Baseline Data Analysis Consultant

Baseline Data Analysis Consultant

Position Title : Baseline Data Analysis Consultant

Location of Project : Batticaloa and Trincomalee in Eastern Province Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya in Northern Province

Location of Assignment : Remote - Home Based

Reports to : Senior Advisor - Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning

Contract Period : Between 23rd - 31st March 2026

Introduction

WUSC is a leading Canadian international development organization committed to providing education, economic and empowerment opportunities to improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged youth around the world, particularly women and displaced people. With a vision of a world where every young person thrives and belongs, WUSC works as a facilitator and a convener, bringing together diverse resources and stakeholders to tackle complex challenges at a systems level. WUSC leverages a wide network of actors from civil society, post-secondary education, the private sector and youth themselves to design and implement initiatives that will bring lasting change for the benefit of youth. Operating in over 25 countries and has been active in Sri Lanka since 1989 through partnerships with government and other key stakeholders.

The STRIVE Project

The Strengthening TVET Resilience and Inclusive Vocational Employment (STRIVE) project is a 5-year program (2025-2030) that aims to strengthen the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystem in Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces. Using a collaborative approach, the project will support TVET actors to enhance TVET programs to be more gender-responsive, market-relevant and in support of environmental sustainability. The project aims to increase participation of young people, particularly young women, in enhanced TVET and facilitate their transition to employment, towards increased economic prospects. The project will target sectors facing current and/or future skills gaps, with emphasis on the green economy.

The ultimate outcome of the STRIVE project: Improved economic wellbeing of young people, especially young women, in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

The intermediate outcomes are:

1100
Improved participation of young people, particularly young women, in gender-responsive, environmentally sustainable and market-relevant TVET in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka

1200
Enhanced gender equitable transition to employment, including green jobs for young people, particularly young women, in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka

The immediate outcomes are:

1110
Increased demand for TVET from young people, particularly young women

1120
Increased capacity of TVET Institutions to offer quality, inclusive, gender-responsive, environmentally sustainable and market-relevant skills training for young people

1210
Increased motivation of employers in select sectors to hire and retain TVET graduates, especially female graduates

1220
Improved capacity of TVET Institutions and industry to transition young people, particularly young women, from learning to employment

Scope of the work

The project uses a rolling baseline approach, building on analyses conducted at project onset, including secondary data reviews and literature reviews of outcome indicators. To validate and formally establish baseline values, primary data collection is currently being executed.

The Consultant will be responsible for the Analysis, which involves processing the primary data collected by enumerators to generate a robust evidence base for the project’s performance tracking. This includes the synthesis of quantitative survey data (collected from approx 300 respondents) and qualitative 08 Focus Group Discussion (FGD) insights to establish formal baseline values for selected outcome indicators, ensuring they are adequate for tracking change over time.

Objective of the assignment

The primary objective of this assignment is to support the STRIVE MERL unit by converting primary data into a structured baseline evidence base. The consultant will ensure that the raw information collected in the Northern and Eastern Provinces is analyzed to provide a clear, gender-responsive, and market-relevant benchmark.

Generate reliable, disaggregated baseline values for Immediate Outcome 1110 indicators by analyzing quantitative and qualitative datasets.

Indicator # 1:
Perceptions among young people of TVET as a pathway to employment (disaggregated by sex, age, sector, province)

Indicator # 2:
Willingness among young people to pay for TVET (disaggregated by sex, age, sector, province)

Provide specific analysis of barriers and opportunities related to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Environment and Climate Change (ECC/Green Skills).

1. Key Responsibilities

• Review raw data from Google Sheets collected through Google Forms to ensure logical consistency, identify anomalies and address with the support of WUSC focal point.
• Perform advanced statistical analysis (descriptive and inferential where applicable) disaggregated by sex, age, district, urban/rural status, and education level.
• Systematically code FGD transcripts to extract key themes, social norms, and high-impact quotes that explain the "why" behind the youth perceptions.
• Cross-reference findings between the Youth Survey and FGDs to provide a 360-degree view of the TVET demand landscape.
• Produce a high-quality baseline analysis report that meets WUSC and donor standards.

Key Activities and Deliverables

1. 1. A comprehensive, organized version of the data in Google Sheets/Excel, including all cross-tabulations and pivot tables.
   2. A concise table explicitly defining the % values for the two indicators of the Immediate Outcome 1110 for the Performance Measurement Framework (PMF).
   3. A professional report (max 20 pages) supported by infographics including thematic analysis of perceptions, WTP thresholds, opportunity costs, and GESI-specific barriers.

Level of Effort (LoE) & Timeframe

The assignment is scheduled for a focused period between March 23 and March 31, 2026. Maximum Level of Effort (LoE) is 10 billable working days. The consultant is expected to work remotely but must be available for virtual debriefing sessions with the STRIVE MERL team.

Required Qualifications & Competencies

The ideal candidate/firm should possess a strong blend of quantitative rigor and qualitative synthesis skills.

A related advanced degree along with experience in development research. Strong preference for candidates with a background in TVET ecosystems or youth-focused socio-economic studies.

Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets, SPSS, or Stata. Experience in data visualization using Power BI (PBI) or Google Looker Studio to create project dashboards is highly desirable. Demonstrated experience in thematic coding and analysis of FGDs using software (e.g., NVivo) or manual systematic frameworks.

Deep familiarity with the socio-political and economic landscape of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, including an understanding of local gender norms and labor market dynamics.

Application Procedures

Qualified and interested individuals or research firms are invited to submit their application packages.

Your application must include: Profile/CV (Max 4 pages), highlighting relevant academic qualifications and professional experience, specifically focusing on previous baseline surveys, social research, and data analysis assignments. Please include direct links to previously authored similar reports as evidence. A clear breakdown mentioning the proposed daily rate, no of days and the total cost for the assignment.

Applications should be submitted on or before March 22nd, 2026. Please note that the review of the applications will be held on an ongoing basis and consultant may be recruited before the deadline.

Applicants are requested to email strive.rfp@wusc.ca with the subject line “Request Annex” to obtain the following documents:

Annex 01: Youth Individual Survey Questionnaire
Annex 02: Focus Group Discussion with Youth – Guiding Questions