Development Economist (Value for Money Assessment)

Organizational Context

The STRIVE Programme is a strategic partnership designed to support vulnerable populations including Turkish citizens and refugees to recover from the socioeconomic impacts of the February 2023 earthquakes and build long-term resilience.

The program operates across two core components: STRIVE SEE (Socio-Economic Empowerment, Livelihoods, and Vocational Training) and STRIVE Protection (Protection Services and Readiness for Voluntary Return).

As part of the STRIVE Mid-Term Review (MTR), the partners are commissioning an in-depth Value for Money (VFM) Assessment. The selected Development Economist will conduct a comprehensive financial and economic evaluation of the program's efficiency and impact, ensuring strict alignment with FCDO evaluation standards. (FCDO 4Es)

Job Purpose

The consultant will operate independently but collaborate closely with the internal MTR evaluation team. The primary focus is to evaluate how efficiently and effectively resource allocations have translated into socio-economic and protection outcomes.

• Program: Türkiye STRIVE Programme (Supporting Transition, Recovery, Inclusion, and Vocational Empowerment)
• Partnership: British Red Cross (BRC), Turkish Red Crescent Societies (TRCS / Türk Kızılay), and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
• Position Type: Short-Term Consultancy
• Duration: 15 working days / between 21-45 calendar days (The consultant may undertake these 15 working days flexibly within the broader Mid-Term Review timeframe and, if preferred, spread the work over a period of up to 45 calendar days.)
• Location: Türkiye (Hybrid / Ankara)
• Target Start: Immediate

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities

• 4 Es Framework Evaluation: Assess the program's performance across Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity, particularly evaluating the intersection of socio-economic empowerment and protection top-ups.1
• Financial Review & Benchmarking: Conduct a quantitative financial review of project expenditures, benchmarking unit costs against comparable humanitarian and livelihood interventions in Türkiye.
• Cost-Benefit / Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CBA/CEA): Model the economic returns of the socio-economic empowerment interventions and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the protection services pilot.
• Stakeholder Validation: Present VFM methodologies and preliminary findings during a joint Validation Workshop in Ankara.

Key Deliverables (Within 15 Working Days)

1. VFM Methodology & Inception Note: Brief framework outlining data requirements, benchmarks, and CBA/CEA indicators.
2. Standalone VFM Report: A rigorous, evidence-based text (maximum 10-15 pages)
3. Validation Presentation: PowerPoint slides summarizing VFM findings, unit costs, and economic recommendations for the stakeholder workshop.

Education

• Academic Background: Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Economics, Development Economics, Econometrics, or a closely related quantitative field.

Experience

• Technical Expertise: Minimum 5 years of experience conducting Value for Money (VFM) assessments, Cost-Benefit Analyses, or economic appraisals for international humanitarian/development programs.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Donor Familiarity: Proven track record of delivering evaluations under large donors such as; FCDO or EU.
• Sector Context: Prior experience evaluating socio-economic empowerment, livelihoods, cash-based interventions, or protection programs. Experience in post-earthquake recovery contexts or refugee-hosting environments is a major asset.
• Language & Tools: Professional fluency in English is mandatory. Proficiency in Turkish is highly advantageous for reviewing local procurement data. Advanced mastery of statistical software (STATA, R, SPSS) or financial modelling tools is required.

Competencies, Values and Comments

How to Apply
Interested independent consultants or consulting firms should submit the following documents:

• Technical Proposal: A brief overview of your proposed approach to this VFM assessment. The technical proposal should include a budget of gross daily rate inclusive of all taxes. (max 3-4 pages).
• CV/Profile: Highlighting relevant VFM evaluations and economic assessments specifically at humanitarian context.
• Sample Work: One unedited sample of a previous VFM or Cost-Effectiveness report drafted for an institutional donor.