Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, August 24, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Job title: Evidence for Policy (Evi-Pol) - Knowledge exchange platform/help desk consultancy
Organization: ACTS
Closing date: 6 Sep 2021
Background
The Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI) started in 2015 and aims to strengthen the capacities of science granting councils in 16 sub-Saharan African countries in order to support research and evidence-based policies that will contribute to the continent’s economic and social development. The SGCI provides a window of opportunity for the Councils to focus on their role as boundary managers and how evidence can be utilised more effectively to support their activities. SGCI does this through programmes focused on management of research grants; the use of evidence to inform STI policy; supporting knowledge exchange with the private sector; and establishing partnerships between Councils and other science system actors. SGCI is also focused on the cross-cutting issues of strategic communication, gender, and inclusivity. The SGCI is a collaborative initiative, jointly funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the UK’s Department for International Development (now the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office), the South African National Research Fund (NRF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The SGCI phase 2, Evi-Pol project, has the objective to strengthen the capacity of Science Granting Councils (SGCs) to generate and use evidence in policy and decision-making, and to enhance their roles as policy champions. To achieve the main goal, the specific objectives of the Evi-Pol project are: a) Support SGCs to conduct reviews of national STI policies and deepen their knowledge and understanding of the policy processes; b) Support the Councils to develop robust organizational-level MEL frameworks and plans; c) Support the Councils to develop data management systems and frameworks and systematically collect, analyse and use relevant data/ evidence; d) Promote peer to peer learning and knowledge exchange between Councils and local STI experts.
Knowledge exchange platform/help desk on STI policy matters
The knowledge platform or help desk forms part of the main goal of the SGCI phase 2, Evi-Pol project aimed at deepening understanding and knowledge on policy processes among SGCs. The knowledge exchange platform/help desk on STI policy matters intends to link up knowledge (for example from researchers in the STI field) and the consumers of the knowledge (in this case the SGCs). This help desk will be a one stop point for where the SGCs can request support for discrete small pieces of work and on demand large pieces of work relating to use of evidence in STI decision making and/or the STI policy process. The help desk will involve development of guidelines that incorporate STI policy lessons from monitoring and evaluation data as well as the application of STI indicators for organizational learning. Through the help desk, the SGCs will manage to solicit and access a broad range of services to improve an evidence based STI policy process including policy review and subsequent decision making. In addition, the experts/consultants will bid for available/submitted services and provide tailor made technical advice and knowledge resources commensurate with the requested service/task.
The helpdesk will provide the SGCs with support for small pieces of work relating to use of evidence in STI decision making and/or the policy process. The type of work that might be requested by Councils through the helpdesk include (but is not limited to) research and analysis to:
1. Collect, collate, analyse, and synthesise relevant data or information available on STI & R&D to the SGCs for evidence-based policy processes and produce technical reports
2. Conduct desk reviews of research by national and international researchers in identified STI areas, to identify a) existing gaps; b) research that has been conducted c) research funders and the value of the funding
3. Review existing policy documents and support the SGCs in revising them and/or setting new research agendas/ priorities or development of new research initiatives
4. Assess the communication, uptake and impact of STI research that has been funded by the SGCs
5. Review policy alignment between different policies to determine the role of the private sector in R&D/STI and establish the university-industry linkages
6. Support SGCs in the development of STI policy briefs or other documents that synthesis the results of the research they have funded for policy audiences.

The scope of the work
This helpdesk is at a pilot stage and will function using a small number of pre-selected consultant researchers. This document is a call for up to six (6) STI policy researchers who can provide consultancy services to Councils over a six (6) month period (October 2021 to March 2022).
The activities and support offered by the consultants to the SGCs in this pilot stage will be limited to these priority areas:
1. Role of the private sector in STI/ R&D including but not limited to university-industry linkages
2. Approaches for valorisation of research results
3. New and emerging technologies and their potential for economic and social development of the country
4. Evaluations of funded projects to evaluate their impact, uptake, and dissemination.
In addition, Councils may request for consultants who can review data collected by the Councils and produce policy briefs, short reports and other technical reports.
Deliverables
The consultant will provide one or more reports, policy briefs or other written documents as per the specific work order requested by the Council.
This will be agreed with the consultant and the council in advance of any work order being given.
The consultant will be expected to hold virtual meetings as part of the execution of this consultancy – to garner the data and information needed for the different tasks allocated.

Duration of the assignment
The successful consultants will be given a six-month consultancy contract (estimated to start in October 2021) with a maximum of 20 potential number of days in the first instance.
The contract will not guarantee any of these days. The draw down against these days will be dependent on the receipt of a request for support from Councils in an expertise area listed in the consultancy contract.
When Councils request a piece of work, a work order will be given to the consultant whose area of expertise matches with the requested work, and who stipulates the number of days of the assignment.
The duration of each work order will be agreed on in consultation between the consultant, ACTS as contract manager and, the Council requesting the work.
Management
This consultancy will be carried out under the overall guidance of the principal investigator working on the SGCI phase 2, Evi-Pol project at the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS).
Progress meetings will be held between the consultant, the Principal Investigator at ACTS and the responsible SGC to ensure that the tasks are on track, the objectives are being achieved and are in tandem with the support requested by the SGCs.
Contract value and payment
Each consultancy contract will have a maximum potential value of US$ 4,000 (20 days at US$ 200 a day) inclusive of taxes. The total amount a consultant will receive will depend on how many work orders are received based on the work demanded by Councils.
Consultants must be aware that they may therefore receive no money from this consultancy if there is no demand for work in their area of expertise. Payment will be made after completion of each work order and total will not exceed the number of days and value of the contract.
Please note all Kenyan consultants will be subject to 5% withholding tax on all invoices while other from outside Kenya will have a minimum of 20% withholding tax removed.

Qualifications of the applicant
1. At least a Master’s degree in STI related fields, for example and not limited to, Science and Technology Studies; Innovation Studies; STI policy; technology management; technology transfer; and knowledge on STI indicators, data management, monitoring evaluation and learning (MEL) and research capacity building
2. Proven experience in STI related projects and research
3. Experience in collection, collation and synthesis of data using both quantitative and qualitative methods
4. Experience in developing brief reports, technical reports and synthesised reports
5. Must be based in sub-Saharan Africa
6. Experience in working with SGCs or funding/donor organizations or working on donor-funded projects will be an added advantage
7. The ability to communicate in French will be an added advantage. The majority of work will be in English.
Other competencies
1. Good communication and interpersonal skills
2. Ability to work on context specific needs/topics
3. Flexible when it comes to change and open to receive and integrate feedback

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

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Job application procedure
Qualified applicants (both individual and organizations) are invited to apply and submit:
1. A proposal indicating how they meet the specifications for the consultancy work for the specific support requested by the SGCs in the different thematic areas relating to STI policy and the methodology on how such work will be implemented (no more than four (4) pages).
2. Submit a policy-oriented writing sample and/or technical reports of previous related work.
3. Submit details of experience of working with policy makers/doing demand-led short research projects.
4. Curriculum vitae of the lead individual indicating their previous experience in similar work.
Call for applications will close 4 weeks after the call opens.
Submissions of these documents are required to be sent by email to HR@acts-net.org before 1600hrs EAT on 6th September 2021.
Should you have any queries kindly contact Agnes Lutomiah on A.Lutomiah@acts-net.org
More information can be accessed through this link: https://www.acts-net.org/evi-pol-knowledge-exchange-platform-help-desk-consultancy

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