Local Expert, Global E3 Analysis and Evaluation,
Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Charcoal Use And Alternatives,
Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Company Profile:
MSI, a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, D.C. metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. Our core expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), institutional development, public sector management, peace and stability, governance and anti-corruption. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Jordan, Kenya, Indonesia, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Colombia and Mexico. As one of the leading companies in our field, MSI has partnered with organizations across all sectors of international development to support clients ranging from large bilateral and multilateral donors such as USAID, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program to national and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.
Project Summary:
MSI implements USAID's E3 Analytics and Evaluation Project, which supports the design and implementation of rigorous evaluations for USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3). Under this Project, the MSI team is conducting a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for USAID/E3's Office of Economic Policy to compare several scenarios for producing and consuming charcoal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The analysis will also consider several alternative cooking fuels (e.g., liquified petroleum gas and electricity), if appropriate. The study will determine the net present value associated with each scenario (including both financial and economic values) to identify the most efficient way – among the scenarios considered – to produce and use charcoal to meet household demand for cooking and heating fuel.
Position Summary:
The Local Expert based in the DRC will work with an MSI home office team to conduct interviews and collect secondary data in the DRC. The required data will include (1) information about the types of cook stoves available in the DRC, including their cost, lifespan, and technical specifications; (2) charcoal production practices and costs (from natural forests and from commercial plantations); and (3) statistics on charcoal production and use (including the market cost of charcoal in rural and urban areas, percentage of households using charcoal for cooking, percentage of charcoal produced using different production technologies).
The local expert's primary responsibility will be collecting primary and secondary data in DRC through interviews and site visits. They will also participate (remotely) in a team planning workshop in which the team will plan the assignment, including assembling a complete list of interview subjects. The local expert will also participate in a remote analysis workshop to help the U.S.-based MSI team interpret the data and assist with the analysis. The local expert may also contribute to writing sections of the report. This is not expected to be a full-time position.
Responsibilities:
- Review relevant background documents provided by the MSI team
- Participate in planning and analysis workshops with the U.S.-based MSI home office team
- Review and provide input on study design including data collection instruments, and translation of instruments into French or other languages as necessary
- Help identify appropriate interview subjects and secondary data sources
- Inform and advise the MSI team on potential challenges surrounding field work activities
- Conduct structured interviews with a variety of stakeholders in the charcoal production and use sectors
- Record (when applicable) interviews and submit translated (into English) notes or transcripts and data to the U.S.-based MSI team in a timely manner
- Conduct site visits, as necessary and feasible, to collect data
- Keep a detailed record of all interview participants in an organized tabular format that includes contact information for any additional follow-up questions
- Collect applicable secondary data within DRC and send it to the U.S.-based MSI team
- Maintain close communication and coordination with the U.S.-based MSI team
- Identify and collect data from local secondary sources
- Provide inputs to the study report as requested by the MSI team
- Participate in a presentation of the study results to USAID stakeholders as requested by the MSI team
- Other tasks as assigned by the MSI team
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field required; Master's degree is preferred
- A minimum five years of relevant experience conducting interviews and site visits to collect primary data
- Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the charcoal value chain in the DRC, including both production and use required
- Ability to travel within the DRC required. If necessary due to COVID-19-related restrictions on travel or personal interaction, must be able to conduct interviews remotely using the technology most suitable to the interviewee.
- Ability to participate in remote planning and analysis workshops with the U.S.-based MSI team required
- Native or near-native fluency in English including speaking, writing, and reading required
- Native or near-native fluency in dominant local language(s) required
Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.
Reasonable Accommodations: MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please email MSI.Dept.HRRecruiting@tetratechinc.onmicrosoft.com with Reasonable Accommodations in the title. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates.
To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com
PI125073995