Project Outcome Harvest Writers
full-time
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PLAN INTERNATIONAL Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination, and it is girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters, and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national, and global levels using our reach, experience, and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and are now active in more than 75 countries. Read more about Plan International's Global Strategy: 100 Million Reasons at https://plan-international.org/strategy OBJECTIVE The objective of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive outcome harvesting exercise and develop high-quality written documentation that captures, validates, and presents the key outcomes, lessons learned, sustainability considerations, and contributions of the Education in Emergencies project implemented in Borno State. The assignment will identify and document verifiable intended and unintended outcomes, including observable changes in behaviours, practices, relationships, systems, actions, and decision-making among children, adolescents, caregivers, teachers, community structures, partners, and government actors. Drawing on evidence from Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, direct observations, programme data, project documentation, and stakeholder reflections, the Consultant will analyse the project’s contribution to observed changes and produce clear, evidence-based, and human-centred written products that support donor reporting, accountability, learning, advocacy, visibility, and future programming. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES The Consultant will be expected to: Identify and document verifiable intended and unintended outcomes emerging from the project, including changes in behaviours, practices, actions, relationships, systems, and stakeholder engagement. Gather, review, and synthesise evidence through Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, direct observations, programme data, project reports, and relevant documentation to substantiate identified outcomes. Analyse the project’s contribution to observed changes, including key enabling factors, implementation processes, contextual influences, stakeholder roles, and external factors that supported or limited progress. Document measurable and credible non-measurable results, programme achievements, participant experiences, and evidence of change across key project components, including access to education, teaching and learning, learner retention and transition, protective learning environments, and community engagement. Capture lessons learned, promising practices, challenges, sustainability considerations, and influencing actions to inform adaptive management, accountability, future programming, proposal development, and strategic decision-making. Translate technical findings, programme evidence, and outcome harvesting insights into clear, compelling, accessible, and audience-appropriate written products for both technical and non-technical audiences. Develop high-quality narratives, case studies, outcome stories, learning products, and documentation materials that reflect the voices, experiences, resilience, and perspectives of children, adolescents, teachers, caregivers, community members, partners, and government stakeholders. This should detail who changed in what way, when and where the change took place, and how Plan International contributed to that outcome. Ensure that all documentation is ethical, evidence-based, and in line with Plan International Nigeria’s safeguarding, informed consent, child protection, inclusion, confidentiality, and representation standards. Ensure the outcome harvest aligns with Plan International’s Global Outcome Harvest Guidance. SCOPE OF WORK Working closely with Plan International Nigeria’s Brand and Communications team, MERL team, programme team, implementing partner, and relevant stakeholders, the Consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive outcome harvesting exercise and developing high-quality written documentation from the Education in Emergencies project implemented in Borno State. The assignment will include: Participating in inception and briefing meetings with Plan International Nigeria, CASFOD, MERL, programme, and communications teams to clarify expectations, methodology, timelines, documentation priorities, ethical requirements, safeguarding considerations, and approval processes. Reviewing relevant project documents, including proposals, reports, results frameworks, activity reports, monitoring data, previous documentation, communication materials, and other evidence sources to understand the project design, implementation approach, target groups, and expected outcomes. Developing an outcome harvesting plan, including proposed outcome areas, data collection approach, stakeholder categories, tools, interview guides, validation process, field schedule, and documentation structure. Identifying and documenting intended and unintended outcomes emerging from the project, including observable changes in behaviours, practices, relationships, systems, actions, decision-making, learning access, teaching approaches, learner retention, transition, community engagement, and protective learning environments. Conducting Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, direct observations, and other appropriate documentation activities with substantiators, including children, adolescents, teachers, caregivers, school leaders, community structures, government stakeholders, implementing partners, and project staff. Gathering and triangulating evidence from stakeholder testimonies, programme data, field observations, project reports, and relevant documentation to substantiate identified outcomes and strengthen the credibility of findings. Analysing the project’s contribution to observed changes, including key enabling factors, implementation processes, stakeholder roles, contextual influences, challenges, and external factors that supported or limited progress. Documenting project achievements, measurable and credible non-measurable results, lessons learned, promising practices, sustainability considerations, challenges, innovations, and influencing actions to support accountability, learning, adaptive management, and future programming. Developing clear, compelling, evidence-based, and human-centred written products, including outcome stories, success stories, case studies, learning briefs, participant narratives, and other agreed documentation outputs. Ensuring that all written products reflect the dignity, voices, experiences, resilience, and perspectives of children, adolescents, teachers, caregivers, community members, partners, and government stakeholders reached or engaged through the project. Working closely with the Brand and Communications team to ensure that all narratives are clear, audience-appropriate, ethically framed, and suitable for donor reporting, advocacy, visibility, stakeholder engagement, knowledge management, digital communication, and institutional learning. Incorporating consolidated feedback from Plan International Nigeria, CASFOD, MERL, programme, and relevant review teams in a timely and professional manner. Ensuring that all documentation processes and final outputs comply with Plan International Nigeria’s safeguarding, child protection, informed consent, confidentiality, inclusion, ethical storytelling, representation, and data protection standards. Submitting all final approved outputs in agreed editable formats, including clean and tracked-change versions where applicable, together with organised supporting materials, interview notes, outcome records, references, captions, and other relevant documentation files. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Working in close coordination with the Project Team, CASFOD, and Plan International Nigeria’s MERL, Brand, and Communications teams, the Consultant will: Participate in desk review of relevant project documents, including proposals, reports, monitoring data, activity records, previous documentation, and existing evidence to inform outcome identification and documentation priorities. Participate in pre-field briefing sessions to align on the outcome harvesting objectives, methodology, data collection tools, stakeholder mapping, safeguarding protocols, informed consent procedures, timelines, and expected outputs. Develop and apply an appropriate sampling approach for selecting Focus Group Discussion and Key Informant Interview participants, ensuring representation across gender, age, disability, location, and stakeholder categories. Conduct field visits to targeted communities in Damboa, Kala Balge, and Mobbar LGAs to collect primary data through Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, direct observations, and other appropriate participatory methods. Engage relevant stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, adolescent learners, caregivers, community members, education authorities, community structures, implementing partners, project staff, and other relevant actors, ensuring informed consent and safeguarding compliance at all stages. Identify and document verifiable intended and unintended outcomes, clearly capturing changes in behaviours, practices, actions, relationships, systems, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. Ensure each documented outcome clearly reflects who changed, what changed, when and where the change occurred, why the change is significant, and how the project contributed to the observed change. Gather and organise credible evidence to substantiate documented outcomes, drawing from stakeholder testimonies, programme monitoring data, field observations, project reports, and other relevant sources. Triangulate qualitative findings with available programme data, including indicators, activity reports, monitoring records, and other documented evidence, to strengthen the credibility and accuracy of the outcome findings. Ensure documented outcomes are evidence-based, well-structured, and substantiated through at least two credible sources, where feasible, with clear articulation of outcome significance, lessons learned, sustainability considerations, enabling factors, challenges, and influencing actions. Analyse the project’s contribution to observed changes, including the role of project interventions, stakeholder actions, contextual factors, partnerships, community engagement, and other factors that supported or limited progress. Collaborate with the MERL, Programme, Brand, and Communications teams to ensure consistency, quality assurance, and alignment between documented outcomes, supporting evidence, visual materials, and final communication products. Develop clear, compelling, evidence-based, and human-centred written outputs, including documented outcomes, outcome stories, success stories, case studies, learning products, and analytical summaries, as agreed. Submit documented outcomes, analytical outputs, and draft written products for review, and incorporate consolidated feedback within agreed timelines to ensure quality, accuracy, completeness, and alignment with Plan International Nigeria’s standards. Ensure all documentation processes and final outputs comply with Plan International Nigeria’s safeguarding, child protection, informed consent, confidentiality, inclusion, ethical storytelling, representation, data protection standards and Plan International’s Global Outcome Harvest Guidance. DELIVERABLES The consultant (writer) will be expected to provide the following: A comprehensive Outcome Harvesting Report documenting verifiable intended and unintended outcomes, including clear articulation of who changed, what changed, when and where the change occurred, the project’s contribution, supporting evidence, and the significance of each outcome. Structured outcome documentation organised by location, including Damboa, Kala Balge, and Mobbar LGAs, and by thematic or project component, with analysis of changes in behaviours, practices, actions, relationships, systems, and stakeholder engagement. Synthesised findings from Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, direct observations, programme data, and relevant project documentation, including participant quotes, testimonial extracts, and narrative details aligned with safeguarding, informed consent, confidentiality, and ethical storytelling requirements. An outcome evidence matrix or dataset, where applicable, showing outcome statements, sources of verification, key actors, supporting evidence, data type, and validation status for each documented outcome. A detailed section on lessons learned, promising practices, sustainability considerations, challenges, enabling factors, and influencing actions, highlighting implications for future programming, policy engagement, adaptive management, and institutional learning. A consolidated written report or narrative portfolio presenting key achievements, outcome-level changes, stakeholder perspectives, implementation insights, lessons learned, sustainability considerations, and programme impact in a clear, coherent, and audience-appropriate format. Final written outputs organised by location, theme, project component, story type, and intended use, and submitted in agreed editable formats. Clean and tracked-change versions of written outputs, where revisions have been made, to support review and approval processes. A clean and organised repository of all final products, supporting notes, evidence references, captions, quotes, outcome records, and approved narrative materials. Written confirmation that all outputs have been developed in compliance with Plan International’s safeguarding, informed consent, confidentiality, child protection, inclusion, data protection, ethical representation standards and outcome harvest guidance. FORMAT & QUALITY All deliverables must: Be submitted in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, with clean formatting, clear structure, appropriate headings, and high editorial standards in tone, grammar, flow, and readability. Be clear, evidence-based, well-organised, and suitable for both technical and non-technical audiences. Accurately reflect validated outcome harvesting findings, programme evidence, stakeholder perspectives, participant experiences, and approved project data. Align with Plan International Nigeria’s brand voice, tone, messaging standards, and editorial quality expectations. Comply fully with Plan International Nigeria’s safeguarding, child protection, informed consent, confidentiality, inclusion, ethical storytelling, representation, and data protection standards. Present children, adolescents, girls, caregivers, teachers, community members, and other stakeholders with dignity, agency, respect, and contextual accuracy. Avoid stereotypes, exaggeration, sensationalism, deficit-based language, or any framing that may expose participants or communities to harm, stigma, or misrepresentation. Ensure that participant voices, quotes, testimonials, and case details are used responsibly and only in line with approved consent and safeguarding requirements. Clearly distinguish between validated evidence, stakeholder perspectives, interpretation, and analysis. Be submitted in both clean and tracked-change versions where revisions are required, and in final approved formats agreed with Plan International Nigeria. QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE Consultant/Vendor Qualification and Experience An advanced degree in Communications, Journalism, Development Studies, Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field. A minimum of 5–7 years of professional experience in writing, editing, qualitative documentation, storytelling, or knowledge product development within humanitarian or development programming contexts. Demonstrated experience in outcome harvesting, qualitative evaluation, developing high-quality success stories, impact narratives, case studies, learning documents, and advocacy-oriented content for donor-funded projects. Strong understanding of adolescent and youth participation, gender equality, child and youth rights, social and behaviour change programming, and humanitarian response in fragile or conflict-affected settings. Proven experience documenting human-centred stories and translating technical programme information into compelling and accessible narratives. Strong qualitative interviewing, synthesis, editing, and storytelling skills. Experience working with international NGOs, UN agencies, development partners, or donor-funded projects. Solid understanding of safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation, and Abuse (PSHEA), informed consent, confidentiality, ethical storytelling, and child protection standards. Demonstrated experience working in North-East Nigeria or similar humanitarian and security-sensitive environments. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; knowledge of Hausa or other relevant local languages will be considered an added advantage. Applicants must submit at least two (2) verifiable samples of high-quality documentation of outcome harvests, success stories, and lessons learned previously developed in similar contexts. REQUIRED SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT The Editor and writer Consultant must demonstrate: Skills: Strong expertise in qualitative documentation, storytelling, knowledge product development, and evidence synthesis. Excellent writing, editing, and narrative development skills with the ability to produce compelling, technically sound, and audience-appropriate content. Ability to translate complex programme evidence and field experiences into accessible and engaging communication materials. Strong understanding of humanitarian programming, adolescent participation, gender-transformative approaches, and ethical representation standards. Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to deliver quality outputs within agreed timelines. Equipment A reliable computer system capable of handling data analysis, report writing, and design of high-quality documents. Access to relevant data analysis and documentation tools, such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and qualitative analysis software where necessary. Professional writer and editing and layout software (e.g., Adobe InDesign or similar) for producing visually appealing and publication-ready reports. Adequate data storage and backup systems to ensure safe and secure management of all collected data and documentation materials. Reliable internet connectivity and communication tools to support virtual coordination, data transfer, and timely submission of deliverables. Ability to provide secure digital transfer of all project outputs, including reports, datasets, and supporting materials, to the project team PERFORMANCE METRICS & PAYMENT BASIS The Consultant’s work will be assessed based on: Number of outcomes validated Quality of outcome statements and strength of evidence Timeliness of delivery High-quality, clear, and well-organised success stories Documentation of success stories and lessons learned Success stories and case studies show real experiences of learners and communities Adherence to ethical and consent protocols Completeness of documentation QUANTIFICATION OF WORK: The Consultant will be required to conduct outcome harvesting and provide high-quality writing, editing, and documentation support for the ECHO HIP 2024 Education in Emergencies project across Kala Balge, Mobbar, and Damboa LGAs in Borno State. The assignment will focus on documenting verifiable intended and unintended outcomes emerging from the project, including changes in behaviours, practices, actions, relationships, systems, learning access, teaching approaches, learner retention and transition, community engagement, and protective learning environments. The scope of work will include the collection, validation, synthesis, analysis, writing, editing, and finalisation of outcome documentation, success stories, outcome stories, case studies, impact narratives, participant quotes, lessons learned, sustainability considerations, evidence matrices, and supporting narrative materials. All outputs should be suitable for donor reporting, accountability, advocacy, visibility, stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing, institutional learning, future programming, and digital communication purposes. The final number, type, and structure of written outputs will be agreed with Plan International Nigeria during the inception and briefing phase, based on approved documentation priorities, field schedules, available evidence, safeguarding considerations, and communication needs. Payment will be made upon satisfactory delivery and approval of all agreed outputs, including required revisions, supporting materials, evidence documentation, and organised files in the agreed formats. Assignment-specific briefs, outcome harvesting tools, story leads, interview guides, or additional guidance may be issued by Plan International Nigeria where necessary to further define activity-specific documentation requirements. SUPERVISION AND REPORTING The consultant will report to the Brand and Communications team and work closely with the Project Manager, MERL Officer, Project Officer, and other relevant project team members to ensure that all design outputs are contextually accurate, aligned with the approved content, and responsive to programme objectives. The consultant will be responsible for maintaining regular communication with the assigned focal persons throughout the assignment and for incorporating feedback received during the review and approval process. All design outputs, source files, and final materials produced under this contract shall remain the exclusive intellectual property of Plan International Nigeria. The consultant may not reuse, reproduce, publish, or distribute any material developed under this assignment without prior written approval from Plan International. Interested Consultants may access the full details of this call, including all relevant annexes, through the link below: https://tinyurl.com/4syxjt5j