Duration of the research task:	6 weeks (April – June 2026)
Type of contract/partnership:	Short-term consultancy (external)
RNW Media Focal Point:	Sana Naqvi, Senior Impact Manager, RNW Media
About this Consultancy	RNW Media is seeking a consultant to lead a Digital Media Context Analysis (DMCA) and Learning Needs Assessment (two different, but  linked outputs) for an EU project in Libya that is focused on Media resilience, in collaboration with a local organization, Annir.    The DMCA will assess the digital media landscape along predefined thematic areas relevant to the programme. The Learning Needs Assessment is required to understand the specific learning needs, motivations, and barriers of the individuals and organisations the programme will directly support and help to come up with a learning strategy for the programme.
Language	Arabic and English (bilingual deliverables required). This is a hard requirement.

1. INTRODUCTION  

RNW Media is an international media development organization based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, dedicated to harness the power of independent digital media to uphold human rights and advance the public good. Working in more than 40 countries across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, West and East Africa, East Asia, Central and South America, we defend media and internet freedom, the right of every human being to access to information and freedom of expression. 

With over 75 years of experience, RNW Media has evolved from an international radio broadcaster into a champion of independent digital media. Our work with our partners has demonstrated how a diverse, resilient, and trustworthy digital media ecosystem can inform people, shift narratives, influence social norms, and drive policy change, reinforcing the essential role of independent media in open and democratic societies. 

RNTC, the internationally renowned training center of RNW Media, provides journalism and media training to journalists, media makers and communication professionals. Through The  

Vine, RNW Media’s global community, with more than 25 independent and public interest digital media, 80 media trainers, and 10,000 RNTC alumni, we facilitate media coalition, partnership, and movement building. 

2. PURPOSE & SCOPE OF THE DMCA & Learning Needs Assessment  

2.A.) Purpose of the DMCA 

The purpose of the Digital Media Context Analysis (DMCA) is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Libyan digital media environment, its challenges and opportunities, as well as the interests, specific needs, and behaviours of media practitioners, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the broader public in relation to access to and consumption of information in digital spaces. 

Key digital themes include, but are not limited to: the online media landscape and key actors, internet access and connectivity, digital behaviour and platform use, trust in media and information integrity, the disinformation landscape and existing response strategies, digital safety and security for journalists, and AI and emerging technologies. These thematic areas will inform the digital media context analysis, based on contextualised research questions and a set of participatory data collection methods. A complete overview of the thematic areas and research questions is provided in the DMCA Research Questions Template that will be provided by RNW Media. 

2.B.)  Purpose of the Learning Needs Assessment  

The purpose of the Learning Needs Assessment is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the learning needs, motivations, and barriers of media practitioners and organisations operating within the Libyan media landscape, as well as the interests, specific needs, and capacities of key groups, including independent journalists, emerging media professionals, public media staff, and civil society organisations (CSOs), in relation to professional development and capacity strengthening. 

Key thematic areas include, but are not limited to: skills gaps and training priorities across journalism practice, digital safety, and media ethics, organisational capacity and sustainability challenges, learning format preferences and access to professional development, existing training initiatives and the broader learning ecosystem in Libya, and baseline capacity levels across the programme’s key outcome areas. These thematic areas will inform the learning needs assessment, based on contextualised research questions and a set of participatory data collection methods. 

3.C.) Relationship between DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment  

The DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment are parallel but sequential in their relationship. The DMCA provides the macro-level country context: the digital environment, information ecosystem, and structural landscape. The Learning Needs Assessment builds on this to generate practitioner-level insights, the specific learning needs, motivations, and barriers of the people and organisations the programme will work with. 

Key points of interaction between the two: 

1. Both assessments will feed jointly into the programme’s baseline evaluation and into the design of all Outcome activities. 

2. The Learning Needs Assessment is not responsible for contextual landscape analysis; where questions overlap, the DMCA takes precedence and the Learning Needs Assessment focuses on the practitioner implications. 

3. CONSULTANT/CONSULTANCY TEAM and DIGITAL CONTEXT ANALYSIS and LEARNING NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS 

The consultancy is open to all qualified consultants. The consultancy project team may consist of one person or a team of experts. In the latter case, the applicants should propose a team specifying team member’s expertise (with the lead being The Consultant). 

The consultant is managing the entire process (including but not limited to preparing research protocol, consent/assent forms when and if needed, data collection tools, work schedule, etc.) remotely from a home/work base, hence not be needing to travel in any of the countries. While the consultant might have several online consultations with key stakeholders and young people, actual in-country field work will be implemented by local field facilitators (In-Country Facilitators, ICFs) contracted directly by the consultant.  

The consultant will agree tasks and timeframe with the ICFs, coordinate their work, be responsible for the quality of the deliverables of ICFs and accept the deliverables of ICFs. Their fees as well as local fieldwork costs will be covered by the consultant and under the consultant’s supervision. Once data is collected, the consultant will organize and cover for their translation into English before submitting them to the RNW Media. 

4. METHODOLOGY   

The Consultant will submit a technical and financial proposition including detailed descriptions of the methodology to be used. Data collection tools will be developed in close collaboration with the RNW Media and Annir team. An agreed comprehensive working calendar (Timeframe) and Operational plan will guide the process. 

4.A.) general guidance 

The detailed DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment design is to be created by the Consultant, however, the following general guidance and/or methods should be considered: 

• Preliminary literature review 

• Design of research question(s): in consultation with RNW Media and Annir 

• Online and traditional media landscape overview, including elements such as who are the biggest players in the online media and traditional media landscape, and who are most influential in reaching young people (change-makers, and influencers). 

• Interviews with local partners 

• Data entry, analysis, and compilation of report. 

• Other potential activities: focus groups, surveys and information validation activities. 

• Review and report validation: such as the incorporation of the comments from the validation workshop. 

4.B.) Meetings 

The Consultant (or/and the full consultancy team) and RNW Media and Annir colleagues will kick-start the DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment process by having an inception meeting. In this meeting, the research questions template and other relevant resources will be shared by RNW Media and Annir, after which the consultant will have to prepare the selection of the research questions and subsequent methodology per chosen questions, which will determine the scope of the research(s). 

The following meeting between the Consultant, RNW Media and Annir is the Research Design Meeting with the project team (including all support staff from RNW Media, Annir and research team), who will review and finalize the research questions selection and determine relevant data collection methods. After this, a detailed Inception Report, including a detailed work plan, will be shared by the consultant. This inception report sets out a timeline for all key deliverables and the exact data collection activities. 

The second meeting is the Validation Meeting, which only occurs after data collection and analysis is completed and before reporting is finalized. Please note that in between the two meetings (research design and validation meeting), there are frequent project team meetings (either weekly or bi-weekly), to be decided together.  

4.C.) The 3-Step Approach for the DMCA 

The DMCA as a RNW Media research service can be replicated and implemented using the Methodology Guide, which is based on the following 3-step approach: 

• Contextualize research scope and methodology 

• Gather and analyze your data 

• Write up the key findings and digital strategies in the DMCA Report 

A detailed roadmap, including toolkit per data collection method, on how this 3-step approach can be implemented  (DMCA Methodology Guidelines) will be shared by RNW Media.  

For the Learning Needs Assessment, a plan will be provided that the consultant can use as a departure point. Aligning between DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment, the consultant will decide on specific methods to use for the Learning Needs Assessment. 

4.D.) DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment Milestones 

The final DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment data collection activities with timeline is to be created by the consultant, however, the following Milestones are standard:  

• Contextualize research scope and methodology per research question: including the selection of relevant data collection sources and activities (in consultation with RNW Media and Annir) 

• Secondary data collection: based on desk research, guided by RNW Media and Annir 

• Primary data collection: organize and conduct Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews and Online Surveys 

• Data analysis and compilation of report 

• Review and report validation: such as the incorporation of the comments from the validation workshop and from the first draft 

 *Note: It is up to the Consultant to suggest a final list of data collection methods and activities (with timeline) as part of the DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment Inception Report 

5. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT 

The consultant is usually a single person who is end-responsible, but also free to form a team of experts. In case of the formation of a research team, the DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment implementing partner organization should dedicate a section of the Inception report to an overview (table) of the research team member (their expertise) and clear division of roles and responsibilities with one Lead (called, the Consultant). The consultant manages the process (preparing research protocol, consent/assent forms (when and if needed), data collection tools, work schedule and is end-responsible for the research). 

The consultant (or consultant team) is free to personally conduct consultations such as Focus Group Discussions and Interviews with key stakeholders. However, they are also free to sub-contract or delegate this task to a third party (consultant/researcher). In case the consultant decides to hire local support staff, the consultant is responsible for agreeing on tasks and a timeframe for the data collection and remains end responsible for the quality of the deliverables. If chosen, the field consultant(s) will thus work under the supervision of the consultant.  

6. COMMUNICATION 

The consultant is expected to frequently communicate with RNW Media and is willing to meet on a weekly or bi-weekly (to be determined) basis during the period of the DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment research.  

7. DELIVERABLES   

The consultant will develop an overview of the methodology and tools and plan a research timeline with the data collection team, including a presentation of a detailed timeline of the data gathering process. The consultant will collect data, transcribe them, and after translation to English, submit them to RNW Media. The expected deliverables are listed as follows: 

• Inception report with a detailed work plan and methodology for the DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment. 

• Presentation of the main data collection tool, including timeline 

• Presentation of the final methodology, tools, and work plan. 

• Draft DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment reports (per country reports and/or regional report if relevant) with reference materials/links, annexure, photos, etc. 

• Presentation of key findings session with RNW Media and Annir. 

• Final DMCA and Learning Needs Assessment reports with executive summary, reference materials/links, annexes, photos, etc. 

• All data will be collected in Arabic, however the reports need to be in English 

• All data collected through the assessment in digitalized format, including databases, which remains property of RNW Media once the assessment is conducted. 

8. TIMELINE  

Activity	Timeline
Call for Consultant – Application Open	30th March
Recruit the Consultant	15th April
Onboarding the Consultant	16th – 17th April
Inception Meeting	18th April
Development and Finalization of Tools	22 – 25th April
Inception report (including detailed workplan and timeline)	28th April
Data collection and Analysis	29th April – 16th May
Submission of first draft to RNW Media	22nd May
Validation Workshop	26th May
Submission of final draft	30th May

  

*Please note that the exact dates under the timeline will be determined after the completion of the Inception Report by the Consultant.  

  

9. REQUIRED EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE    

• Minimum University degree in the field of social or humanistic sciences.   

• Minimum of five years’ experience in conducting similar research in various aspects of the theme under study 

• Exceptionally good analytical and reporting skills;  

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally;    

• Ability to facilitate and support coordination for country activities, including workshops and meetings.  

• Excellent time management and coordination skills.  

• Extensive knowledge and networks on civic space, youth movements, inclusion, and/or the topic of concern in targeted region and countries.   

• Fluency in English and Arabic.  

  

10. BUDGET AND PAYMENT CONDITIONS  

BUDGET: 6000 EUR (VAT included) 

The remuneration, payment schedule, and conditions will be discussed and agreed upon with the selected consultant. The total remuneration will cover the consultancy fee as well as reasonable costs related to the execution of the assignment, such as expenses for field research, administration, coordination, and digital tools or software required for data collection and analysis. 

11. APPLICATION PROCEDURE 

Interested consultant(s) should develop and submit the bidding proposal in English to respond to the above-mentioned specific tasks. 

The proposal should include: 

• Description and contact details of the consultant applying; 

• A clear description of the methodological approach, including proposal methods to be used and proposals of the format of the analysis; 

• A detailed Budget Proposal; 

• Cover Letter and CVs of all team members, emphasizing relevant experience; 

• Past performance in similar areas of the Consultant applying with reference to previous contracting agencies, organizations, etc. 

• One non-academic writing sample in English (max 500 words). 

  

Interested candidates should send their applications to Sana Naqvi (Senior Impact Manager, RNW Media) at: sana.naqvi@rnw.org  

Only shortlisted candidates will be considered.  

RNW Media is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.