Research Consultant – Qualitative At Integrity Watch Afghanistan

Introduction:

Integrity Watch Afghanistan is an Afghan civil society organization committed to increasing transparency, accountability, and integrity in Afghanistan. The mission of Integrity Watch is to put corruption under the spotlight through community-based monitoring, research, and advocacy. Integrity Watch mobilizes and trains communities to monitor infrastructure projects, public services, courts, and extractive industries, public health and infrastructure projects. Integrity Watch develops community monitoring tools, provides policy-oriented research, facilitates policy dialogue, and advocates for integrity, transparency, and accountability in Afghanistan.

The provision of policy-oriented research is an important and an expanding area of focus for Integrity Watch. Such research is necessary to complement and support the advocacy work which Integrity Watch is pursuing in the sectors mentioned above (infrastructure, public services – schools, clinics, public health etc., natural resource development, the courts) as well as in other areas of concern in Afghanistan in which Integrity Watch is increasingly focusing attention, such as fiscal transparency, good governance, open government, business sector integrity, and a variety of other subjects.

To date, Integrity Watch has relied on a combination of in-house staff and/or external consultants contracted to prepare specific reports which, in almost all cases, have obtained specific donor financial backing. Integrity Watch’s challenge, in these circumstances, has been to ensure that the research it publishes, in the name of Integrity Watch Afghanistan, is of a uniform standard in terms of quality and accuracy.

Background:

Integrity Watch would like to hire a consultant who is available to provide ‘remote’ support to Integrity Watch’s Head of Research and to his research team and/or consultants on a project-by-project basis. Such staff would be “Master’s-level” academics or professionals involved in research or consultancy. For this work, Integrity Watch does not consider it necessary for the consultant to spend any time in Afghanistan, though regular teleconference/Skype calls would likely be necessary. The majority of work undertaken would most likely be “desk-top” work from wherever this consultant is normally based.

The type of support which would be required would include research project design, source identification, analytical assessment, report write up and editorial review and would include the following:

· Early stage discussion of the research project scope and objectives.

· Identification of the principal questions to be addressed.

· Assistance in scoping out of the research approach and methodology.

· Identification of [particularly online] information sources;

· Reviewing the qualitative and quantitative data derived by Integrity Watch research staff and assessing the appropriateness of the analysis employed;

· Analyse the qualitative data collected by the research staff of Integrity Watch;

· Write up the report in consultation with the Head of Research and Project Officers of Integrity Watch;

· Review and comment on the overall structure, analysis and conclusions of interim and final drafts reports, and particularly provide an independent ‘cross-check’ on the supportability of any theses and conclusions.

· Possibly some ongoing and final ‘editorial review’ and advice.

Qualification:

The successful candidate will possess some or all of the following characteristics:

· At least a Master’s degree in Public Policy, and Good Governance and/or other related fields

· A minimum 10 years of experience in research and data analysis.

· Substantial experience of analyzing and evaluating qualitative data and indicators.

· In-depth understanding of the social, institutional, and political environment in Afghanistan.

· Deep knowledge of key issues in corruption at the Afghanistan level.

· Advanced qualitative data analysis and synthesis skills.

· Solid research and analytical skills, an understanding of corruption and of the major concerns and constraints of the Afghan government.