Researcher on empowering communities affected by humanitarian use of digital technology

Contract timeframe: 5 December 2025 to 28 February 2026
Location: Remote

Travel: None

Reporting to: Research supervisor

Maximum available budget for assignment: USD 9,000. Please include your daily fee in USD in the ‘Desired Salary’ field in the application, and total quote as part of your technical and financial offer.

Application deadline: Due to the urgency of this project, screening and interviews will commence immediately and the post may be filled before the deadline for applications.

CLEAR Global is an equal-opportunity employer, committed to having a diverse team where individuals of all backgrounds collaborate and learn from one another. We believe we can be most effective with diverse experience and expertise in our team. We recruit on merit, actively seek diverse applicant pools and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, marital or parental status, or sexual orientation, and welcome all types of diversity.

Context

The research under this project is a continuation and second phase of work that CLEAR Global delivered for the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) in 2024/2025. The first phase produced two guides to support ethical, inclusive, and participatory technology development in humanitarian settings. These resources offer high-level, human-centred principles and practical considerations for the development of any digital or emerging technology (including but not limited to AI).

This second phase comprises two objectives: 1) to validate and refine the current guidelines with intended users and transform the guides into a plain-language, web-based playbook, and 2) to start developing community-facing tools that empower people to understand their rights, risks and hold implementers accountable. These terms of reference relate to research to inform objective 2.

Aims of the research

To inform the development of community-facing tools that empower people to understand their rights, manage risks and hold implementers accountable when digital technology is developed and/or deployed in humanitarian settings.
This should build upon the approach, research tools and findings from Phase I data collection in northeast Nigeria, which were developed to inform humanitarians about community needs and expectations. The new research should both expand the range of contexts considered and invert the perspective to preparing communities to engage humanitarians on their technology use in crisis response. This may entail a co-creation approach to data collection. In line with CLEAR Global’s mission of helping people to get information and be heard, whatever language they speak, the research should explicitly consider issues of language- and communication-related inclusion.

Responsibilities

The researcher(s) will conduct data collection in collaboration with civil society organizations based in two humanitarian country contexts. They will analyze the findings and provide a comprehensive report to inform the development of the community-facing tools. The scope of work will include:

• Inception: Define the scope of and approach to data collection as a basis for developing community-facing tools to inform and empower crisis-affected people in requiring an inclusive and responsible approach to technology use by the humanitarian sector
• Identification: Engage relevant stakeholders (community-based organisations, community leaders and members, etc.) in two humanitarian country contexts; this should include identifying (in collaboration with CLEAR Global colleagues) suitable civil society partners to collaborate on data collection
• Preparation: Develop tools and materials for meaningful engagement and data collection, and (if relevant) prepare and support civil society partners to conduct community-level data collection
• Data collection and analysis: Conduct/oversee the data collection, analyze the results and produce a report that will inform next steps, including key findings and recommendations

Depending on the scope and research approach identified at the inception phase, informants may include representatives of community-based and civil society organisations in the contexts selected and members of the communities themselves. The selection of the two country contexts and of local partners will take account of other CLEAR Global projects; in that case, some activities and communication for this research may have to be coordinated to maximize synergy and overall efficiency.

The researcher(s) will collect data remotely, for instance through key informant interviews, focus groups, co-creation sessions or surveys as appropriate, and may also prepare and support civil society organizations in the two locations to conduct community consultations.

Deliverables

• A brief inception report defining the scope and approach to data collection as a basis for developing community-facing tools to inform and empower crisis-affected communities
• A complete set of research tools and supporting documents, agreed and signed off by CLEAR Global
• Audio files (if applicable) and transcription/complete records of all data collected
• A final report analyzing the findings and proposing recommendations to inform next steps, in English

All deliverables must be completed and approved by 28 February 2026.

Qualifications

The researcher(s) should be a creative self-starter with a strong sense of initiative and enthusiasm about the importance of accountability to crisis-affected communities and increasing access to knowledge through language. The right candidate is an energetic team player who agrees with CLEAR Global´s core values and can work remotely to collaborate with partners and team members.

Requirements

• University degree, preferably specializing in language-related or anthropological study
• Demonstrated understanding of language barriers in relation to communication for development, or other humanitarian or development issues
• Experience designing and implementing social science research in humanitarian contexts; experience of co-design highly desirable
• Familiarity with humanitarian programming, particularly the use of digital technology in humanitarian action and communication, community engagement and accountability
• Verbal and written fluency in English; strong writing skills with a capacity for plain-language communication
• Familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research and data collection methods
• Strong information management skills and a track record of producing analysis clearly grounded in original data
• Demonstrable understanding of ethical data collection and data protection practices
• Mature and collaborative personality, self-starter, flexible and committed

Terms and conditions

Fees for the consultancy will be paid as follows:

• An advance of 20% of the total contract value within 30 days of the signature of the contract
• Interim payments based on deliverables
• A final installment of 20% of the total contract value payable on satisfactory completion of the work and presentation of all deliverables.

The researcher(s) will be expected to use their own equipment and supplies (laptop, mobile phone, any recording equipment, etc.) and cover all costs related to the assignment except as stipulated below.

CLEAR Global will provide support for the translation of research tools, and support with identifying and engaging civil society partners in relevant locations. Any in-country data collection costs will be met from the project budget, and must be agreed in advance with CLEAR Global. The researcher(s) will use CLEAR Global’s videoconferencing tools for remote data collection.

How to apply

To apply for this consultancy, as an individual or a team of researchers, please submit the following documents:

1. A technical and financial offer to include:

• a brief description (no more than two sides of A4) of how you would tackle this role
• a proposed work plan (including the number of days required for each task)
• a financial offer, specifying daily fees including all costs and taxes (if applicable), and for a total value of no more than USD 9,000.

2. For all team members: a curriculum vitae highlighting relevant experience from similar projects, and contact details (email and telephone number) of at least three professional references.

Please upload the technical and financial offer as one document under “cover letter” and present the CV(s) of the expert(s) proposed in one document under “CV”.

About CLEAR Global

CLEAR Global exists to help people get vital information, and be heard, whatever language they speak. We believe that everyone has the right to give and receive information in a language and format they understand. We work with nonprofit partners and a global community of language professionals to build local language translation capacity, and raise awareness of language barriers. Our network of over 100,000 community members translate millions of words of life-saving and life-changing information a year.

Core Values

CLEAR Global employees and volunteers are people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. CLEAR Global’s mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:

Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, CLEAR Global is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.

Integrity: CLEAR Global believes that every person, whether it is the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.

Empowerment: CLEAR Global believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.

Innovation: CLEAR Global recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.

Sustainability: CLEAR Global recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.

Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and conduct themselves professionally at all times.