Final Evaluation Consultant At HIAS

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS will conduct an endline performance evaluation of the project Emergency Protection and WASH Assistance in Venezuela. This evaluation has dual purposes of learning and accountability, focusing on assessing the effectiveness and relevance, coherence, and impact of the activity modalities with data disaggregated by sex, including indigenous, PwD and elder people, including all adaptations of HIAS’ core program approaches and service modalities for the COVID-19 emergency, on achieving activity outcomes. Evaluation findings will be used to inform and improve future programming.

As part of the end-line, HIAS Venezuela will provide the evaluation team with the raw data from the end-line and relevant post-distribution monitoring of the second delivery to analyze and compare the results with the baseline and post-distribution monitoring of the first delivery.

HIAS Venezuela requires the final evaluation team to use the results of the WASH Assessment conducted between January and March 2021 to compare those results with the results of this final external evaluation. It is required to use the same tool used during the January to March 2021 WASH Assessment to be able to compare these results.

The initial results of this final evaluation will be disseminated to each HIAS Venezuela office in a debriefing and validation meeting with the project staff and key stakeholders.

A final evaluation report in electronic format, including an executive summary, dashboard, and recommendations, will be distributed to all HIAS stakeholders, community, including HIAS Venezuela project and national staff and HIAS HQ program, policy, and technical (sector specialist and M&E) teams. The evaluation report will also be distributed to donor points of contact. Evaluation findings and/or components of the evaluation report may be summarized and distributed to the broader practitioner community, including M&E and sector-specific networks.

DELIVERABLES

Requested deliverables in both languages (Spanish and English):

It is mandatory to use the template and requirements for the final version provided by the donor (it will be provided as an annex to the contract between the consultant and HIAS.
The requested documents and tools must be delivered in an electronic file in an easily readable, organized, and fully documented format for use by those unfamiliar with the project or the evaluation.

Preliminary documents to submit to HIAS one week before completion of the evaluation:

Draft the report in Spanish and digital format so the HIAS team can give feedback, comments, or suggestions before the final version.
PPT presentation in Spanish with the preliminary results obtained.

Final documents in Spanish and English:

Two (02) copies of the Final report in paper and digital versions in English (Word version).
Two (02) copies of the Final report in paper and digital versions in Spanish (Word version).
PPT presentation for internal use in English and Spanish. This presentation must contain an introduction, background, schedule, methodology, limitations, key findings, best practices, and recommendations.
PPT presentation for external use in Spanish and English: partners, authorities, and other local and international NGOs.
PPT presentations for the community consider the inclusion aspects (disabilities of some community members and characteristics of languages).
All data collection and analysis tools used – such as questionnaires, checklists, survey instruments, and discussion guides.
All data collection tools: recordings, videos, or other support that has been used.
All sources of information must be duly identified and detailed.
Quantitative and qualitative data were collected during the evaluation.
Important: all documents must be in English and Spanish.
Necessary: All documents and products must comply with data protection laws and ethical standards.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

A person/team with extensive experience and technical skills in evaluation is required to conduct this final evaluation.

Among all the team members, there must be at least one person in the team who is a specialist in project evaluation. This person must:

Have pursued a social sciences degree such as Education, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, or Statistics, among others, minimum master’s level, preferably from a foreign university or a well-renowned national one.
Have 10 years of experience designing, executing, and implementing evaluations (qualitative and quantitative) of projects or programs in Latin America, with familiarity in gender and interculturality.
Implement the appropriate methodologies and use adequate tools to establish the appropriate sampling, the design of the items or indicators to be assessed (and included in the questionnaires or observations to be taken), and the consequent collection of information.
It is also desirable that this team has experience in projects related to GBV (Gender Based Violence), PSS (Psychosocial Support), WASH, children and adolescents, and people in vulnerable situations.
This person/team must clearly describe the methodology for the selection of the sample, as well as the strategy for data collection and the tools that will be used (type of forms, the content of the form, etc.).
The required professionals will be responsible for developing or implementing instruments for collecting information, participating in the fieldwork, and writing reports to stakeholders. All the factors mentioned above must be adequately justified to delimit the benefits and limitations that any of the selected approaches may have, and at the same time, the team can guarantee that the stated objectives can be achieved under her/his selected methodology.
Similarly, the evaluation team must conduct an adequate statistical analysis with the help of specialized software, preferably open-source ones, so the organization can use them without incurring additional costs. They can be easily replicable by third parties. The analysis to be carried out must be described and, if possible, declared in advance so that it can be adequately assessed and scrutinized. They also must be appropriately justified so they can be used to answer the most crucial factors included in the proposed objectives.
In addition to the technical expertise, it is desirable that the evaluation team or consultant also have experience in the evaluation area in similar contexts. They must know the population’s demographic characteristics to be treated, have solid knowledge about the communities’ geographical distribution, and know the advantages or limitations they are likely to find in certain types of social contexts. That is why it is essential that this professional/team have excellent oral skills in Spanish and English and be available to travel nationwide.
Finally, all the members involved in this evaluation team (and especially the person who specialized in the evaluation) are expected not to have any conflict of interest (COI) with the stakeholders, and it will be necessary that they can provide a written statement of disclosure of any kind of conflict in that matter.

The requirements mentioned above are entirely consistent with the proposed evaluation methodology and correspond to the budget assigned to each project evaluation activity. The factors mentioned above are the requirement proposed by HIAS Venezuela; its composition is subject to change/improvement as part of the initial proposal based on the development of the situation.

The contractor must provide information about evaluation team members, including their curricula vitae, and explain how they meet the requirements in the evaluation SOW. Submissions of writing samples or links to past evaluation reports and related deliverables composed by proposed team members are highly desirable.
All team members involved in the evaluation process on the field must provide to HIAS a signed statement attesting to a lack of conflict of interest or describing an existing conflict of interest relative to the project or activity being evaluated (i.e., a conflict-of-interest form).
Proposed key personnel are expected to be the people who execute the work of this contract. Before they begin work, any substitutes for the proposed key personnel must be vetted and approved by the MEAL National Coordinator of HIAS Venezuela.
HIAS may request an interview with any proposed evaluation team members via conference call, video conference, or other means.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts and history of the Jewish people—a history of oppression, displacement and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.

SAFEGUARDING:

HIAS is committed to the protection of children, vulnerable adults and any other person from any harm caused directly or indirectly due to their coming into contact with HIAS. We will not tolerate sexual exploitation, abuse or any form of child abuse or neglect by our staff or associated personnel. Any candidate offered a job with HIAS will be expected to sign and adhere to HIAS’ Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records. HIAS also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. Likewise, HIAS will share this information when other organizations inquire about current and former HIAS staff as part of their recruitment process. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.