1. Summary
The consultancy will provide research assistant support for the design, implementation and analysis of the long-term impact evaluation of the rural Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program implemented by Save the Children in Mozambique. The research assistant will work under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigators and the Evaluation Office of 3ie. This TOR is for support during the first year of the evaluation.
2. Background
The InternationalInitiativefor Impact Evaluation (3ie) promotes evidence-informed equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. We support the generation and effective use of high- quality evidence to inform decision-making and improve the lives of people living in poverty in low- and middle-income countries. We provide guidance and support to produce, synthesize and quality assure evidence of what works, for whom, how, why and at what cost. 3ie is registered as a non-governmental organization in the United States. It has offices in New Delhi, London and Washington, DC.
3ie’s evaluation office is responsible for developing and implementing evidence programs for impact evaluations, reviewing and quality assuring 3ie-funded impact evaluations and conducting in-house evaluations. Currently, the office supports projects and programs across thematic areas like aquaculture, agricultural innovation, sanitation, immunization, peacebuilding, social protection and livelihoods.
3ie seeks a research assistant consultant to support the long-term impact evaluation of a rural and community-based preschool program implemented by Save the Children in the Gaza province of Mozambique starting in 2008. The intervention aimed to improve cognitive, social and emotional development of children aged 3 to 5, and facilitate transition to primary school. Communities were randomly assigned to receive the preschool program. A baseline study of two thousand children and their families was conducted in 2008, with follow-up surveys in 2010 and 2014. Short-term effects included gains in several dimensions of child development and an increased likelihood of enrolling and flourishing in primary school.
The current study will measure the long-term impacts of the program when study subjects will be approximately 21 to 23 years old. Long-term outcomes of interest include educational attainment, labor market participation and income, health status and risky behaviors. We will study effects on marriage and fertility and inter-generational transmission of human capital to the next generation of children. As the first evaluation of its kind, this study represents a unique opportunity to shed light on the long-term returns to investment in ECD in a low-income country setting.
The first year of the study is aimed at setting the ground for a fourth wave of data collection, tracking the cohort of children interviewed at baseline in 2008. The research assistant will provide research support for the impact evaluation. Main tasks include reviewing the literature of Early Childhood Development, provide support for the design of questionnaire and choices of instruments, design of field protocols, process and analyze existing data, provide logistical and technical support for the impact evaluation and coordinate with the data collection firm in Mozambique and the evaluation team.
This is a part-time consultant position for one year, with the potential for an extension of up to two additional years.
3. Tasks:
- The research assistant will work under the supervision of Principal Investigators Sebastian Martinez, Vitor Pereira and Pedro Carneiro. The main tasks of the research assistant are:Research Support: research support will be provided to the Principal Investigators during the evaluation design, including formulation of outcome indicators, data processing, power calculations, sampling framework and field procedures. Subsequently, research support will be provided for data analysis, program specific diagnostics and the production of reports and presentations, including statistical analysis, literature review, and drafting sections of reports.
- Assistance to the Principal Investigators: The research assistant will assist the Principal Investigators in delivering the impact evaluation, including organizing and participating in meetings and capacity development activities, providing research support, and providing supervision and quality control for data collection and processing. The assistant will also support the implementation of Transparency, Reproducibility and Ethical best practices in research including drafting of a pre-analysis plan, pre-registration and preparation of documentation for review by an Intuitional Review Board.
- Survey Instrument and Data Collection: The research assistant will be responsible for providing support for assembling, drafting and formatting the survey instrument, including questionnaire design, sampling, field procedures, data capturing, programming of data entry programs, and data processing and analysis.
- Progress reports to the Evaluation Office and Principal Investigators, and communication with Impact Evaluation Team on an ongoing basis.
- Other research support tasks required by the evaluation team.
4. Qualifications and skills
4.1 Education and work experience
- 4.1.1 RequiredA master’s or equivalent degree in economics public policy, sociology or political science;
- At least one year of relevant professional work experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge of recent advances in econometric analysis and causal inference;
- Clear and effective communication at a technical level in English and Portuguese, both oral and written;
- 4.1.2 DesirablePrior experience and/or knowledge of quantitative methods and impact evaluation;
- Prior experience implementing, quality assuring and/or supervising field work for the collection of household surveys;
- Prior experience with and/or knowledge of qualitative research methods; and
- Prior experience in writing and producing reports, research papers or briefs.
4.2 Skills
- Demonstrated quantitative analysis skills using statistical software packages, including STATA and R;
- Knowledge of data entry applications such as CSpro
- A strong ability to work on a team and under pressure with strict deadlines;
- Strong organization and planning skills, proactivity and perseverance; and
- Ability to work in a multicultural setting and sensitivity to people of all genders.
5. Eligibility
3ie will recruit one international research assistant based in their country of residence. 3ie is an equal-opportunity employer committed to equality and diversity. We do not discriminate based on sex, age, religion, ethnicity, caste, sexual orientation or for being differently abled. We particularly encourage ethnic minorities and differently abled persons to apply.
6. Terms of employment
Candidate should be available to start work in May 2025. The salary range for this position is competitive and commensurate, based on location, qualifications and experience. Our policies and procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse. We follow a zero-tolerance policy for any form of bullying or harassment in the workplace.
7. How to apply
The application package must include the following documents*:
- A one-page cover letter highlighting experience most relevant to the job description and contact information for three professional references.
- Curriculum vitae (not exceeding two pages, preferably)
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and incomplete applications will not be considered. 3ie will contact the shortlisted candidates only.
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