Senior Conflict and Violent Extremism Expert

Introduction

SoCha is seeking a seasoned Senior Preventing Conflict and Violent Extremism (PCVE) Expert to provide subject matter expertise in an upcoming survey-based baseline evaluation of community perceptions of PCVE efforts in five counties in Kenya. SoCha will be leveraging AI modeling techniques to analyze the data. The aim of the analysis is to uncover patterns, trends, and correlations that traditional analytical methods may overlook. The analysis is expected to provide a more nuanced understanding of community dynamics and perceptions of PCVE.

The Senior PCVE Expert will provide PCVE expertise and perspectives during the co-design of the survey instrument to ensure the tool captures pertinent PCVE-related data points. Additionally, they will conduct a literature review on PCVE-related topics and support the interpretation of results from the AI analysis. The Expert will also provide expert guidance during data collection training, conduct data quality checks, oversee data prepping, and co-facilitate capacity-building and knowledge-sharing sessions to complement the expertise of AI experts in enhancing understanding and utilization of AI tools and techniques for research and analysis.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Support co-design of the research approach and methodology.
• Collaborate with the team to design a data collection instrument to be integrated into a final baseline survey.
• Support literature reviews by identifying literature, collating, and archiving information and data to support analysis and interpretation of findings.
• Ensure the data collection instrument captures relevant data points related to PCVE perceptions and activities.
• Provide expert advice and support during data collection training sessions to ensure the enumerators are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to collect data accurately and effectively.
• Conduct data quality checks during the piloting phases to identify and address any issues or inconsistencies.
• Lead the process of prepping and cleaning the data collected from the baseline survey across five counties.
• Extract key findings, insights, and trends related to PCVE efforts from the AI analysis and interpret the results generated to develop meaningful conclusions and actionable recommendations.
• Based on the interpretation of results, formulate clear and concise findings related to PCVE perceptions, challenges, and opportunities.
• Support the compilation of the findings and development of the final report, presentations, and all knowledge products.
• Conduct comparisons of the process and results obtained from traditional standardized analysis software with those from the AI model analysis to demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of using AI in future assessments.
• Co-facilitate capacity-building sessions and knowledge sharing sessions to empower partners on utilization of AI tools and techniques for research and analysis.

Minimum Qualifications and Expertise

• Minimum of post-graduate qualifications in international relations, conflict resolution, peace studies, political science, sociology, or related fields.
• More than ten (10) years of experience working in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, or countering violent extremism with experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating PCVE programs or initiatives.
• Strong understanding of conflict dynamics, drivers of violent extremism, and theories of peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
• Knowledge of PCVE approaches and frameworks, specifically Kenya’s national frameworks, guidelines, and best practices in PCVE.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including methodology design, development of tools, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Familiarity with relevant software and tools for data analysis and visualization.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders such as government officials, community leaders, civil society organizations, and donors.

Location

Nairobi, Kenya.

Period of Performance

May – September 2024