Project Evaluator

Job description

Job Title: Project Evaluator Contract Type : Consultant Duration: 1 June 2026 - 10 September 2026 Location: Moldova Reports to: Program Manager Application Deadline: 30 April 2026 Compensation: Service based contract, contracted party expected to submit the daily rate requested for the assignment, part of the financial proposal. ABOUT IWPR The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1991, with charitable status in the US, UK and the Netherlands. We give voice to people at the frontlines of conflict, crisis and transition to help them drive change and build more stable, just and inclusive societies. Drawing on three decades of experience in some of the world’s most challenging environments, we support media, civil society, democracy and governance, gender, and youth-focused projects in over 30 countries, promoting reliable information and responsible public debate and removing barriers to freedom of expression. For more information on IWPR, please follow the link: PROJECT BACKGROUND The project “Building Resilience through Innovation and Collaboration (BRIC)”, implemented by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) in Moldova, aims to strengthen societal resilience to disinformation and foster social cohesion by supporting civil society organisations, independent media, and influencer networks. Through a combination of capacity building, strategic communication initiatives, and collaborative platforms, the project contributes to enhancing the quality of information, promoting critical thinking, and strengthening cooperation among key actors in the information ecosystem. As the project approaches completion, IWPR is seeking to commission an independent final evaluation to assess its overall performance, results, and impact, as well as to capture lessons learned and inform future programming. JOB SUMMARY The evaluator (individual consultant or team) will be responsible for the overall design, implementation, and delivery of the final evaluation of the BRIC project, ensuring a rigorous, independent, and evidence-based assessment of project performance, results, and impact. Specifically, the evaluator will be expected to: Develop a comprehensive inception report, including a refined evaluation methodology, detailed work plan, data collection tools, and an evaluation matrix, demonstrating how the findings and recommendations of the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) will be integrated into the evaluation approach; Conduct a thorough desk review of all relevant project documentation, including the MTE, and assess progress made in implementing its recommendations; Design and implement a mixed-methods data collection process, including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, and field observations, ensuring the inclusion of diverse stakeholder perspectives; Apply Outcome Harvesting (OH) methodology to identify, formulate, and substantiate outcome statements, capturing behavioural, institutional, and systemic changes, including those identified at mid-term and emerging thereafter; Analyse both quantitative and qualitative data, ensuring comparison across baseline, mid-term, and final stages where relevant, and assessing the project’s contribution to observed changes; Assess the project’s performance against key evaluation criteria, including relevance,effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and cross-cutting themes such as gender equality and social inclusion; Evaluate the extent to which MTE findings and recommendations have been addressed, and validate, refine, or challenge earlier conclusions where necessary; Ensure triangulation of data from multiple sources to enhance the validity and reliability of findings; Prepare and submit a draft evaluation report, incorporating evidence-based findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations; Facilitate a validation process with the Project Management Team and key stakeholders, incorporating feedback into the final report; Deliver a final evaluation report and present key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations to relevant stakeholders; Ensure that all evaluation activities are conducted in line with ethical standards, including confidentiality, informed consent, and do-no-harm principles. EDUCATION Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in social sciences, evaluation, communications, international relations, or a related field. EXPERIENCE Minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting evaluations of donor-funded or development projects, preferably in the areas of media development, disinformation, civil society strengthening, governance, or related fields; Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing final or impact evaluations, including the application of mixed-methods approaches (quantitative and qualitative); Experience with Outcome Harvesting or similar qualitative evaluation methodologies is highly desirable; Familiarity with the political, media, and civil society landscape in Moldova or similar contexts is highly desirable; Experience working with civil society organisations, media actors, and international NGOs; Proven ability to assess impact, sustainability, and contribution to change in complex programmes. TRAVEL The principal and/ or associate evaluator will have to indicate their availability to undertake an in-country evaluation mission during the period of July 1st to 31st, 2026, as part of the final evaluation process. OTHER REQUIREMENTS Strong analytical and report writing skills; Excellent communication and facilitation skills; Proficiency in relevant data analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, R, NVivo or equivalent); Ability to synthesise complex information into clear, actionable findings and recommendations; Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required; Knowledge of Romanian and/or Russian will be an advantage. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and IWPR reserves the right to fill the position before the closing date; early applications are therefore strongly encouraged, and interviews may be conducted prior to the deadline. IWPR will offer a competitive salary to the successful applicant. Principals only. No calls please. Only those who have been considered for an interview will be contacted. IWPR is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, veteran status or pregnancy and maternity. IWPR will never ask for payment for recruitment.