MiCT is calling for proposals for the evaluation of its Fellowship for Critical Voices. These Terms of Reference are to be taken as the basis for the evaluation. MiCT invites interested and qualified applicants to submit proposals by 8.06.2026

Introducing MiCT

Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) is a non-profit organisation delivering expert media services in complex and challenging contexts with passion, precision and agility. Through our collaborative work with our partners, we foster transparent, inclusive and fair dialogue supporting resilient societies that thrive.

Across four continents and 15 countries, MiCT facilitates the training of journalists and media producers, programme and content development, radio and film production, magazine and book publishing, media research and monitoring, in addition to supporting the financial viability of our partners.

2. The Program

The case worker is to support the MiCT Critical Voices Fellowship, which is aimed at media professionals from conflict and crisis regions who share a common value in their professional journalistic integrity. The program is currently focused on journalists and media makers from across the globe, and will have supported roughly 500 individuals between January 2025 and June 2026. The Fellowship offers a modular support structure that can be adapted according to country and individual requirements, and focuses on 7 Module areas, specifically: Security, Livelihood, Health, Integration and Legalisation, Professional Development, Community and Resettlement, depending on Fellows’ individual circumstances. Fellows are supported either in a cohort-based fashion, for more sustained conflict areas, or onboarded on a rolling basis, in emergency and new conflict regions.

The program is implemented, in collaboration with 8 local partner organisations, and 6 regional community managers. The 2025-26 program follows 3 previous periods of implementation since September 2022 and forms part of the Hannah Arendt Initiative of the German Federal Foreign Office.

3. Description of the role

The evaluation process aims to provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the program across all 8 regions from 2022-2026, including:

• Effectiveness of team and partner setup and structure, particularly with view to a power sensitive development and humanitarian work

• Degree to which indicators were reached

• Regional and systematic relevance

• MEAL methodology and processes

• Impact for beneficiaries (offboarding survey)

• Development of needs of beneficiaries (onboarding survey)

• Journalistic production supported (production reports)

• Development of needs (application form)

A beneficiary survey has already been completed and data will be made available to the consultant. The evaluations of previous years will also be made available. The evaluation shall be based on principles aligned with the OECD/DAC: Relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

4. Deliverables

The following services are to be rendered on assignment:

1. Interviews with at least:

   • 15 beneficiaries

   • 8 project partner/case workers

   • 5 project staff

   • 4 key informants (for regional /systematic review)

Where required, this may include the coordination of translators for interviews. Translators will be contracted by MiCT separately. .

1. Inception report (max 5 pages plus appendices) outlining methodology and instruments for data gathering for the evaluation.

2. Final evaluation report (max 20 pages plus appendix) in English, consisting of the following:

• Key conclusions and recommendations from last 4 years for:

  • project implementation

  • usage of fellow content for improved visibility of beneficiaries & projects outcomes

  • Criteria for reporting across all regions

  • Digitalisation / automisation of MEAL process

  • Regional and systemic approach of project

• Appendix including:

  • Cleaned data of last 4 years

  • Data visualisations of key points

  • New logframe proposal

  • New onboarding /offboarding surveys

  • Interview questions

3. Organising and conducting a 2h learning workshop with the project team and partners

All deliverables are to be completed by 30.06.2026**.**

Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the data involved, the use of AI-based tools (including but not limited to large language models, AI writing assistants, and automated data analysis tools) for processing, summarising, or generating any project-related content is prohibited without prior written approval from MiCT. Any approved use must be documented and disclosed in the methodology. Violation of this requirement will be considered a material breach of contract.

Criteria of selection

Individuals, teams and organisations are invited to apply. Successful applicants should be able to provide proof of the following:

• Familiarity with the OECD/DAC criteria

• Extensive experience with (primarily digital) methods of data gathering

• Experience with evaluation of projects funded by the German Federal Foreign Office preferred

• Experience in data analysis & management

• Experience in digitalisation of evaluation processes

• Experience with emergency protection programming, ideally in media contexts

• Knowledge of power-sensitive and decolonial development structures a distinct advantage

• Familiarity with other project languages such as Arabic, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Burmese, Dari and/or Pashto preferred

• Availability to conduct analysis in given timeframe

How to apply

6. Application Procedure

Applications, including the following, should be emailed to fellowship@mict-international.org citing the subject line “Application MEAL” by 23.59pm CET on 08.06.2026 . Individuals, teams and organisations are invited to apply

• Application documents including the following:

  • Letter of interest and suitability as per criteria outlined above

  • Short outline of evaluation approach (max 1 page)

  • CVs of key expert person/people

• Total budget according to deliverables outlined in 4, with an expected number of working days per deliverable (maximum 15), as well as a daily rate (8h), in EUR including VAT.