Social Impact Seeking Media Literacy Subject Matter Expert

Social Impact, a global development management consulting firm, is seeking a Media Literacy Subject Matter Expert.

DESCRIPTION

“Social Impact is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits.”

Proposal Objective

In response to a Request for Task Order Proposals (RFTOP) under the DOS PMES FA3 IDIQ, Social Impact is pursuing a bid on an evaluation of media literacy projects with the US Department of State in Europe and Eurasia. This evaluation is being commissioned by the Bureau of Europe and Eurasia/Office of the Coordinator of Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia (EUR/ACE). It will be a performance evaluation of media literacy assistance projects carried out by USG donors and one USG-funded implementing partner in Europe and Eurasia: The Global Engagement Center (GEC); the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL); the National Endowment for Democracy (NED); and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The objective of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of these partners’ past and on-going projects, and to inform future funding decisions of the Bureau of Europe and Eurasia/Office of the Coordinator of Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia (EUR/ACE) and to identify and apply lessons learned from the evaluation to future programming in the region. The intended audience is the implementing partners plus ACE, EUR, SCA, U.S. embassies and USAID Missions in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia.

This evaluation will focus on media literacy projects or the media literacy components of projects implemented in 2017-2020 with funding from ACE and GEC with any fiscal year funds that partners were expending during this timeframe. Media literacy encompasses the practices that allow people to access, analyze, critically evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication. The period of performance is anticipated to last one year.

Position Description

SI is seeking a Media Literacy Subject Matter Expert to provide technical expertise in countering vulnerability to disinformation in Europe and Eurasia as well as training facilitation. The Subject Matter Expert will report to the Evaluation Team Leader and advise on overall project design. S/he will also work closely with in-country research experts based in the evaluation’s target countries and SI HQ staff to draft written deliverables as needed. This is a part-time consultancy position expected to last one year from date of contract award. Travel to target countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova, and others) may be required contingent on the public health and safety considerations in light of COVID-19.

Responsibilities:

• Provide subject matter expertise in media literacy, countering disinformation, and training design to the Evaluation Team Leader and other team members.
• Assist in drafting the evaluation work plan including an overall evaluation design proposal in tandem with project and SI HQ staff.
• Contribute to draft and finalized written reports for the client for each phase of the evaluation.
• Participate in bi-weekly phone calls with client representatives during project implementation.
• Assist in the development of an Action Planning Final Workshop with key client stakeholders in Washington, DC, as well as a presentation on methodologies used to the DOS Evaluation Community of Practice.
• Travel to the evaluation’s target countries as needed to conduct fieldwork as needed (Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova, and others).

Qualifications Required

• Master’s degree or higher in international development, communications, journalism, or related field.
• Subject matter expertise in media literacy and a wide range of online and in-person training methods, as well as the use of before and after training testing.
• Experience designing and implementing media literacy projects to counter disinformation in Europe and Eurasia.
• Technical competence in qualitative and quantitative data analysis, including gender and age group analysis skills, and the ability to use statistical data from surveys and training test results.
• Experience working in multicultural teams across geographies.
• Previous experience working on DOS or other USG-funded projects in Europe and Eurasia of similar size and scope.
• Written and oral fluency in English.

Preferred:

• Experience in data collection, survey design, test development, key informant interviewing, focus group facilitation, and skills in analyzing all of these data sources.
• Work and sociocultural analysis experience in as many as possible of the following target countries: Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova, Central Europe and the Baltics.
• Russian language skills.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit the SI website: http://www.socialimpact.com.

SI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Full application details can be found here.

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