Terms of Reference (ToR) – External Research Consultant

Position Title: External Research Consultant
Type of Engagement: Short-Term Consultancy
Duration: 6 weeks (Starting November 1, 2025 – Mid-December 2025)
Application Deadline: October 10, 2025
Location: Kigali (with possible field visits as needed)
Reporting To: Program Manager, RHIYW
Contact Email: info@rhiyw.org / rhiyw2020@gmail.com
Phone: +250 791 346 384 / +250 782 318 057

1. Background

The Rwanda Health Initiative for Youth and Women (RHIYW) is a national NGO focused on improving the health and well-being of adolescents, youth, and women through quality healthcare access, education, and empowerment. RHIYW a variety of projects, including those focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal health, digital health solutions, and the prevention and treatment of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health and well-being, as well as educational and empowerment programs.

Over the past three years, RHIYW, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), and the Rwanda Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RSOG), has been implementing a research project aimed at exploring the use of telemedicine in delivering SRH services with a particular focus on CAC. The research is currently being conducted across four districts and 49 public health facilities. Within this initiative, mid-level healthcare providers at primary health centers are connected to medical doctors based at hospitals through telehealth platforms to support the delivery of timely and quality services to women in need.

RHIYW has developed a preliminary research report based on early findings; To strengthen the quality, depth, and usability of the report, RHIYW is seeking to engage a qualified External Research Consultant to review, analyze, and enhance the report, collect additional qualitative insights, and prepare it for stakeholder validation and potential publication.

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the quality and impact of the research for the use of telemedicine in the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services. Specifically, the consultant will review and refine the research report by integrating updated quantitative data collected through the telehealth digital tool; with qualitative insights gathered from key informant interviews (KIIs) with healthcare providers, program managers, and clients.

The expected outcome is a comprehensive, well-structured, and evidence-based research report that reflects both numerical trends and contextual insights. This refined report will be presented during a stakeholder validation workshop and further developed into a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

1. Key Responsibilities

The consultant will:

• Analyze and interpret quantitative data collected from the digital telehealth tool.
• Design and conduct key informant interviews (KIIs) with: Healthcare Providers (HCPs), Program Managers and SRH Service Clients.
• Analyze qualitative data to identify key themes, patterns, and actionable insights.
• Synthesize and integrate quantitative and qualitative findings into a cohesive and well-structured research report.
• Refine the report’s content, format, and clarity for internal and external audiences.
• Present the revised report and findings during a validation workshop with key stakeholders and investigators.
• Develop an abstract and prepare a publication-ready manuscript/paper for potential submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

1. Deliverables

• Interview guides and consent forms for KIIs
• Raw and cleaned quantitative and qualitative data
• A revised and finalized research report; with integrated insights.
• Presentation slides for validation workshop
• Abstract and draft manuscript for publication
• Brief summary of recommendations for RHIYW program use

1. Duration and Timeline

• Start Date: November 1, 2025
• End Date: Mid-December 2025 (6 weeks total)

1. Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, or related field
• Proven experience in mixed-methods research, data analysis, and report writing
• Strong skills in qualitative analysis (e.g., coding, thematic analysis)
• Experience with health programs in low-resource settings, particularly SRHR.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; knowledge of Kinyarwanda is an asset
• Previous publication in peer-reviewed journals

Method of Application

Interested applicants should submit the following documents by October 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM to info@rhiyw.org  and/or rhiyw2020@gmail.com :