Terms of Reference (TOR): Research and Learning Consultant at Girl Effect

Background

• We’re looking for an experienced consultant to support us in understanding the persistent issue of teenage pregnancy by conducting a situational analysis, engaging with key stakeholders, and compiling all insights into a coherent report. The organization seeks a qualified Research and Learning consultant to facilitate this task.

What You’ll Do

The selected consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Literature Review:
Undertake a thorough literature review on ASRH, focusing on unanswered questions and gaps in existing knowledge, including;

• Why is teenage pregnancy a persistent problem in Kenya? What are the key barriers and enablers?
• Which intersectional lens can we use to segment young people without leaving anyone behind?
• What is the correlation between school completion and teenage pregnancy? What are the related contributing factors to teenage pregnancy, like HIV? SGBV, school completion?
• What about health-seeking behavior amongst adolescent girls and young people?
• How is the experience for AGYP?What/how do AGYW relate to , and think about current access/content in SRH?
• Does the health system empower adolescent girls and young persons to interact with the SRH services and information, if any?

Research Report Compilation:

• Compile a research report incorporating findings from other consultant reports, consolidating relevant data to inform the project.
• Qualitative Report Compilation
• Compile a qualitative report based on data collected from design sprints and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to identify themes and insights.

Tool Development:

• Review research tools for the KII and FGD, including interview and discussion guides, to be used in engaging with teenagers and key stakeholders.
• Ethical Framework Development
• Develop a framework for ethical considerations in conducting research involving teenagers.
• Undertake Key Informant Interviews:
• Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with key system actors to understand systemic challenges and opportunities related to ASRH.

Deliverables

• Develop Interview and discussion guides for engaging teenagers and key stakeholders.
• Conduct key informant interviews.
• Comprehensive literature review on ASRH with a focus on unanswered questions.
• Research report compiling findings from other reports.
• Qualitative report highlighting themes and insights from design sprint FGDs.
• KII findings report on systemic challenges and opportunities in ASRH.

Expected Commitment

• The consultancy is expected to be completed between January and February 2024.

Who You Are

• Demonstrable technical skills in design, fieldwork, data analysis and reporting for large-scale and panel surveys, including outcome evaluations, within one or more of the media, communications, international development or social change sectors.
• Direct experience in evaluating digital user-facing interventions, including contributions to the design process with respect to back-end measurement needs and the pathway to achieving necessary project outputs through digital data capture. 
• Hands-on experience in applied research in emerging markets or developing contexts using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• Proven experience conducting research and evaluations related to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health.
• Strong knowledge of ethical considerations in research involving teenagers.
• Demonstrated ability to compile and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
• Excellent communication and report writing skills.
• Great interpersonal communication skills
• Strong cultural awareness and sensitivity about the cultures within which Girl Effect operates.
• Experience coordinating work-streams across multiple geographies and ability to work effectively in multicultural teams with varying expertise, skills and backgrounds.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Swahili, with an ability to cut through complexity and communicate effectively to multi-disciplinary audiences.
• Creative and inquisitive mindset with strong communication and organizational skills.
• Commitment to realizing girls' potential and to the Girl Effect's vision and values.
• Background in evaluating programmes related to women and girls is also highly desirable. 
• Bachelor’s degree.
• 6+ years of experience.