Pakistan: Research Consultant Caretaker Governments (Pakistan)

Form of Employment: Short-term Consultancy

Starting Date: As soon as possible

Duration:Up to 7 working days within three weeks starting from beginning of February 2019

Location: Islamabad and home-based desk work

Background

Democracy Reporting International (DRI) is a non-partisan, independent, not-for-profit organisation registered in Berlin. DRI promotes political participation of citizens, accountability of state bodies and the development of democratic institutions world-wide.

With support from the German-Federal Foreign Office, DRI’s Pakistan County Office is currently implementing the project “Supporting Human Rights, Good Governance, and Elections in Pakistan”. The project strengthens civil society, provincial and federal-level National Human Rights Institutions, and convenes political stakeholders to promote democratic stability through enhanced respect for human rights, stronger good governance, and credible elections.

DRI has previously produced a Briefing Paper on Caretaker Governments and, under the current project, held a public exchange on caretaker governments around the July 25 Elections in Pakistan, which supported the incoming caretaker government at the time to heed the experiences and lessons learnt of the previous caretakers in light of the new legal framework according to the Election Act 2017.The new legal framework has helped set exact parameters of a caretaker government’s mandate, better define its limits, functioning, and impartiality requirements, overall providing a basis for greater accountability. As an outcome of this activity, DRI has gathered a set of recommendations, which it intends to use to update the Briefing Paper by including these recommendations and raise awareness on the paper’s key findings to contribute to the ongoing debate and advocate for electoral reforms and good governance in Pakistan.

Therefore, DRI is currently recruiting the services of a short-term Research Consultant for its Pakistan Country Office. In collaboration with, and under supervision of the DRI Pakistan Country Director, you will research and draft an updated version of DRI’s Briefing Paper on Caretaker Governments.

Your duties and responsibilities:

• Review DRI’s previous Briefing Paper on Caretaker Government and Elections in Pakistan with a view to updating it after Pakistan’s second cycle of caretaker government(s) set-up prior to the 2018 elections;
• Draw on transcribed material from DRI’s event on caretakers’ set-ups, during which key ministers and experts had debated the idea of caretaker governments, and include the major new thoughts in the existing paper with a view to improving its policy relevance, also by formulating updated recommendations;
• Provide updated evidence base capturing key new themes related to the election cycle and reflect them in the paper, where appropriate, again with a view to reflecting new election cycle related challenges in Pakistan in light of the 2017 Elections Reform Act;
• Debate strategic questions and issues in the paper with a view to achieving greater relevance as per new data, events, and actors in the election landscape;
• Other relevant duties, as required.

Qualifications we require:

• University degree in development studies, public policy, social sciences, law or any other relevant discipline;
• At least 8 years of professional experience in applied research and/or political analysis;
• In-depth understanding of democracy, elections, and governance issues in Pakistan;
• Demonstrated experience of writing high quality research reports;
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to conceptualise policy formulation within the subject area;
• Excellent English language skills (spoken and written) is a requirement.

If you are interested in this short-term consultancy, please send your application including a cover letter specifically explaining your suitability along with your CV and two examples of written work (papers, reports etc.) to asia@democracy-reporting.org. Please include “**Research Consultant Caretaker Governments**” in the subject line and supporting documents in the following format: SURNAME_FIRSTNAME_CARETAKER GOVERMENTS. Please also refer to the source you have found this opportunity. Applying for this position by post mail is possible, please find our address details below.

Closing date for applications: 01 February 2019. The position may be filled before the end of the deadline so early applications are encouraged.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Organisation responsible for this vacancy:

Democracy Reporting International gGmbH

Prinzessinnenstraße 30

10969 Berlin, Germany

Tel +49 30 27877300

Fax +49 30 27877300-10

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