Development Economist - Value for Money Assessment

Job Posting Organization:
The STRIVE Programme is a strategic partnership aimed at supporting vulnerable populations, including Turkish citizens and refugees, in recovering from the socioeconomic impacts of the February 2023 earthquakes. The program focuses on building long-term resilience through two core components: Socio-Economic Empowerment, Livelihoods, and Vocational Training, and Protection Services and Readiness for Voluntary Return. The program is a collaboration between the British Red Cross, Turkish Red Crescent Societies, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The STRIVE Programme is designed to address immediate needs while also fostering sustainable development and empowerment for affected communities.

Job Overview:
The Development Economist will play a crucial role in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of resource allocations within the STRIVE Programme. This position requires the consultant to work independently while closely collaborating with the internal Mid-Term Review evaluation team. The primary focus will be on assessing how effectively the program's resources have translated into socio-economic and protection outcomes. The consultant will conduct a comprehensive financial and economic evaluation, ensuring alignment with the FCDO evaluation standards, particularly focusing on the 4 Es: Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity. The role is expected to begin immediately and will involve a flexible working schedule over a period of 15 working days, which can be spread across a maximum of 45 calendar days.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The core responsibilities of the Development Economist include:

• Conducting a thorough evaluation of the program's performance using the 4 Es Framework, particularly focusing on the intersection of socio-economic empowerment and protection services.
• Performing a quantitative financial review of project expenditures, benchmarking unit costs against similar humanitarian and livelihood interventions in Türkiye.
• Modeling the economic returns of socio-economic empowerment interventions and evaluating the cost-effectiveness of protection services through Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.
• Presenting VFM methodologies and preliminary findings during a joint Validation Workshop in Ankara. Key deliverables include a VFM Methodology & Inception Note, a standalone VFM report, and a validation presentation summarizing findings and recommendations.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must possess an advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Economics, Development Economics, Econometrics, or a closely related quantitative field. Additionally, a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting Value for Money assessments, Cost-Benefit Analyses, or economic appraisals for international humanitarian or development programs is required. Familiarity with large donors such as FCDO or EU is essential, along with prior experience evaluating socio-economic empowerment, livelihoods, cash-based interventions, or protection programs.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have an advanced academic background, specifically a master’s or PhD in Economics, Development Economics, Econometrics, or a related quantitative field. This educational foundation is critical for understanding complex economic evaluations and methodologies required for the role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in conducting Value for Money assessments, Cost-Benefit Analyses, or economic appraisals specifically within the context of international humanitarian or development programs. Experience in evaluating socio-economic empowerment, livelihoods, cash-based interventions, or protection programs is highly desirable, particularly in post-earthquake recovery contexts or refugee-hosting environments.

Languages:
Professional fluency in English is mandatory for this position, as the consultant will be required to communicate findings and methodologies effectively. Proficiency in Turkish is highly advantageous, especially for reviewing local procurement data and engaging with local stakeholders. Additionally, advanced mastery of statistical software such as STATA, R, or SPSS, as well as financial modeling tools, is required to perform the necessary analyses.

Additional Notes:
This position is a short-term consultancy lasting for 15 working days, with the flexibility to spread the work over a period of up to 45 calendar days. The role is hybrid, allowing for a combination of remote and on-site work in Ankara. Interested candidates should submit a technical proposal outlining their approach to the VFM assessment, including a budget of gross daily rates inclusive of all taxes, along with a CV highlighting relevant evaluations and a sample work of a previous VFM or Cost-Effectiveness report.