CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Mid-Term Evaluation Specialist (PARTICIPATE)

Unit: Ateneo Policy Center – School of Government (APC-ASOG)

Duration: 1 July 2022 to 31 July 2023

I. Brief Description 

The Ateneo School of Government is the public policy academic arm of the Ateneo de Manila University. Its long-term mission is to teach and work with effective and ethical public servants to build prosperous, sustainable, just, and happy communities in the Philippines, empowered by democratic, participatory, transparent, and accountable governance institutions and processes. Through its research and extension programs, and its work with public, private and civil society organizations, ASOG aims to develop and foster innovative ideas and approaches in order to change mindsets and systems in such areas as leadership, poverty eradication, climate change, social accountability, and politics.

Political Participation for Greater Electoral Integrity, otherwise known as PARTICIPATE, is a three-year program implemented by ASOG in partnership with the La Salle Institute of Governance (LSIG), National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO), and Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS). PARTICIPATE aims to increase and enhance non-partisan political participation by the citizenry and civil society organizations in government-administered national and local electoral processes as an essential element of true democratic governance. It advances political participation in elections through three interrelated objectives: 1) bolster citizen oversight of electoral processes, 2) increase the availability and accessibility of information to promote informed voting, and 3) support constituency-building for electoral reforms.

II. Scope of Work

The Mid-term Evaluation Specialist is expected to provide an assessment of PARTICIPATE covering the periods of October 2020 to June 2022. In particular, the Mid-term Evaluation Specialist (PARTICIPATE) is expected to:

• Identify overall lessons learned, areas of success (what worked) and improvement (what did not work);  

• Identify context of possible impact of PARTICIPATE to its key stakeholders/beneficiaries and USAID Development Objectives; and

• Assess PARTICIPATE’s implementation design and scope, effectiveness of the implementation strategy (including sustainability of its results, proving of assumptions made at the inception stage of the project, and delivery of planned results).  

To help the Mid-term Evaluation Specialist answer the objectives, he/she will be guided by the following evaluation questions:

• Progress towards results

1. Has the project’s approach to bolstering civil oversight led to greater public accountability?

2. Has the project’s approach to increasing access to civic and voter education led to better engaged citizens that practice informed voting and information-sharing?

3. In what ways has the establishment and support of consortiums for electoral reform led to more cohesive advocacy efforts towards legislative changes?

• Negative consequences

1. What negative consequences might occur in encouraging people’s participation in the electoral system?

2. How can the project respond to or minimize these negative consequences?

• Context shifts

1. How is the project responding to the effects of the COVID--19 pandemic on elections?

2. How are the shifts in the political and electoral landscape affecting project implementation?

• Feedback from end users

1. Do the project trainees feel sufficiently equipped to conduct the tasks expected of them (whether it is electoral oversight or electoral reform)?  What is enabling or hindering the implementation?

2. How responsive is the target audience of the information campaign towards the social media and advocacy IECs and activities? What is enabling or hindering their engagement?

 III. Qualifications

The qualifications for the Mid-term Evaluation Specialist position are as follows:  

1. Master’s degree in areas of politics, economics, development, or related courses. A first-level university degree in combination with additional three years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

2. At least 7 years combined national and international experience on planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

3. Excellent command in written and spoken English.

IV. Application Requirements

All interested applicants must submit the following:

1. An Application Letter addressed to Dr. Ronald U. Mendoza, Acting Dean of the Ateneo School of Government

2. Curriculum Vitae 

Please submit the required documents via email to policycenter.asog@ateneo.edu and use “[SURNAME] – Mid-term Evaluation Specialist” as email subject. Deadline for the submission of application is on 16 June 2022.