BACKGROUND
The IDLO Afghanistan Country Office (CO) has been engaged in developing and maintaining a set of databases for the use of its partner institutions and to assist IDLO’s program monitoring. These databases have been built to further the work conducted under IDLO programming funded by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the Department of State of the United States (INL), particularly the Continuing Professional Development Support (CPDS) and Supporting Access to Justice in Afghanistan (SAJA) II projects.
In line with IDLO’s efforts to transition CPDS and SAJA II and transfer responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of these database to its institutional partners, IDLO will conduct a monitoring mission to test the quality of the data in these databases, assess their sustainability past the life of the projects, identify interlinkages and efficiencies with other data sources and management systems, test their security, and examine their user-friendliness. The mission team will be led by a Development Expert and a Technical Expert, supported by IDLO HQ and CO staff and local technical expert consultants.
THE ASSIGNMENT
The Development Expert Consultant will be responsible for the following:
Sustainability Analysis
- Critically examine and summarize the sustainability plan for each database.
- Review and summarize associated costs, maintenance requirements, and other resources required for continued functioning of the databases.
- Meet with any offices of partner institutions taking over databases and ascertain whether the sustainability and handover plans and timelines are realistic.
Efficiency Analysis
- Examine whether there are efficiencies that can be created by bringing some uniformity in database collection between projects.
- Examine any efficiency that can be gained through interlinkages with databases being used by the institutions IDLO works with, for example any human resource databases of the partner institutions.
- Examine any overlap or inefficiency caused by the multitude of databases and prominent databases developed for the justice sector.
Data Security/Vulnerability Assessment
- Examine the privacy standards and procedures used to secure the data.
User Manual Review
- Identify which databases require a user manual.
- Identify if the user manuals make further training necessary for partner institutions.
- Review existing or draft user manuals for user-friendliness and completeness.
- Examine the extent to which policies and practices created for using/managing the databases are adequate to ensure acceptable performance at the application, database, and system levels.
- Analyze whether there are minimal data entry correction standards for database operators.
TIMELINE AND KEY DELIVERABLES
|
Deliverable |
Time Commitment |
Location |
|
Meet with database teams and project managers to get introductory presentations on the databases, adjust data quality checklist, and gather information for the summary document. |
3 days |
Kabul |
|
Create a summary document for all IDLO databases that provide preliminary answers to the sustainability, security, and efficiency analysis questions. |
2 days |
Kabul |
|
Meeting with external stakeholders and mapping of relevant non-IDLO databases |
3 days |
Kabul |
|
Review findings, discuss major issues, brainstorm solutions, and preview recommendations with CO teams. |
2 days |
Kabul |
|
Draft and submit report with recommendations |
5 days |
Home-based |
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Education
- An advanced university degree in international development, law, public administration, business administration, public policy or other relevant social sciences is required.
Work experience
- 5-10 years of relevant work experience in the areas of rule of law, development, research, governance, justice sector reform or human rights.
- Prior experience working in Afghanistan is an advantage.
Languages
- Must be fluent in speaking, reading and writing and an excellent communicator in English.
- Dari and/or Pashto language skills are an advantage.
Specific knowledge, skills, and behavioral competencies
- Knowledge of database management, data archiving, or library and information knowledge management is an advantage.
- Ability to think critically and seek in-depth answers when conducting an assessment, while maintaining a cooperative attitude and remaining focused on solutions.
- Solid interpersonal skills and works effectively across and within IDLO organizational boundaries;
- Proven ability to see through tasks set and deliver results;
- Ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines, flexibility and an entrepreneurial spirit;
- Self-motivated and dynamic with a willingness and ability to use initiative to assist the organization to achieve its objectives; and
- Keen sense of ethics, integrity, and commitment to IDLO’s mandate.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The consultancy will be Kabul-based and home-based for a period of approximately 3 weeks, commencing not earlier than November 29 and ending no later than December 31.
Upon satisfactory and timely receipt of deliverables, total remuneration for the assignment will be an all-inclusive lumpsum of 6,750 US Dollars ($). IDLO will cover travel costs and accommodation and meals in Kabul.
The Consultant will bear responsibility for payment of any taxes applicable to their own income and activities. Failure to comply with given deadlines and/or IDLO’s general standards of performance may result in no remuneration being paid to the Consultant.