Social Network Analysts (Local Researchers for Social Network Analysis)

Call for individual researchers to conduct

  Social Network Analysis for Ethiopian Civic Engagement (ECE) project in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Dessie, and their surrounding rural areas of Ethiopia

Background:

Creative Associates International (Creative) is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm specializing in education, economic growth, democratic institutions, and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio, including the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners.

In March 2023, Creative was awarded the USAID-funded Ethiopia Civic Engagement Activity (ECE), a four-year activity to strengthen Ethiopia’s civic fabric in support of more inclusive, peaceful, and responsive governance. The project aims to strengthen civic and community-based actors’ capacity to engage in policy analysis, advocacy, dialogue, and collective action for peaceful, democratic change; and foster multi-stakeholder civic partnerships in support of inclusive dialogue, respect for human rights, and advancing more effective, citizen-responsive, and accountable governance.

SCOPE OF WORK AND OBJECTIVE

Creative Associates International (Creative) is seeking two individual consultants to conduct Social Network Analysis (SNA) for the aforementioned project.

The main objective of the social network analysis (SNA) is to understand:

1. Who the key stakeholders are within the civic space in Ethiopia (in targeted regions);
2. How well do these key stakeholders work together, and
3. How well those actors work together with government to improve citizen/ civic engagement.

With these aims, the SNA will help ECE identify nascent and potential stakeholders like CSO clusters, social entrepreneurship, private sectors, research institutions, universities, and others which ECE will help link into action-oriented networks that cut across civil society, business, media, and academic and research institutions and map relationship (or lack thereof) that connects CSOs (including NGOs, CBOs, community associations and committees, faith-based organizations, associations, cooperatives, etc.), private sector companies, and local government entities.

The SNA will guide the ECE team’s inception phase work, and findings from the assessment will guide the ECE partnership and grant mechanism. The result of the analysis will also provide an initial understanding of how different stakeholders are interacting one another to improve citizens’ engagement in the governance space.

The SNA will be done in parallel to the ECE Citizen survey, Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA), and Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI)/ Youth Assessment. The SNA is expected to coordinate with and build on information gathered through these other assessments.

Expected Responsibilities

The individual consultants  are expected to:

• Work closely with the project’s program and MEL team to refine the statement of work propose an appropriate research design, data collection, and analytical tools using a combination of the desk study, individual and group interviews and mapping tools
• Review the progress and preliminary findings from the citizen’s survey and Applied Political Economy Analysis research methodology and tools
• Translate data collection instruments into Amharic and any national languages applicable in the three study areas
• Oversee and manage the entire data collection process on field, and properly capture the data
• Transcribe and format the data to be used by the selected SNA software (KUMU or as proposed by the consultants) Liaise with the other consultants of the project to determine what social network data has been collected (to build on in the SNA) and coordinate data collection with them.
• Prepare actors map that clearly and completely shows the different actors in the project’s selected thematic areas and their relationships
• Produce a cross-region and regional report with a clear, well-organized analysis and stakeholder map with recommended on key stakeholders to engage at different administrative levels. The map should

• Recommend which key or influential actors, groups within the network (or potential network), and/or associations between the different actors can be approached by the project and how this could inform ECE programs on the field.

• Advanced Degree in Sociology, Anthropology, Journalism or Political Science or relevant social science field;
• Demonstrated skills in research analysis with at least 15 years of combined experience.
• Proven experience conducting social research, using qualitative analysis tools and methods, actors mapping, open ended conversational interviews, transcription coding and analysis required
• Demonstrated skills in conducting researches preferably Social Network Analysis (SNA) in Ethiopia and sound knowledge of the Ethiopian social and political context.
• Proven experience working with government authorities, civil society organizations, and communities in Ethiopia and/or experience working with counterparts at the national and local government levels and understanding of governance, civic engagement, etc.;
• Experience conducting research/assessment for USAID-funded programs will be preferable.
• Experience using social network analysis software such as KUMU or similar software)
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills required
• Fluency in English and Amharic is required. Proficiency in other Ethiopian languages, especially in Afaan Oromoo and Af Somali is a plus