SoCha is planning an upcoming study of civil society organizations in an authoritarian context and seeks to engage a researcher with experience conducting social network analysis. This study’s objective is to collect primary data regarding

• The extent of coordination and collaboration between civil society organizations, and
• The extent to which these civil society organizations demonstrate shared interest in key policies and issues.

Scope:

SoCha requires a Social Network Analyst to design and lead data collection and analysis for this study from June to August 2024.

The Analyst will lead the overall execution of the study remotely, supervising a team of three research officers who will conduct remote key informant interviews with civil society organizations. The Analyst must present preliminary findings in early July and complete their findings in August.

The team will conduct 45 key informant interviews with 20-25 civil society organizations.

The data will be used to conduct a structural analysis of communication and policy dialogue among key organizations. The findings of the study will help guide the development of program interventions in support of improving information exchange and developing a joint vision among civil society members. The study focuses on the network between the organizations, i.e., their interactions and relationships, in order to provide baseline data for a civil society support program.

The Analyst will lead the study team to develop an interview guide that combines a standardized questionnaire for a survey-style inquiry and a set of guiding questions for a qualitative exploration of additional topics. The questionnaire will be designed to gather data on the respondent’s organization’s relationships with other organizations in the network. Social network analysis (SNA) will be used to determine structural network characteristics such as actor centrality, centralization, network density, and subgroups. SNA will be conducted to assess network density by analyzing the network’s underlying communication patterns and patterns of collaboration between the different stakeholders. It will assess issues of common and shared interest by assessing subgroup cohesion on particular issues and help to identify levers of change for improved policy convergence.

Additional questions will seek to understand wider perspectives on key issues and how close different groups may be on a particular vision or solution for common issues. The survey will include several open-ended questions to gather data on other aspects of CSO activity in the network, their engagement with actors outside the network, and the extent to which network organizations have an aligned vision.

The Analyst will organize and lead a remote training on the data collection methods with a team of three researchers. The interviews will be conducted remotely, via secure videoconferencing. Interviews will be conducted by researchers in local languages where possible.

Responsibilities:

The Analyst will

• Consult with SoCha, review client expectations, and lead the execution of the overall study statement of work
• Conduct a brief desk review of existing program documentation on the civil society organizations and context
• Finalize study methodology and develop data collection tools
• Train and advise the data collection team on data collection methodology and tools
• Direct data collection efforts: key informant interviews
• Conduct a limited selection of interviews and/or supervise interviews directly
• Check data quality and correct field team on data collection methods
• Lead an internal synthesis workshop with the data collection team to develop preliminary findings
• Prepare a presentation of preliminary findings
• Analyze final data collected: determine structural network characteristics such as actor centrality, centralization, network density, and subgroups
• Develop a report and presentation documenting assessment findings related to indicators of interest, specifically
• The extent of coordination and collaboration between civil society organizations, and
• The extent to which these civil society organizations demonstrate shared interest in key policies and issues
• Incorporate SoCha and client feedback to finalize report
• Adapt to changes of the scope and responsibilities to achieve the objectives of the study
• Other duties as appropriate

Deliverables Schedule:

Deliverable #1 – Preliminary findings presentation (Due July 3)

Deliverable #2 – Draft report (~10-15 pages, due July 19) with:

• Structural network analysis which informs client on
• The extent of coordination and collaboration between civil society organizations; and
• The extent to which civil society organizations demonstrate shared interest in key policies and issues,
• Utilizing visual infographics or diagrams.

Deliverable #3 – Presentation to SoCha and client (due July 26)

Deliverable #4 – Final report incorporating comments (due 1 week after comments received)

Qualifications:

• Experience in designing, managing, and executing social network analysis.
• Experience in designing, managing, and executing studies using qualitative analysis.
• Experience managing remote data collection teams.
• Some experience and understanding of civil society organizations and political movements.
• Master’s degree in the social sciences or a related field.
• Experience delivering high-quality, visually compelling presentations utilizing infographics and diagrams of networks.

Level of Effort (LOE):

Up to 30 days.

Place of Performance:

Remote.

Period of Performance:

June – August 2024.

Reporting:

The Social Network Analyst will report to SoCha’s project manager and work collaboratively with the client to achieve the objectives of the study.

Note: To protect stakeholders, additional information will only be disclosed to successful candidates.