IPI Seeks Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant for Turkey Media Program
Consultant to assess freedom of information initiatives in Turkey's media landscape.
1Consultancy Scope
The International Press Institute (IPI) is hiring an independent consultant to evaluate three key components of its Turkey Programme running from 2024-2027. The consultant will assess Freedom of Information trainings, a journalist mentorship program, and legal advisory board activities. This paid assignment requires 4 months of work from November 2026 to February 2027, culminating in an analytical report and feedback session with IPI.
2Program Components
The evaluation covers IPI's Freedom of Information training initiatives that educate journalists on access to information rights. It also includes the Mentor-Mentee Programme supporting investigative journalism through FOI requests. The third component involves assessing the Legal Advisory Board's activities protecting media freedom in Turkey's challenging legal environment.
3Required Expertise
Candidates must demonstrate monitoring and evaluation experience, preferably with EU-funded projects. They need knowledge of media freedom issues and Turkey's media ecosystem. Essential skills include qualitative/quantitative data collection through interviews, surveys, and content analysis. The consultant must maintain strict confidentiality when working with journalists and civil society representatives.
4Professional Standards
The consultant must adhere to high ethical standards and have no prior involvement in IPI's Turkey Programme to ensure impartiality. Strong analytical reporting skills are required, with fluency in both Turkish and English for comprehensive reporting. The position demands sensitivity to working with vulnerable media professionals in Turkey's constrained press freedom environment.
5Application Process
Interested professionals must submit applications by September 22, 2026, to [email protected]. The selection process will prioritize candidates with proven M&E experience in media development programs. The consultant will be compensated for their work, which includes travel within Turkey if required for data collection from program participants across different regions.
6Evaluation Methodology
The consultant will employ mixed methods including document reviews, interviews with 50+ stakeholders, and surveys measuring program impact. They'll analyze changes in journalists' FOI request success rates and legal knowledge. The evaluation will assess whether the mentorship program improved investigative reporting quality and whether legal support effectively defended press freedom cases.
7Political Context
This evaluation occurs amid Turkey's declining press freedom rankings (165th in RSF's 2023 index). The consultant must navigate sensitivities around monitoring EU-funded media projects in Turkey, where foreign-funded civil society work faces increasing scrutiny. The assessment could inform future international support strategies for Turkey's independent media sector.
8Strategic Importance
This evaluation will provide crucial data on effective media freedom interventions in restrictive environments. Findings may influence donor strategies across similar contexts. For Turkey's media professionals, it represents an opportunity to systematically document challenges and successes in FOI advocacy - potentially strengthening future programming and policy recommendations.