IREX seeks a qualified short-term consultant (Nov to end of January) to support the USAID-funded project, Ukraine National Identity Through Youth (UNITY) Activity. 

About IREX

IREX is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information 

Position Summary

IREX seeks a qualified short-term consultant (Nov to end of January) to support the USAID-funded project, Ukraine National Identity Through Youth (UNITY) Activity. Working with local and international partners, UNITY will influence over one million youth with activities that support their leadership towards a values-based Ukrainian identity, make sustainable changes in the enabling environment for youth economic opportunities and civic engagement, and catalyze Ukrainian capacity to continue that work during and beyond UNITY. By 2025, UNITY will strengthen diversity and unity of citizens around common values of human rights, democratic principles, and equity in Ukraine. 

The short-term consultant will advise on the design of and lead implementation for a problem-based Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) with concrete, actionable recommendations for the UNITY team. The APEA will deepen understanding of the enabling and inhibiting factors at the hromada level affecting engagement of diverse youth, youth-serving organizations, and youth centers in Ukraine with selected oblasts. Findings from the APEA will broadly assist IREX to navigate structural barriers, identify reform champions, and adapt program management to achieve results during the implementation of UNITY.  

Duties and Responsibilities 

Working in close collaboration with IREX on the research design and end product, the consultant will conduct an APEA to identify institutional and individual champions who are incentivized to support the changes UNITY aims to achieve, helping to reduce risk to participating youth, increase inclusion of diverse youth including historically marginalized and under-represented groups, and thus deliver more equitable and sustainable impact in Ukraine. The APEA is a key tool in the selection of 12 hromadas within 6 target oblasts (TBC pending donor approvalfor UNITY activities in year one. Specific tasks include:

• In close collaboration with IREX and the UNITY team, refine the APEA research questions, curate a rapid and relevant literature review, develop a list of individual and institutional target subjects in 6 target oblasts, and conduct online key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions in each
• Apply both USAID’s Thinking and Working Politically Through Applied Political Economy Analysis: A Guide for Practitioners and select IREX gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) tools in the design and implementation of the APEA approach.
• Analyze foundational factors and deeply embedded structures that affect youth economic opportunities, civic engagement and prospects for pluralism.
• Analyze formal and informal “rules of the game” that influence actors’ behavior, their incentives, relationships, power dynamics and capacity for collective action, including but not limited to gender and other social norms that are particularly salient with youth, youth leaders and youth-serving organizations.
• Analyze current events and circumstances influencing the behavior of key actors, and how they respond to opportunities for or impediments to youth-led social change in pursuit of common values of human rights, democratic principles, and equity in Ukraine.
• Identify institutional and individual reform champions who are incentivized to support youth leaders and UNITY activity streams.
• Support IREX to integrate APEA findings into Collaborative, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) processes to continually improve UNITY program design and execution.
• Draft report on APEA findings, including actionable recommendations related to criteria by which Year 1 geographic targets at the hromada level are selected, and strategies for effective public and private sector engagement within UNITY activity streams. 

 Skills and Experience 

Required Abilities and Experience

• Extensive recent experience analyzing the Ukrainian political economy
• Actively maintained network of diverse contacts at the hromada, oblast and national level across a range of government entities
• Advanced understanding of USAID’s Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) approach.
• Experience planning, executing, and advising on problem-driven political economy analyses, preferably at the subnational level.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate APEA findings into program design and execution, including actionable recommendations for adaptive program management

• Strong, self-directed project management with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills in English.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, and the ability to work cooperatively with team members in multiple time zones, partner organizations, and stakeholders from government and education sectors.  

Preferred Abilities and Experience

• Experience related to both the public and private sector in Ukraine strongly preferred.
• Experience conducting APEAs or other analyses for youth-related projects preferred.

• Experience working with youth in different regions of Ukraine is an advantage.
• Familiarity with USAID Guidelines for Inclusive Development preferred.
• Professional proficiency in Ukrainian or Russian highly desirable. 

Evaluation Criteria

To qualify for this consultancy, candidates must have the qualifications and experience in each of the areas listed under “Required Abilities and Experience,” and be able to provide examples for these. They must have excellent English skills. 

Candidates who have the required abilities and experience will be more competitive if they can also demonstrate experience and skills listed under “Preferred Abilities and Experience.” 

To Apply

Please upload a CV with list of references and a writing sample before November 10^th. This position is open until filled.

[email protected]