and analysing information coming in from the broad overview and the detailed exploration.
• Review, verification, cleaning and organisation of data gathered; feedback and training as required to GlobalGiving staff and partners

Month 4:

• Review, verification, cleaning and organisation of data gathered; feedback and training as required to GlobalGiving staff and partners
• Simple visual presentation of initial data gathered (no more than 100 data entries are expected at this stage) in a format pre-agreed with GlobalGiving
• Review and update analysis framework as needed
• Training and handover to GlobalGiving staff of tools and, systems and processes developed.