Overview
Engages a National Evaluation Consultant to provide in-country research and logistical support for a formative evaluation of a Joint Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Project in Tajikistan.
Key Responsibilities
- Collect and compile relevant project documents, policy documents, normative frameworks, ministerial orders, and institutional records in Tajik and Russian.
- Prepare an annotated document inventory in English.
- Identify, retrieve, and organise Phase I and Phase II datasets.
- Translate or provide accurate summaries in English of key documents not available in English.
- Flag any gaps, inconsistencies, or quality concerns in the available evidence base.
- Prepare a stakeholder map identifying key informants for KIIs.
- Coordinate scheduling and logistics for all KIIs and FGDs.
- Serve as interpreter/note-taker during KIIs and FGDs conducted in Tajik or Russian.
- Support the International Consultant during any in-country mission.
- Maintain a fieldwork log documenting all data collection activities.
- Translate all KII and FGD guides from English into Tajik and Russian, and back-translate a sample.
- Translate all FGD and KII notes or summaries from Tajik/Russian into English.
- Review all Russian-language project documents cited in the evaluation.
- Support the translation of the Executive Summary of the Final Evaluation Report into Tajik.
- Review draft sections of the Inception Report and Final Evaluation Report for contextual accuracy.
- Provide written contextual notes on the education system, institutional roles, and reform history.
- Support the findings validation step by coordinating stakeholder access for any factual accuracy checks or virtual workshop.
- Assist with preparation of the findings presentation materials in Tajik where required.
Required Experience
- Minimum 5 years of experience in conducting similar assignments, including but not limited to education research, programme evaluation, monitoring and evaluation, or a related field in Tajikistan.
- Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative data collection (KIIs and FGDs) in education or social development contexts in Tajikistan.
- Strong document research and synthesis skills.
- Excellent interpretation and note-taking skills in Tajik and/or Russian during interviews and group discussions.
- Proven ability to produce accurate written summaries and translations between Tajik/Russian and English (or Russian and English at minimum).
- Demonstrated understanding of Tajikistan's education system, including key national institutions (MoES, AoE, RITTI, RTMC, NTC) and reform processes.
- Ability to work flexibly and responsively under the direction of a remote international consultant, meeting tight deadlines.
Qualifications
University degree (Bachelor's or equivalent) in education, social sciences, linguistics, international development, or a closely related field.
