Localization Expert: Localization Assessment for USAID/Vietnam

Localization Expert

Localization Assessment for USAID/Vietnam

USAID Learns Contract

Hanoi, Vietnam

Apply here:

https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=SOCIIMPA2&cws=39&rid=4556

Note: This post is open to local candidates only.

About Social Impact

Social Impact (SI) 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.

Project Objective

SI is implementing the USAID/Vietnam Learns Contract (USAID Learns). The scope of the five-year project is to support USAID/Vietnam staff and partners to implement more efficient, effective, and transparent programs by improving: (1) USAID and Implementing Partner (IP) capacity to achieve expected results; (2) USAID’s understanding and tracking of project performance; and (3) collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA).

Background

USAID renewed their longstanding commitment to localization in 2022, aiming to pursue locally led action for sustainable solutions. Localization, for USAID, is a set of internal reforms, actions, and behavior changes that it undertakes to ensure their work puts local actors in the lead, strengthens local systems, and is responsive to local communities. The commitment focuses on shifting more leadership for priority setting, project design, implementation, and measuring results to the people and institutions with the capabilities and credibility to drive change in their own countries and communities.

Purpose and Use of Assessment

USAID/Vietnam requested USAID Learns to support the Mission in conducting a localization assessment which will help document and inform the Mission about the status, best practices, and lessons learned for all stages of the program cycle regarding localization in Vietnam. Primary users of this assessment are USAID/Vietnam technical staff involved in design and implementation (primarily A/CORs and office directors and deputies). The conclusions from this effort will also be transparently shared with local stakeholders engaged in data collection and sense-making.

Position Description

USAID Learns seeks a local consultant to act as a Localization Expert to assist Learns in conducting this assignment. The Localization Expert will work closely with USAID Learns CLA Team, specifically the Research Director and the Senior Governance and Learning Specialist with support from the Chief of Party.

Learns will also support the facilitation of workshops and other key meetings. Logistical coordination, note-taking, interpretation, as well as scheduling, will be managed by USAID Learns in conjunction with USAID/Vietnam. 

Assessment Questions

The assessment will start from a presumption that localization is critical to the sustainability and effectiveness of development assistance.

The assessment will answer the ultimate question of why localization efforts at USAID were or were not successful and what can be learned from these successful or less successful cases. Under this scope, localization cases or efforts refer specifically to direct funding from USAID to local organizations. 

Once successful and less successful cases are identified, the assessment will ask the following about these cases, using key differences between them to generate insights and learning:

1. Was the Mission successful or unsuccessful at localization (shifting decision-making to local actors to set priorities, design, implement, learn from, and adapt programming)? What were the reasons that resulted in its success or lack thereof? Which of these factors were within the Mission’s control, and which were not (for example, due to the specific context of Vietnam)?
2. Why is the Mission’s percentage of funding directly to local organizations likely to decrease over the next few years? What led to these changes in direct funding levels to local organizations?

• What opportunities for greater localization exist despite these direct funding changes?

3. In what ways does USAID need to adapt its approach at the Mission level and global level to enable greater localization?

Methodology

A case study approach will enable USAID/Vietnam to achieve greater depth and understanding and tell the full story of specific cases in response to question 1 above. Such an approach values depth over breadth and is useful for learning from examples. However, a limitation of a case study approach is that conclusions from specific cases are not generalizable and cannot be assumed to hold true for all direct funding to local organizations from USAID/Vietnam.

To select useful cases for learning, the assessment will employ the extreme case study method to highlight the “why and why not” of successful or unsuccessful localization efforts at the Mission. This method looks at extreme cases - either best or worst - because often extreme cases can offer valuable insights that cannot be found in typical cases. 

USAID/Vietnam will provide a list of its “best and worst” localization efforts in which USAID directly funded local organizations. It is expected that each technical office in the Mission should have documentation of their extreme cases with evidence of why it is a best or worst case. A key criterion for determining best or worst cases is whether the intended development or localization outcomes were achieved with limited and minor unintended negative outcomes.

Following the desk review, the assessment team will finalize the case selection list for concurrence with USAID. At this time, the assessment team estimates that it will have the capacity to assess four cases. Once the cases are selected, the assessment team should also conduct interviews with USAID activity managers and/or A/CORs and also the engaged local organizations and local counterparts (GVN or otherwise) to get more insights into the selected cases, particularly the factors that impacted the success of each case. The case studies should be the foundation to draw lessons learned and answer the assessment questions above, supplemented by generalized interview questions with USAID/Vietnam staff on localization in Vietnam. In addition, where there have been intentional transitions to non-direct local funding, the assessment team will interview relevant USAID, international, and local implementing partners to understand why changes have been made to answer question 2.

Deliverables and Timelines

The assessment is set to commence in September 2023. Desk review will take place in September, allowing for in-depth interviews in October 2023. The validation and sense-making session is expected in November 2023, and the draft report should be available mid-December 2023. An indicative list of deliverables and their corresponding timelines is set out in the table below.

Timelines: September 2023 – February 2024

Level of effort (LOE): up to 40 days

Responsibilities

• Review documentation related to USAID’s commitment to localization
• Reviewing documentation regarding the Mission’s best and worst cases in localization.
• Conduct interviews with USAID staff and local counterparts if necessary to gain deeper insights into the cases.
• Draft case studies and other aspects of reporting as assigned by the Research Director and/or the Senior Governance and Learning Specialist.
• Revise the report based on feedback and comments from USAID.
• Prepare the presentation to showcase the assessment results with the Mission.

Qualifications 

• A senior professional with at least ten years of experience in development research and/or programming.
• Master’s degree in a discipline related to development, political science, social policy, or similar.
• Significant expertise in qualitative research, analysis and report writing.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders (donors, implementers, government officials) in Vietnam.
• Specific experience in participatory approach, community-based or local-led programming and implementation. 
• Previous experience with USAID
• Fluency in English and Vietnamese.
• Excellent oral and written skills.
• Ability to work independently to meet deadlines and adhere to high-quality standards.

The closing date for application: August 20, 2023. Selection and interviews will be performed constantly and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply, please merge both your CV and a cover letter into one pdf file and submit it through the online portal.

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

SI is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls, no visits.