Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian aid agency engaged in transitional environments that have experienced some sort of shock: natural disaster, economic collapse, or conflict.

Purpose / Project Description:

Mercy Corps seeks a Kenya-based research consultant to co-lead participatory design of the incentive mechanisms and support data collection and real-time analysis during the 18 months the incentives will be tested. The Consultant will establish a study protocol to capture different behavioral insights into incentives and disincentives to collective management of a multi-use common pool resource including before during and after climate and economic-related crises. The Consultant will work closely with the Program Manager and Mercy Corps Senior Climate Research Advisor to co-develop up to 3 types of incentive mechanisms in partnership with target communities. The Consultant will coordinate with other research leads working with Mercy Corps to integrate findings into new data collection. This including insights into women’s empowerment, rangeland health, and leveraging market-based incentives. The Consultant is expected to integrate best practices, key success factors, and lessons learned from the different but similar programs building on behavioral insights for common pool resource management. The Consultant will propose indicators of progress and success in social actions and ecological outcomes.

Consultant Objectives:

• Co-lead the participatory design of three types of incentive mechanisms.
• Support design and implementation of the applied research activity testing the incentive mechanisms.
• Support the analysis and synthesis of study findings.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will:

• Review all program documents.
• Participate in a kick-off meeting and follow-up meeting with Mercy Corps staff to inform study design.
• Coordinate with Mercy Corps staff to conduct initial interviews with communities and community leaders (as needed).
• Coordinate with ICARR Program Manager and research co-lead to develop applied research protocol.
• Co-lead participatory design of incentive mechanisms.
• Support ICARR Program Manager and research co-lead to present research design to the donor.
• Coordinate with relevant program staff to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data per the study protocol.
• Host routine check-in calls and presentations over the established timeframe.
• Develop interim updates and final reports as agreed upon with the Program Manager.

Consultant Deliverables:
The Consultant will develop and submit:

• Inception report including approach to participatory design of the incentive mechanisms. The inception report should detail the approach, methodology, associated planning, logistics, quality assurance, risk management and specifics of data collection and analysis.
• Finalized work plan for the assignment: Provide a detailed work plan incorporating all relevant tasks and milestones from the start to the end of the study.
• Data collection tools: Develop detailed data collection tool to cover all the components of the assignment.
• Power point presentation (draft) for use during progress update.
• Detailed research plan including data collection and analysis methodologies.
• Interim updates and final report (frequency and deadlines to be established with Program Manager).
• Present the findings to the program stakeholders for validation.

Projected timeframe / Schedule:

• The research should be completed within 50 working days from the start of the task, beginning the date of contracting. The task should be completed within April 2024 to August 2024. The consultant should submit the detailed breakdown of the task and timetable as part of the proposal.

The Consultant will report to:

• The study will be managed by the ICARR program manager with support from Research- co lead, Director of Programs and with close collaboration between Mercy Corps PAQ Team and senior leadership.

The Consultant will work closely with:

• Mercy Corps teams such as the research co-lead, ICARR MEL team, Director Evidence & Learning, Director of Operations, and other program technical team

Required Experience & Skills:

• Master’s degree in economics, Behavioral Economics, Applied Research and Evaluation, or other Social Science; PhD, including current PhD students or candidates, preferred.
• 5 years of experience working in community development, natural resources management or applied research.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research on natural resources management and collective action or community development required.
• Willingness and ability to spend significant amounts of time in rural locations and in NE Kenya required.
• Knowledge and experience with natural resource management, community development, livestock markets and similar fields within the ASAL counties of Kenya is critical.
• Knowledge and experience in gender equality issues of the sector is mandatory.
• Contextual understanding of conflict issues and dynamics in the ASAL counties is mandatory.
• Fluency in English is mandatory and Kiswahili or other relevant languages an asset; and
• Ability to produce high quality work under tight timeframes.
• Excellent communication, drafting, presentation and reporting skills