OGP IRM Local Researchers Call

OGP IRM Local Researchers Call

The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... of the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More  is seeking individuals to carry out research at the national level in 33 countries to assess government progress on implementation of OGP Action Plans. 

Background

The OGP is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, empower citizens, promote public accountabilityAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, public accountability occurs when ”rules, regulations, and mechanisms in place call upon government actors to justify their actions, act upon criticisms ... More, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. To become part of OGP, participating countries must sign a high-level Open Government DeclarationThe Open Government Declaration is the declaration of commitment to upholding the principles of open and transparent government, approved by the founding countries of OGP in 2011. Countries are requir..., deliver a country action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... developed with public consultation, and commit to independent reporting on their progress going forward through the OGP Independent Reporting Mechanism.

The IRM is a key means by which all stakeholders can track progress within participating countries. By tracking and publicizing progress, it promotes strong accountability between member governments and citizens.

The IRM works primarily by disseminating independent assessment reports for each OGP participating government. Each national progress report assesses the development and implementation of action plans, and develops technical recommendations. 

Candidates from the following countries are invited to apply: 

• Argentina
• Australia
• Bulgaria
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Finland
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Kenya
• Liberia
• Macedonia
• Malawi
• Malta
• Mongolia
• New Zealand
• Panama
• Peru
• Romania
• Serbia
• Sierra Leone
• Slovakia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated history of policy-relevant research and publication.
• National reputation as objective, impartial, and thorough.
• Ability to facilitate stakeholder dialogues, research, interviews, and institutional analysis across non-profit, public, and private sectors.
• Specific experience working on public policy issues related to governance, transparency, accountability, or public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... more broadly.
• Demonstrated ability to solicit, incorporate, and respond to official and public comments.
• Ability to carry out research within a strict time frame.
• Willingness to communicate findings in a non-partisan, objective fashion.
• Ability to commit to the role for a duration of two years.
• Strong English-language skills preferred. Spanish-only speakers will be considered for Latin America.

Duties

• Clear, regular communication to IRM Program staff in Washington, DC and to International Experts Panel.
• Attendance of in-person training in mid-2014.
• Independent research using focus groups, interviews, and document review.
• CompletionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin... of online and offline research and writing. Subjects covered by research include: action plan development, action plan content, implementation of the action plan in the national context, government self-assessment report.
• Dissemination of findings of the report to national audience.

Compensation

• OGP will offer payment (to include salaries, overheads, and incurred costs) and cover costs of participation to training outside of country, where applicable.

Decision-making process

• Interested parties should submit an English (preferred) or Spanish CV to the IRM at IRM@opengovpartnership.org. Please use the following email title: “OGP IRM Researcher [Your Country]”.
• Third-party nominations may also be made through the same address. Please confirm with nominees their availability and willingness to participate prior to submission of their name. Where possible, please include their contact information as well.
• National researchers for the IRM will be approved by the Independent Experts Panel and IRM program staff, with an opportunity for comment and input by the respective national governments and civil society focal points, where applicable. Each applicant will be weighed against the set of criteria listed above, based on interviews, review of prior work, and references.
• There is a strong preference for nationals of the country to be evaluated and for those with experience relevant to country action plans.
• Because of the volume of applications, we will not be able to respond to every applicant. We thank applicants in advance for their expressions of interest.

The call will remain open until close of business, Eastern Standard Time, April 1, 2014.