ActionAid Zimbabwe Is Recruiting an Independent Consultant: End-of-Project Evaluator

# ActionAid Zimbabwe Hiring: Independent Consultant - End-of-Project Evaluator **ActionAid Zimbabwe** is inviting applications from experienced independent consultants to conduct an end-of-project evaluation of the **Strategic Partnership Programme II (SPA II)**, covering implementation from January 2022 to December 2026. The consultancy will assess programme effectiveness, impact, sustainability, partnerships and lessons learned, with a particular focus on youth leadership, women’s empowerment, climate justice and community resilience. ## Consultancy Info - **Position:** Independent Consultant - End-of-Project Evaluator - **Organisation:** ActionAid Zimbabwe - **Department:** Programs - **Location:** Harare, Zimbabwe - **Employment Type:** Contractor - **Experience Level:** Experienced - **Compensation:** TBA - **Programme:** Strategic Partnership Programme II (SPA II) - **Evaluation Period:** January 2022 - December 2026 - **Geographical Focus:** Binga, Chimanimani, Chipinge and Mbire - **Application Deadline:** 8 November 2026 - **Closing Time:** 17:00 hours - **Application Method:** Through the vacancy’s application process ## About the Consultancy ActionAid Zimbabwe commissions an independent evaluation of the Zimbabwe Country Programme implemented under the Strategic Partnership Programme II (SPA II), in partnership with ActionAid Denmark (AADK) and supported by Danida. SPA II was initially framed for 2022-2025 and was extended by one additional year. The evaluation therefore covers January 2022 to 31 December 2026, with 31 December 2026 as the evidence cut-off date. The programme seeks to contribute to societies becoming more just, feminist, green and resilient. In Zimbabwe, it focuses on supporting young people, particularly young women, to participate meaningfully in decision-making and advance feminist and green economic alternatives that improve livelihoods and resilience to climate-related shocks. ## Purpose of the Evaluation To provide an independent, credible and rights-holder-centred assessment of the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of SPA II in Zimbabwe over the period January 2022-December 2026, and to generate practical recommendations for accountability, learning, adaptive management and future programme design. ## Key Evaluation Objectives The consultant will be expected to: - Assess progress against the Zimbabwe programme’s objectives, intermediate outcomes and indicators. - Assess intended and unintended outcomes, particularly for young people, young women and marginalised groups. - Examine the programme’s contribution to youth leadership, advocacy, climate justice, agroecology, green livelihoods and resilience. - Assess partnership quality, localisation, accountability, feminist practice and shifts in decision-making power. - Examine programme efficiency, resource utilisation, adaptive management and value for money. - Identify lessons learned and provide actionable recommendations for future programming. ## Geographical Coverage The evaluation will focus primarily on four districts: - Binga - Chimanimani - Chipinge - Mbire National-level stakeholders and other locations may also be included where relevant. ## Implementing Partners The evaluation will cover four confirmed implementing partners: - **Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust (GGZT):** Green governance, natural-resource management, climate justice and youth advocacy. - **Basilwizi Trust:** Community-led development and youth participation in decision-making. - **Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre (FPC):** Agroecology, sustainable food systems and youth capacity-building. - **Young Africa:** Youth skills development, entrepreneurship, employment pathways and green economic opportunities. ## Evaluation Methodology The evaluator will propose an independent, theory-informed, mixed-methods design combining quantitative analysis of existing programme data with qualitative and participatory inquiry. The methodology must include: - Evaluability assessment and data-quality review. - Structured programme document review. - Theory of Change testing. - Quantitative analysis of monitoring and outcome data. - Key informant interviews, focus group discussions and participatory approaches. - Purposeful sampling across programme partners and relevant districts. - Contribution analysis and triangulation. - Participatory validation of findings. - Documentation of limitations and evidence gaps. The evaluation must apply the six OECD DAC criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. ## Required Qualifications and Experience Applicants must demonstrate: - Experience leading independent evaluations of complex development, rights-based, youth-focused or humanitarian/resilience programmes. - Strong competence in mixed-methods evaluation, theory-based evaluation, contribution analysis and triangulation. - Experience applying OECD DAC criteria and relevant professional evaluation principles. - Demonstrated competence in human rights-based, feminist and intersectional evaluation and meaningful participation of right-holders. - Experience assessing advocacy, policy/practice influence, collective action, movement-building or systems change. - Competence in ethics, safeguarding, data protection and research in politically sensitive or restricted civic-space settings. - Excellent analytical writing and presentation skills in English. - Capacity to work in Zimbabwe, including knowledge of the country context and appropriate language capability within the team. ## Desirable Experience - Climate justice, agroecology, green economy, climate-resilient livelihoods or youth employment. - Localisation, power-shifting, partnership quality and organisational capacity strengthening. - Humanitarian-development-peace coherence, disaster resilience and protection. - Outcome harvesting, process tracing, most significant change or systems-change methods. - Facilitation in relevant local languages and experience of accessible dissemination to right-holders. ## Evaluation Team Composition A team of two evaluators is preferred. However, a single evaluator or larger team may be proposed if the bidder demonstrates that the evaluation can be delivered safely and to the required quality. The proposal must identify a team leader and clarify each member’s responsibilities and level of effort. ## Expected Deliverables The consultant will be required to produce: 1. Inception report and evaluation protocol. 2. Fieldwork completion briefing. 3. Draft evaluation report. 4. Validation and learning session. 5. Final evaluation report in editable Word and accessible PDF formats. 6. Recommendations and management-response matrix. 7. Learning brief or presentation. 8. Technical annexes, including evaluation tools, sampling information and supporting documentation. ## Application Requirements ### Technical Proposal Interested consultants should submit a concise technical proposal, preferably no longer than 10-12 pages excluding CVs and annexes, covering: - Understanding of the ToR, programme context, extension period and principal evaluation challenges. - Proposed evaluation design, methods and rationale against the six core questions. - Approach to evaluability, contribution analysis, sampling, inclusion, triangulation and limitations. - Ethics, safeguarding, civic-space risk management and data protection. - Workplan, deliverables, team roles, level of effort and availability. - Relevant examples of similar assignments and at least two referees or client contacts, where available. - CVs and conflict-of-interest declarations for all proposed team members. ### Financial Proposal Applicants must provide a separate, itemised financial proposal covering: - Professional fees and days by team member and phase. - Travel and accommodation. - Transport. - Translation and interpretation. - Transcription. - Data collection. - Accessibility costs. - Taxes and other direct costs. The financial proposal must clearly state assumptions and exclusions. ## How to Apply Interested and qualified consultants should submit their applications through the recruitment process specified in the **vacancy announcement.** - **Application Deadline: 8 November 2026 at 17:00 hours.** - **Full Terms of Reference: Independent Evaluation of SPA II - Zimbabwe Country Programme** ### Additional Information Qualified women are especially encouraged to apply. All applications will be assessed strictly on their individual merits. Due to the anticipated volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will receive responses.