ARC International
Terms of Reference for
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant
October 2008
The American Refugee Committee International is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian refugee assistance organization dedicated to helping people who have been forced from their homes or country of origin due to natural disaster, warfare, or other threats to their health and well-being. Current country programs worldwide include: Thailand, Liberia, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan- South Sudan and Darfur, and Pakistan.
Background:
This position emerged from an analysis of program management gaps identified as part of the organizational capacity assessment, held in August 2008 at ARC. The analysis revealed the critical need for ARC to strengthen its Monitoring and Evaluation capacity. ARC plans to develop a quality assurance process, linked to an Monitoring and Evaluation system, so both programmatic and financial staff have a better shared sense of their responsibilities in achieving quality results. It is envisioned that the first step in this process is to hire a short-term consultant (2008) to assist ARC by reviewing/researching current systems ARC uses (e.g. results frameworks, indicators, research studies, data collection, etc), identifying opportunities for ARC to unify its more ‘ad hoc’ Monitoring and Evaluation approach across multiple country programs and key sectors (health and economic opportunities), identifying key gaps and creating an action plan to address these through a system-wide organizational approach.
Aim: To analyse ARC’s current approach to Monitoring and Evaluation and provide strategic direction to ARC program staff in the design and implementation of a Monitoring and Evaluation system to increase ARC’s technical skill set and best practices in health and economic opportunities.
Responsibilities:
- Liaise with key ARC International Program staff to assess current developments and needs.
- Review existing Monitoring and Evaluation ARC approaches (logical frameworks, M&E resource tools, etc) to identify key Monitoring and Evaluation strengths and weaknesses in ARC’s international programs department.
- Review Monitoring and Evaluation guidelines presently used by NGOs in Humanitarian situations in order to enhance and standardize ARC’s global Monitoring and Evaluation efforts.
- Recommend key Monitoring and Evaluation approaches that ARC should standardize as an organization.
- Compile key Monitoring and Evaluation guidelines with practical examples of how ARC can increase its Monitoring and Evaluation capacity as an organization.
- Facilitate an interactive workshop for ARC International Programs staff on key recommendations for future steps in developing Monitoring and Evaluation systems to improve ARC’s international programs.
- Identify key performance responsibilities for a full-time Monitoring and Evaluation specialist to be hired after this initial consultancy period.
- Ensure programs are based on sound design principles, including need assessments and baselines.
Output: A practical report/presentation that outlines where ARC is and where ARC needs to go to improve its Monitoring and Evaluation capacity. This report/presentation will also recommend optimal Monitoring and Evaluation approaches that ARC will begin to standardize and adopt as the “ARC Approach” to Monitoring and Evaluation.
Personal specification
§ MA preferred, PhD desirable
§ 3-5 years Monitoring and Evaluation experience with an international development organization in relief and/or development programs, preferred.
§ Experience developing, implementing and training on Monitoring and Evaluation systems across an organization.
§ Experience designing research studies using a variety of techniques and methodologies
§ Excellent data collection, analysis and report writing skills.
§ Availability to work within the period of this contract.
Period of contract:
The consultancy is estimated to require a maximum of 35-45 days. For its part, ARC will pay a fee total of (representing 35-45 days) plus expenses (transport, phone/communications). Payment will be made in 2 installments: 50% on beginning the work, and the balance upon satisfactory completion of the final report. Expenses will be reimbursed on a receipt basis at the end of the project.
The consultant reports to the Vice President of International Programs.
The consultant will meet to review progress and for feedback with available and relevant members of international program department as needed throughout the consultancy.
