Consultancy - Political Economy Analysis

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and regain control of their future. The IRC has been working in Kenya since 1992, with an operational presence in two refugee camps - Kakuma and Dadaab -, and six counties including Turkana, Garissa, West Pokot, Nairobi, Kajiado, Tana River, with plans to expand to more counties where it implements programs in health, nutrition, governance and rights, Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE), Protection, and Economic Recovery and Development (ERD). Additionally, IRC provides emergency response through a network of four field offices and a range of institutional and community-based partnerships.

The Kenya Country Program is currently implementing the first phase (years 2022-2024) of its ten-year Strategic Action Plan 100 (SAP 100) focusing on five outcome areas which include ensuring safety from harm, improving health, growing access to education, improving economic well-being, and ensuring people have the power to influence decisions that affect their lives. Across these five sequent areas, IRC works to address gender inequality to understand and address the outstanding needs and barriers to progress facing women and girls who represent the majority of those displaced. IRC through its power outcome (power 3) seeks to strengthen governance and systems by enabling people affected by strife and crisis to have a voice in how decisions are made in their communities; enabling governments, civil society organizations, community representatives, and the IRC interventions, to respond to their voices and provide effective and inclusive services; and promoting communications between leaders and the people they represent so that actions are significant and lasting.

It is against this background that IRC seeks to recruit a consultant(s) to undertake a political economy analysis (PEA) in the operational counties. This is with the recognition that Kenya is currently in an electioneering period that will potentially result in new political dynamics including new leadership in counties - especially in counties where governors are serving their second and last terms in office as well as paving way for counties to develop and implement the next five-year plans in the form of County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) - different social, cultural, and economic dynamics that are either enablers or hindrances to the organization's programming such as changes in peace and security contexts. Additionally, and key to IRC’s programming, Kenya has recently assented to the refugee act of 2021 that provides for the recognition, protection, and management of refugees and gives effect to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa and for connected purpose and whose guidelines are currently being developed. There also exist ongoing initiatives in form of Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISDEP) and Garissa Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (GISEDP) in Turkana and Garissa Counties respectively that are instrumental to IRC’s work in the said counties.

The PEA findings will guide the deployment of the right strategies including partner engagement, client responsiveness, feud, and gender sensitivity towards the realization of IRC’s strategic sectoral priorities and outcomes. The PEA will also offer an opportunity to examine the counties’ practices and capacities to optimally deliver services to the citizens and make recommendations for systems strengthening.

PEA Scope and Objectives

The Country Program, through the PEA exercise, seeks to understand the incentives and barriers that inhibit the effective participation of refugees and marginalized communities in county development processes, their ability to efficiently access services, the key partners required to support the governance agenda and the best ways to influence them in IRC’s four - program intervention counties (West Pokot, Garissa, Baringo and Wajir).

The PEA seeks to achieve the following specific objectives.

- To identify the key power relations dynamics, stakeholder mapping, power analysis and trends in governance systems, formal, informal structures, values, and social norms that shape institutions, county processes, decision-making and effective service delivery in the four (4) target counties. - Participate in development of monthly outreach plans with community workers, based on case trends and ongoing needs of women, men, youth and refugees. This includes strategies to reach women, children of all genders who are more isolated/have special needs. - To assess the county systems and structures with a view to identifying capacity strengths, systems strengthening gaps and opportunities, that if addressed, will result in effective, transparent, accountable, and inclusive service delivery in the target counties. - Design and develop detailed activity plans to assess how the public resources are distributed, taking note of those who benefit and those excluded, the opportunities and gaps that affect efficient and inclusive service delivery in line with program objectives. - Develop and carry out strategies that result in strong representation with Governments, IRC partners, communities and other civil society actors that can be deploy to facilitate progressive agendas addressing host community, refugees and collaborators’ needs specific to each of the target counties. - Conduct policy dialogue in close collaboration with IRC partners and key actors to identify, build and implement strategies to craft consensus around a governance roadmap to address in the next few years.

This analysis will.

- Chip in to identify and understand the key partner/actors' power relations/dynamics, influence and interests, formal and informal structures, processes, and institutions that facilitate or inhibit quality programming across IRC’s sectors. - Examine decision-making dynamics in counties with a special focus on county departments with responsibilities that are relevant to the program's technical/ sectoral areas. - Assess the county systems, institutions, and structures at the sub-county and community levels with a view to identifying capacity strengthening strengths, opportunities, and/or gaps that promote or hinder effective service delivery in the target sectoral areas. - Spell out the roles of targeted population, including the marginalized groups in decisions pertaining to their rights and/or needs. - Advise IRC’s program structuring, proactive response to contextual issues, and present balanced and durable interventions.

Methodology

While IRC anticipates that the consultant(s) will apply an appropriate combination of methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) to gather and analyze data; including a desk review of relevant secondary data, focus group discussions (FGDs), semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews (KIIs), among others, it is encouraged that the applicants demonstrate how they intend to incorporate conflict-sensitivity, gender, equality, diversity, and inclusion to ensure diverse perspectives and promote the participation of different individuals and groups in the PEA process.

Consultancy Period

This consultancy assignment is anticipated to take thirty-five (35) working days covering pre-assignment preparatory activities, data collection, analysis, and reporting. The encouraged commencement date is September 13, 2022, with the final output delivered on October 31, 2022.

Encouraged Outputs/ Results

1. An inception report outlining the methodology, refined PEA data collection tools, documents, and meetings required, work plans and timelines, an indicative item-focused budget, analytical framework, and the PEA report format. 2. A draft soft copy of the PEA report to be reviewed and refined jointly with IRC. 3. A preliminary presentation of the PEA report to select IRC sector leads, county-level decision makers and team members, outlining key processes, key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations to validate PEA findings and revisions made in accordance with discussions. 4. A final PEA Report together with original data and any other underlying work. 5. Conduct a policy dialogue to build consensus among high-level collaborators on the proposed governance roadmap. 6. Finalize the governance roadmap for further endorsement.

Qualifications

- An advanced university degree in development studies, international relations, political science, public administration, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, Statistics, Social Sciences, or a related field. - Solid experience in conceptualizing and undertaking research and evaluations using a varied mix of methodologies. - Proven expansive experience in conducting political economy analyses in Kenya. - Shown experience in working with government authorities, civil society organizations, and diverse partners at the community level in Kenya’s context of devolution. - Familiarity with the Kenya devolution context would be an asset. - Excellent skills in conducting policy dialogues - Proficiency in written and spoken English and Swahili languages - Outstanding report writing and presentation skills.

Application Procedure and Requirements

- A brief outline of the consultant(s) profile(s) - A one-page cover letter expressing interest, availability commitment during the entire period of the consultancy, and suitability to undertake the assignment demonstrated by past performance conducting similar assignments with comparable organizations. - A detailed proposal (maximum 3 pages) summarizing the understanding of the ToR, describing the methodology, and an indicative work plan to be used for the PEA process, including the expected time required for each step. - A minimum of three references from reputable organizations/clients that the consultant or consultancy firm has provided similar services. - An item-focused financial proposal outlining the anticipated cost of services in Kenya Shillings, inclusive of taxes and other withholdings, as well as other costs that may arise with the engagement. - All required compliance and statutory requirement including KRA PIN.

Interested applicants who meet the above criteria should submit their applications to the IRC careers portal no later than 9th September, 2022.

**Standards of Professional Conduct****: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowance.

Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. International allowances are not available for this position. Salary and employee benefits are compliant to the Kenyan NGO Sector.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Disclaimer:

Please take note that International Rescue Committee (IRC) does not ask for any fees in connection with its recruitment processes. If you receive any request for payment of any sort, please get in touch with us on Tel: + (254-020) 2727730, Email: [email protected].

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

IRC leading the way from harm to home.