Partnership Analysis and Evaluation Consultant (EU-IOM Joint Initiative Programme)

Launched in December 2016 with funding from the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration is the first comprehensive programme to save lives, protect and assist migrants along key migration routes in Africa. In Horn of Africa, the programme was launched in March 2017 targeting Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan but also covering other Khartoum Process countries.

Within the EU-IOM Joint Initiative returning migrants are reintegrated in their counties of origin in line with IOM’s Integrated Approach to Reintegration. The reintegration support aims to address returnees’ economic, social and psychosocial needs and to foster inclusion of communities of return in reintegration planning and support whenever possible. Support can be provided directly by IOM or by partners.

Partnership is an integral aspect of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative. In the Horn of Africa 56 (26 state and 30 non-state) partners have signed 60 agreements specifically on reintegration assistance. These partners are directly involved in the provision of various reintegration support, such as microbusiness development, skills training, housing, medical services, mental health and psychosocial support at the individual level, as well as the implementation of community-based reintegration projects.

Partnerships increase the efficiency and efficacy of service delivery, as IOM alone cannot cover the wide geographic coverage as well as varying specialized services. Partnerships also contribute to sustainability of reintegration interventions when the partners (especially local actors) are empowered and strengthen their capacity through the partnerships, which promotes local ownership towards sustainable reintegration beyond the programme itself.

In view of the closure of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative programme and planned new IOM programmes under the new EU Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa will consolidate four years of learning from the extensive partnership experiences and produce analytical and dissemination outputs that will inform partnership development and management practice. The deliverables will inform the future reintegration programme in the Horn of Africa region and beyond. Learning concerns the following aspects of partnership management:

• Partnership design
• Partner selection
• Solving issues
• Partnership monitoring and evaluation (including participatory approaches to joint evaluations)
• Partner empowerment (e.g. technical assistance, training, etc.)
• Local ownership/sustainability
• Referral systems with partners

Given the subject matter, the analysis of partnerships will include participatory approaches and the dissemination products produced will speak to IOM and its past, current and prospective partners in equal measure. Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Programme Coordinator, in coordination with the M&E Officers of the Regional Office and the Ethiopia Country Office and the Regional Information Management Office, the incumbent will assist the Regional Office in:

• Mapping partnerships in the context of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative programme to identify gaps and opportunities and suggest new partnerships.
• Producing an analysis of the partnerships established (with a focus on Ethiopia, the country with the greater reintegration caseload and the highest number of partnerships) inclusive of in-depth case studies. The analysis will be based on programme documentation, quantitative and qualitative data collected for the purpose and participatory approaches.
• Drawing lessons, identifying emerging good practice and formulating practical and actionable recommendations on how to strengthen partnership development and management to inform subsequent reintegration programmes to be implemented in the horn of Africa region and beyond. 

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The key tasks the consultant will undertake:

1. Conduct desk review of programme documentation and relevant literature on partnership management and partnership evaluation;
2. Lead on the definition of methodologies to produce the analytical outputs required with the highest level of robustness achievable;
3. Contribute to the definition of qualitative and quantitative data collection tools;
4. Conduct field visits and qualitative data collection among relevant stakeholders;
5. Carry out analysis of the data gathered;
6. Facilitate workshops or other forms of participatory events with programme stakeholders; and
7. Lead in the production of analytical outputs such as reports, briefing papers, and factsheets, etc.

The deliverables:

1. Inception report providing detailed approach to the analysis, data collection tools, planning and timeline for the implementation of the assignment.
2. Internal final report focusing on mapping and evaluation of existing partnerships and lessons learned on partnership development and management; and
3. External knowledge product providing resources, case studies and good practice in the management of partnership in the context of reintegration programmes.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in a field relevant to the subject area of the assignment (e.g. Public Administration, Business Administration, Management, Development Studies, Political Economy, etc.) from an accredited academic institution with seven years of relevant professional experience.
• Excellent report writing skills with proven track-record of producing knowledge products linked to the subject area of the project.
• Understanding of protection principles in the context of sustainable return and reintegration processes.
• Expertise and experience in institutional capacity assessments.
• Expertise and experience in the design of data collection tools and conduction of operational research.
• Excellent writing and communication skills and proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with government authorities, national and international organizations, and other project partners.