Consultants for the Final Evaluation of the Empowering Local and National Humanitarian Actors (ELNHA) project, Phase II

We are looking for a team of experienced evaluators, for the final evaluation of the second phase of the Empowering Local and National Humanitarian Actors (ELNHA) project. ELNHA aims at enhancing strength, voice and space of local and national humanitarian actors (LNHAs) mainly in Bangladesh and Uganda. ELNHA also includes a strong influencing component at global level, and Phase II has been the opportunity to test one of its modalities in other countries (DRC and Kenya). The final evaluation shall be conducted between November 2020 and February 2021.

The specific objectives of the evaluation are:

• To assess the extent to which the ELNHA Phase II project has contributed to local humanitarian capacity and leadership, looking at its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact.
• To stimulate reflections and learning among ELNHA teams, supporting partners, Oxfam country offices and LNHAs, including learning from failures and challenges.
• To identify, formulate and share good practices, lessons and strategic, actionable recommendations on both programmatic and project management aspects, which can inform the development of current and future projects supporting local leadership in the humanitarian sector. Suggestions on what ELNHA II could have done differently shall also be provided.

In line with localization principles, this final evaluation shall be designed in such a way that it is as participatory and empowering for LNHAs as possible, while ensuring quality and objectivity of the findings and recommendations. The consultants shall hence propose in their proposal an approach which clearly describes what will be the proposed involvement and roles of various stakeholders for each step of the evaluation.

The evaluation shall be conducted by a team of external consultants, with preferably:

• An international consultant, who shall take the overall lead and responsibility; the international consultant shall lead on the desk review and preparation of the methodology with the local consultants (where possible with input of local actors), undertake interviews at global level, support data collection in both countries, co-analyse findings and co-define recommendations, and lead the writing of the overall evaluation report. In view of the Covid-19 epidemic, it is expected that the international consultant will conduct his/her duties remotely, with no travel.
• One local consultant for each country (Bangladesh and Uganda); the local consultants will facilitate the design and implementation of data collection in countries (where possible with input of local actors), co-analyse findings and co-define recommendations. Interactions with stakeholders in countries shall be conducted face-to-face or remotely, based on the country context and possible limitations for in-person meetings due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Applicants may propose a different team composition if they feel that this would be more effective and/or add value to the quality and impact of the evaluation (for example for institutionalising its findings and recommendations in the sector).

The team of consultants should have the following expertise:

• Experience with evaluating processes, in particular of initiatives aiming at systemic change
• Experience in conducting multi-country evaluations
• Experience as a facilitator
• Experience in conducting participatory evaluations, and/or in building capacity of other professionals in evaluation / reviews
• Experience with undertaking ICT-based surveys / data collection
• Experience with humanitarian programmes / projects, humanitarian cycle management and humanitarian architecture (the “humanitarian system”)
• Understanding of (humanitarian) capacity development, sector collaboration strengthening and influencing processes, including local humanitarian leadership and ability to apply this understanding to the evaluation approach and implementation
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Knowledge of the work of Oxfam or other international NGOs
• Knowledge of the local context
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English
• The local consultant involved in Bangladesh should be fluent in Bangali
• The international consultant should preferably be fluent in French (as a few interviews will be conducted with stakeholders in DRC)
• The team should be as much as possible gender-balanced.

All details are in the full ToR available here: https://oxfam.box.com/s/tpp0qguceqx0mlorvgtw7nxysw58b542