Position Description

EnCompass is seeking a to support the USAID Regional Mission for Ukraine and Belarus (USAID/Ukraine)’s Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) and an Activity design retreat in 2021. Protecting the environment is a cross-cutting priority for the Mission and of high importance/relevance for all its technical areas of programming. This Scope of Work describes in more detail the task’s: objectives, scope, draft task approach (including methods), team, and timeline.

This consultancy includes a total of X days to be utilized over three months. The position is currently a remote/virtual position due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The workshop may be conducted in person (in Kyiv), but this has not yet been determined.

Reports to: Chief of Party, USAID Ukraine Monitoring and Learning

Background

The Assessment will explore a) the current environmental context in Ukraine (including legislative landscape; relevant national, regional, and global standards; and key environmental challenges) and b) the current programming landscape (including GOU, donor funded, or other programming that seeks to protect the environment). Specific areas of focus for the Assessment include the following:

• Water: water utilities, basin management plans, legal and regulatory reform including national water strategy, expanded opportunities for investment, EU coordination.
• Land: improved forestry and land management; protected area management and expanded tourism; urban sustainability.Rapid Environment Assessment Lead 
• Climate change resilience: resilience to environmental stressors; economic and workforce transformation; emissions and NDCs; “green transformation” and financing green development.
• Waste management: improved household and industrial waste management, expanded recycling, urban resilience.

The Assessment findings will inform designs for potential upcoming Activities and provide updated context and analysis for ongoing Activities.

The Activity design retreat will help the Mission and the specified Technical Teams/DO Teams complete steps necessary for Milestone A in the Activity Design Process, specifically A.3: Assess the Context/Underlying Development Problem, and Identify a Design or Solicitation Approach to Advance the Activity’s Purpose.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

The Assessment Lead will be responsible for the following:

1. Designing the Assessment and completing analysis, determined by the selected methods
2. Writing the Assessment Report, and finalizing based on Mission feedback
3. Designing a design retreat (Assessment-related content only)
4. Facilitating a design retreat (with support from co-facilitators if necessary)
5. Submitting documentation from the retreat including notes, presentations, and recordings (if applicable) (with support from UMLS administrative staff).

Specific responsibilities include:

Rapid Environmental Assessment

The Lead will work with the Mission to validate the Assessment objectives noted above, organizing by research question if that better meets the needs of report and workshop stakeholders. Based on this validated information, the Lead will confirm methods, analysis plan, and report outline. After data collection and analysis is completed, the Lead will draft a report for Mission review (one round of comments possible given the timeline below). The AT will respond to Mission comments, finalize the report, and use the report as an input for the design retreat.  

Based on an initial meeting with the Mission on June 3, the following data collection methods are likely:

-          Literature/document review: The Lead will request relevant documents from the Mission related to the Assessment scope and will also independently identify key sources for reference in the report, including but not limited to: Ukraine and regional/global legal regulations and standards; existing datasets/bases and studies; and relevant donor/GOU reports. This method will be used to address both objectives (a and b) noted above. A Mission intern will lend support to the organization of key documents.

-          Key informant interviews (KIIs): To verify and further deepen key findings from the literature review related to objectives a and b, the Lead will conduct several KIIs with relevant experts, donors, GOU representatives, etc. The Lead will work with the Mission to identify highly relevant respondents given the short timeframe for the Assessment.(1) The Lead will target between 5 and 10 key informants (KI), to be conducted virtually.

The Lead will draft a report with an outline as follows:

-          Executive Summary

-          Introduction to the Assessment and topic

-          I. Legislative and environmental standards landscape (nationally and regional/globally)

-          II. Top environmental challenges/issues in Ukraine

-          III. Stakeholder/programming landscape (or map), organized by donor/funder/agency, etc

-          Conclusion

-          Annexes

Design Retreat

In close coordination with the points of contact from UMLS and the Mission and other key stakeholders (if needed), the Lead will structure and facilitate (with support, if necessary) the design retreat. UMLS learning specialists and producers may support the design and delivery of this workshop.

The Lead will prepare a facilitator guide, Assessment related content, and an agenda. These planning tools may be shared with the Mission to confirm the approach and content being included.

The retreat will have a specific objective resulting in tangible outcomes related to the objective noted above. The Lead will use adult-centered learning approaches to design and facilitate an interactive retreat that will energize and empower participants and will result in clear action steps.

Timeline and Estimated Level of Effort (LOE)

The Assessment Report draft must be completed by the end of July. This means that Week 1 begins on June 14, 2021.

Total Consultancy LOE: 34 days

Position Requirements

• Ten years of demonstrated experience in research, environmental policy/studies, capacity building, and/or monitoring and evaluation (M&E);   
• Masters’ degree in a relevant field including: environmental economics, environmental studies, sustainable/international development, natural resources management, environmental planning, environmental management, social science;
• Demonstrated excellence in writing;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Demonstrated experience applying participatory and strengths-based learning design and delivery approaches
• Familiarity with e-learning tools, virtual Instructor-Led Trainings (vILT) on AdobeConnect, and other online instructional products desirable (not required)
• Though not required, preference may be given to Ukrainian nationals or nationals of a country within the region
• Strong written and spoken English skills required; familiarity with Ukrainian and/or other regional languages greatly valued

How to Apply

Please submit CV and cover letter to [email protected].  

EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work.