Department of Labor Evaluation Lead Consultant

Background 

The Department of Labor (DOL) leads efforts to ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly and are able to share in the benefits of the global economy. A part of DOL’s mission is to safeguard dignity at work, both at home and abroad – by strengthening global labor standards, enforcing labor commitments among trading partners, promoting racial and gender equity, and combating international child labor, forced labor and human trafficking. 

Dexis Consulting Group is currently seeking a consultant to provide the services of a Lead Evaluator for DOL-funded labor rights projects being implemented in Ethiopia. The performance evaluations will use remote and in-person mixed methods data collection to synthesize and disseminate thematic analyses on emerging best practices and lessons learned for improving future programming and implementation. The Ethiopia Lead Evaluator will lead an evaluation team to conduct labor rights program evaluations within Ethiopia.

Scope of Work: 

The Lead Evaluator for Ethiopia will lead and manage all aspects of the evaluation for ILAB-funded program, including evaluation design, implementation, analysis, final report production, and dissemination of each project evaluation. 

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess achievement of objectives and effectiveness of implementation and management. The findings will be used to make and make targeted, action-oriented recommendations to enhance learning and inform adaptation and decision-making in order to improve the performance, sustainability, and relevance of future projects. 

Data collection will be conducted in Ethiopia, with potential remote data collection as well. 

Tasks and Responsibilities: 

In consultation with the client, the Dexis Technical Representative, and a Senior Advisor, the Evaluation Lead will: 

1. Participate in weekly checkins with the client and ad hoc discussions with DOL. 
2. Review desk review and first draft of Terms of Reference (TOR).  
3. Collaborate with DOL, the US Embassy, and DOL Implementing Partner teams to finalize field site selection. 
4. Respond to feedback from the client and DOL and finalize country-specific TORs, data collection instruments, field itineraries, and lists of stakeholders. 
5. Travel to Ethiopia for field data collection, maintaining compliance with federal travel regulations and Dexis travel policies (pending security conditions).  
6. Oversee and manage field evaluation teams for Ethiopia – including Local Experts and Local Coordinators.  
7. Manage all aspects of the data collection process in accordance with the TOR, including remote and in-person data collection through surveys, key informant interviews (KIIs), and focus groups discussion (FGDs). 
8. Lead the drafting of the Evaluation Report, including draft content for infographic summary and assigning two ratings for each major outcome (including a rating on the level of achievement of that outcome and the likelihood of sustainability for the outcome or a major output associated with that outcome). 
9. Respond to feedback from the client and DOL to finalize Evaluation Report, including final infographic summary. 
10. Prepare materials and participate in validation workshop to ground truth findings and refine recommendations. 
11. Participate in final evaluation presentation to DOL and lead aspects as tasked by the client. 
12. Ensure the quality of all tasks, functions, and deliverables and ensure compliance with DOL procedures and regulations as well as Dexis’ quality assurance processes. 
13. Maintain regular communication with the Dexis PMU regarding overall project progress, submission and approval of deliverables, fieldwork logistics, personnel management, and requests from the client and DOL.  

Deliverables: 

The expected deliverables for the program evaluation for Ethiopia includes, but is not limited to: 

• Revised final country-specific TORs, data collection instruments, field itineraries, and sample list of stakeholders. 
• KII /FGD transcript summaries, code books, survey data collection database 
• Draft Evaluation Report with infographic summary 
• Validation workshop materials and notes 
• Final Evaluation Report with infographic summary 
• Final Evaluation Report presentation to DOL.

Period and Level of Efforts:

The expected period of performance is from January 30, 2023, to August 31, 2022. The anticipated level of effort is 25 days (200 hours).

Travel:

There will be a minimum of a week-long trip for data collection in Ethiopia.

Selection Criteria:

Minimum Qualifications:

• • Master’s degree or higher
  • At least 5 years of experience evaluating international development projects in areas related to the project activities and country/region.
  • Fluent in English, both written and speaking
  • Fluent in language(s) specified in the Order
  • Ability to produce high quality reports in proficient English in a timely fashion