International Evaluation Consultant – Community Safety and Proactive Policing_(SSA)

Background:

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has supported community safety since 2006 as part of its mandate to strengthen democratic governance, public safety and security through community-oriented approaches. Following the incorporation of Local Public Safety Committees (LPSCs) into the Kosovo Law on Police in 2012, the OSCE has provided sustained institutional support to strengthen LPSCs and Municipal Community Safety Councils (MCSCs), promote community-oriented and proactive policing, enhance inclusive participation and improve co-operation between the Kosovo Police, municipalities and local communities. Over time, this support has evolved to include school safety, reflecting changing community safety needs and institutional priorities.
Under UB Project No. 2101286, Activity 1.10, the OSCE will conduct an independent decentralised evaluation covering the accumulated body of support provided through successive Unified Budget interventions between 2012 and August 2026. No prior independent decentralised evaluation has assessed the OSCE's long-term contribution to strengthening community safety forums and proactive policing. The evaluation therefore represents the first comprehensive independent assessment of over a decade of OSCE support in these areas. It will assess the effectiveness, sustainability and institutional uptake of these interventions, examine inclusive participation and identify lessons learned, good practices and factors influencing results in order to inform future OSCE programming and strategic planning.
An international evaluation consultant will be engaged to independently plan and conduct the evaluation using a theory-based, contribution-focused and mixed-methods approach. The consultant will reconstruct and test the intervention's Theory of Change, undertake documentary review and primary data collection with relevant institutional and community stakeholders, and assess the extent to which OSCE support has plausibly contributed to changes in the functioning and sustainability of community safety forums, institutional uptake of community and proactive policing approaches, inclusive participation, and school safety.
The evaluation will generate evidence-based findings, conclusions and practical recommendations to support organizational learning, accountability, strategic decision-making and future programme development.
 

Objective of Assignment:

To independently assess the effectiveness, sustainability and institutional uptake of OSCE support to community safety forums, community and proactive policing, and school safety between 2012 and August 2026, and to provide evidence-based findings, conclusions and recommendations to inform future OSCE programming and strategic planning.

Duration of Assignment:

The Consultant will be hired for 30 working days.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

1. Conduct the inception phase of the evaluation, including consultations with the OSCE Evaluation Manager and other relevant stakeholders, and prepare the Inception Report. The Inception Report shall include the reconstructed Theory of Change, detailed evaluation methodology and design, Evaluation Matrix, sampling strategy, data collection tools and work plan.
2. Undertake the desk review and conduct the evaluation's primary data collection, including a field visit to Kosovo and engagement with relevant institutional and community stakeholders, in accordance with the approved Inception Report. Apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analyse and triangulate the evidence collected in accordance with the Evaluation Matrix and the agreed methodology.
3. Prepare and submit the Draft Evaluation Report to the OSCE Evaluation Manager, setting out evidence-based findings, conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations. Present the preliminary findings and facilitate a recommendations validation workshop, remotely or as otherwise agreed with the OSCE Evaluation Manager, and revise the draft in light of comments and feedback received, as appropriate.
4. Finalize and submit the Evaluation Report to the OSCE Evaluation Manager, incorporating relevant comments and feedback while retaining full responsibility for the independent findings, conclusions and recommendations, and undertake a second visit to Kosovo to present the final evaluation findings and recommendations to the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, local counterparts, donors and other relevant stakeholders.

Deliverables:

• An Inception Report containing the agreed evaluation methodology and design, the reconstructed Theory of Change, the Evaluation Matrix, the sampling strategy, the data collection tools, and the work plan is submitted to and approved by the OSCE Evaluation Manager.
• Desk review and primary data collection, including the agreed fieldwork, are completed in accordance with the approved methodology, with relevant evidence systematically documented, analysed and triangulated to address the evaluation questions.
• A Draft Evaluation Report is submitted for review to the OSCE Evaluation Manager, and a recommendations validation workshop is conducted, with relevant feedback appropriately incorporated in preparation of the Final Evaluation Report.
• A Final Evaluation Report that meets the requirements of the approved Evaluation ToR is submitted to and accepted by the OSCE Evaluation Manager, and the final evaluation findings and recommendations are presented in person to relevant stakeholders in Kosovo.

Necessary Qualifications:

• An advanced university degree in political science, public administration, law, criminology, sociology, international relations, evaluation, development studies or another relevant discipline. Equivalent professional experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience in governance, security sector reform, policing, justice, rule of law, community safety, public administration or a closely related field, including at least five years of documented experience in designing and conducting independent programme or project evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience in mixed-method, theory-based and contribution-focused evaluation approaches, including the development and use of Theory of Change models, Evaluation Matrices, qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and triangulation.
• Demonstrated experience in integrating human rights, gender equality, inclusion and participation into evaluation design, data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Strong analytical, facilitation and report-writing skills, with demonstrated experience producing evidence-based findings, conclusions and practical recommendations for senior management and institutional decision-makers.
• Relevant knowledge or experience in community policing, proactive policing, local safety governance, community safety or comparable thematic areas.
• Experience engaging with government institutions, international organizations, civil society and community representatives, including through stakeholder consultations, validation workshops or Evaluation Reference Groups (ERGs).
• Professional fluency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Albanian and/or Serbian and previous professional experience in the Western Balkans are desirable.

• The consultant shall be independent and shall not have participated in the design, implementation, management or monitoring of the intervention being evaluated, nor have any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest in relation to this evaluation.
   

   

  Application Requirements:

• A detailed curriculum vitae demonstrating how they meet the required qualifications and experience; 
  At least two examples of evaluation reports (or substantial extracts, where full reports cannot be provided due to confidentiality requirements) that they personally authored or led, demonstrating their experience in designing and conducting independent evaluations; and 
  Contact details for at least two professional references able to confirm the applicant's evaluation experience. 
   

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this
position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

In order to apply for this position, you must complete the OSCE's online application form, found under OSCE Careers- Jobs. Applicants are encouraged to use the online recruitment and only fully completed OSCE applications will be accepted. However, if you have technical difficulties with the system, you may use the offline application form found at Offline application form | OSCE Employment and forward the completed form quoting the vacancy number by email to: consultancy.omik@osce.org. In line with your qualifications please indicate a preference for one or more fields of expertise listed above (while using the online application the field of expertise preference can be indicated in the cover letter part). Kindly note that applications received after the deadline, submitted in different formats than the OSCE Application Form or other languages than the English language would not be considered. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds to apply.