Evaluation Team Leader, HEARTH Private Sector Engagement (PSE)

City/Country Location Details

Employment Status

Job Type Project

Mixed-Methods Research on Private Sector Engagement

Job Description - Evaluation Team Leader

Position Title:

Evaluation Team Leader, HEARTH Private Sector Engagement (PSE)

Contract Name:

Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM)

Contract No:

7200AA20F00010

Period of Performance:

Upon signing – May 2025

Place of Performance:

Remote

Maximum Level of Effort (LOE):

40 days

Background: Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) is supporting the USAID HEARTH (Health, Ecosystems and Agriculture for Resilient, Thriving Societies) Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) team to build the evidence base around the effectiveness of integrated strategic approaches that include private sector engagement (PSE). The goals of the cross-sectoral HEARTH MERL system align with the “Triple Bottom Line” framework focusing on the “3 Ps” – People, Planet, and Profit/Prosperity. This framework aims to measure the social, environmental, and financial impacts of activities, and is at the core of HEARTH’s model of PSE.

The HEARTH MERL team has requested technical assistance from INRM to design, conduct, and communicate research around the PSE component of the HEARTH approach. There is a critical gap in better understanding what conditions or partnership characteristics contribute to PSE that “does no harm” and can lead to sustainable and scalable changes in conservation and human well-being outcomes alongside profits for private sector partners. USAID is interested in utilizing the diversity of PSE experiences within the HEARTH portfolio to generate learning regarding whether and how the HEARTH PSE approach can add value to development programming, as well as implementation lessons and contributing factors that make this engagement more or less successful. This research will help USAID better understand under what conditions PSE can be potentially helpful, harmful, or somewhere in between – and help guide decision makers on when to invest in these partnerships to realize the greatest benefits for the “3 Ps”.

Activity Description: INRM has proposed conducting research drawing on primary, qualitative data collection in three rounds throughout the lifetime of HEARTH. The first round (completed in late 2023/early 2024) focused on aspects of PSE specific to the contracting, co-design, and start-up phases of HEARTH activities, including design and partnerships. The second round (conducted 2024/2025) will focus on implementation success/challenges midway through HEARTH activities, to allow for learning about what’s working well and what could be improved related to PSE across the HEARTH portfolio, to inform adaptive management . Finally, a third round (conducted tentatively 2025/2026) is proposed to focus on the scale and sustainability of PSE and overall impacts for conservation and human well-being outcomes. The third round will be conducted at USAID’s discretion, but importantly, will not be conducted under INRM, as the contract mechanism ends in mid 2025.

This task is expected to build on USAID’s existing research around PSE for development, including a study by the PSE Hub on USAID's partnering process with the private sector. The overall purpose of this research is to help USAID understand process bottlenecks that may limit them from being ‘Partner of Choice’ for the private sector and includes many qualitative research methods that INRM proposes utilizing for this activity as well.

Position Description: INRM is seeking an individual to fulfill the role of the Evaluation Team Leader (TL) for Phase 2 of the Mixed-Methods Research onPSE project. The TL is responsible for coordinating research activities and ensuring the production and completion of the final reports in accordance with the scope of work and work plan timelines. The TL will guide the review and update of tools and approaches from Phase 1, oversee the desk review, lead data collection, conduct rigorous qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and lead the drafting and completion of final reports. The project will begin on/around June 2024 and is projected to last through May 2025. The duties of the TL will be performed remotely.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain clear and regular communication with the INRM support staff, and inform the INRM team of any risks, problems, or challenges in a timely manner.

• Conduct a desk review of all relevant HEARTH documents to date.

• Review and update (as needed) research approach and data collection tools

• Administer qualitative interviews with USAID, both in DC and at the Mission level, prime HEARTH implementing partners, private sector partners, and local leaders and government officials (as appropriate, including representatives from vulnerable groups).

• Lead analysis of qualitative interview data

• Lead the development and finalization of project deliverables including updating the inception report from Phase 1 (as relevant), presentations including in and out briefs with the USAID, a policy brief and 2-pager policy brief, blog post, webinar, and draft and final report.

• Ensure quality work in all deliverables; implement INRM quality assurance processes.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in International Development, Evaluation, Natural Resources Management, Peacebuilding, or a closely related field.

• Minimum of ten years of experience with a master's degree designing and executing similar projects, research or evaluation, or six years of experience with a PhD.

• Specialized knowledge and experience in research and evaluation of the role of private sector in development, ideally within the NRM or conservation sectors

• Extensive expertise in research design, mixed-methods evaluations, designing data collection tools and qualitative data analysis

• Experience working with USAID, ideally in a Team Leader capacity for an evaluation or assessment.

• Exceptional organizational, analytical, writing, and presentation skills.

• Fluency in English required.

Organization and Values

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

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