SPARC Innovation Digital Economy Policy Consultant at Mercy Corps

Consultant Activities:

DIGITAL & DATA - SYNTHESIS

• Review reports and blogs on social media and digital jobs for Kenya-specific data points and insights
• Update internal list of relevant policies, programs and influence partners related to data, digital economy, and inclusive pastoral development in Kenya
• Create annotated overview of above list highlighting any existing nexus for digital economy in the drylands: review key digital/data policies for mention and relevance to pastoralist contexts; review key drylands-specific policies/programs for any highlights applicable to digital economy policy intervention
• Based on the insights from above, research any relevant regional policies or global case studies that may inform Kenya’s digital economy policy
• Develop 2 page summary of data/digital and pastoral development policy nexus

POLICY INTERVENTION PATHWAYS

• Select and coordinate outreach with at least 5 policy influencers and relevant experts
• Synthesize and integrate qualitative input from focus groups, key information interviews, and other sources
• Develop a framework for policy interventions to unlock further benefits of the digital economy in the pastoral context in Kenya. Such a framework may draw on Kenya’s Digital Economy Blueprint pillars: digital government; digital business; innovation-driven entrepreneurship; and digital skills and values.
• Provide a foundation of illustrative cases and examples from the region or globally mapped onto this framework — to be developed further in co-design
• Where applicable, integrate key insights into SPARC’s review of hardware and digital innovations as well as inform parallel dissemination outputs

Consultant Deliverables:

• Develop 2-page summary of data/digital synthesis;
• Develop annotated review of data/digital and pastoral development policy nexus;
• Host 1 focus group with at least 3 key external and internal experts;
• Publish 3–6-page brief highlighting policy intervention pathways

Qualification & Transferable Skills

• BA/S in international development, public policy or other relevant social science
• At least 8 years of demonstrated experience in qualitative and quantitative research, content development and/or storytelling
• Demonstrated experience working in collaboration with pastoralists, and drylands-based actors, including private sector partners, in participatory research or co-design initiatives
• Experience in research and learning within international development programmes, preferably in the Horn of Africa. Evidence of deep networks in Kenya’s ASAL regions is ideal.
• Experience working remotely with diverse teams
• Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings, verbally, visually, and in writing in English.