NGO JOBS

Organization: ActionAid
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 31 Jan 2014

I. SUMMARY

ActionAid UK (AAUK) is seeking to commission research to inform our Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) Theory of Change (ToC) which asserts that improved organisational effectiveness leads to improved programme effectiveness evidenced by positive change on the ground for the communities in which we work. This ToC carries the assumptions that through organisational systems and capacity building, people are able to change what they do and thus bring about positive change.

This study seeks to develop a different approach to understanding change which complements the linear cause-effect pathways that link inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes and that form the basis of a classical logical framework approach. In so doing, we hope to better understand the non-linear processes of change related to working in contexts that are complex, with many collaborators/stakeholders amongst whom there may be a lack of consensus but who will be influencing change.
This research will focus on the community level (programme effectiveness) intended and unintended changes taking place and through a series of in-depth case studies will explore the links with our PPA-related initiatives. The research will be informed by desk research into current thinking about OE [e.g. IDRC research and others], qualitative research methodologies and also by interviews with partners and ActionAid staff.

This research is intended to:
1. Contribute to building a picture of ActionAid’s organisational effectiveness work, which doesn’t look at causal results chain but the ‘web’ of interactions between different actors, forces and trends
2. Contribute to our understanding of the value of our capacity building work from the perspective of the different collaborators/stakeholders (particularly people living in poverty) we work with
3. Deliver a conceptual framework for a larger and more in-depth research piece on the links between OE and programme effectiveness that will be delivered by the end of the extended PPA.
4. Explore the relationship between this particular type of funding (strategic) and programme effectiveness

II. BACKGROUND
ActionAid UK is a registered charity (number 274467) as well as a company limited by guarantee (number 1295174).

ActionAid seeks to bring about positive and lasting change in the lives of poor and socially excluded people around the world. We believe that poverty can be ended and that it can be achieved by working alongside and supporting poor people to take action, claim their rights and fight the injustices they face on a daily basis.

ActionAid engages with over 13 million of the world's poorest and most vulnerable women, men and children to claim their rights to food, shelter, work, basic healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. We reach many more people indirectly through our national and international campaigns. We have offices in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. We have links with more than 2,000 local partner organisations.

ActionAid UK, a member of the ActionAid International federation, has secured £4 million per year through the DFID’s Programme Partnership Arrangements (PPA) funding mechanism. Given the strategic nature of the grant, the PPA is being used within ActionAid to strengthen the federation’s ability to operate effectively as an organisation and to develop, deliver and evidence the results of our new international strategy, with a specific focus on improving organisational effectiveness, strengthening monitoring and evaluation, embedding evidence-based learning, and developing organisational governance systems and processes. There are five PPA ‘focus countries’ – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uganda, Nigeria and Ethiopia – which are directly implementing programmes which are partly supported by the PPA.

Given the strategic nature of the PPA, we have adopted the theory of change, described in annex 1. Improved federation performance refers not only to demonstrating results against the new international strategy and assessing the impact of increased organisational effectiveness, it also refers to the measurable results within the PPA logframe approved by DFID.

III. PURPOSE
This research is being commissioned to explore the complex non-linear nature of our PPA work which will:
• Explore the changes taking place in a selection of ActionAid LRP communities and seek to establish how these changes relate to ActionAid Organisational Effectiveness initiatives that are funded by the DFID PPA
• Create a conceptual framework for a more in-depth study on the process of non-linear change that will inform our PPA ToC going forward in the extension (2015-2016)

IV. THE APPROACH
The research should focus in on 3 to 5 case studies to develop a conceptual framework and pilot methodologies which could be used to develop a methodology for a subsequent larger research project on organisational effectiveness within ActionAid and its contribution towards programme effectiveness (not part of this TOR).

The research should be informed by:
• Existing research on theories/models of change that relate to organisational effectiveness, capacity and empowerment
• ActionAid participatory methodologies (such as ALPS, critical stories of change…etc) and PPA evaluations
• Interviews and focus group discussions with key collaborators, including AA country programme staff, AA field workers, AAI secretariat, AAUK, AA partner organisations, the media, local politicians, other NGOs working in the same communities, community leaders, and reflect circles

V. KEY OUTPUTS
• Recommendations for a methodological approach for a larger more comprehensive piece of qualitative research that seeks to test our PPA ToC
• A series of case studies that describe the changes taking place in the PPA-funded communities and their relation to the gaps/needs/issues that the PPA is trying to respond to as well as the existing OE initiatives

VI. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
We are seeking proposals from consultants or academia that have the following skills and experience:
• Strong track record of undertaking research on capacity and empowerment in the international development sector
• Experience in designing research projects based on quantitative and qualitative data
• Familiarity with the concepts behind the Theory of Change and organisational change
• Experience on researching in one or more of ActionAid thematic areas of women’s rights, livelihoods, resilience and education.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills

How to apply:

Interested applicants should submit a research proposal to ActionAid through the e-mail address below by 31st January 2014. Proposals must include the following:
• Clear outline of the proposed methodology and plan of activities
• Description of the added value the consultant can bring to bear on this work
• Proposed budget (excluding international travel)
• CVs and example of previous relevant research
• Names of 2 organisations who can provide reference or testimonials on your work
• Name and e-mail or phone number of a contact person

Complete proposal will be considered according to the following criteria:
Quality of the bid 80%
Proposal description and outline work 50%
Project team experience and expertise 30%

Budget 20%

We are hoping to achieve this work by April 2014 and anticipate this project to take a maximum of 35 days.

Please email your proposals to Joanna.knight@actionaid.org by 31st January 2014. If you have further questions please email or call Joanna knight on +44 (0)20 3122 0752.