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Ref.
2025/MEAALOELP/13523

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Activity sectors
Public resource mobilisation, management and accountability ; Official and development statistics ; Monitoring and evaluation

Deadline date
2025/08/04 23:59

Duration of the assignment
Short term

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
35 mois

Mission description

Short-Term Expert Activities – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

As part of this project, Expertise France is seeking a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer.

Under the hierarchical supervision of the Project Manager at Expertise France headquarters (Paris) and the Resident Long-Term Project Manager based in Lesotho, the MEAL Officer will be responsible for implementing, coordinating, and overseeing all activities related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning for the Equitable Lesotho project, as outlined below:

·       Project Monitoring and Evaluation Implementation

- Depending on the stage of the project cycle and the MEAL needs and resources available, the MEAL Officer will be expected to directly implement or supervise the following tasks:

- Review, if necessary, and support the appropriation of the project’s Theory of Change with all stakeholders.

- Refine monitoring and evaluation indicators based on the Theory of Change and the available data. Provide definitions, calculation methods, disaggregation details, and set baseline and target values for each indicator.

- Assess project needs and available resources for monitoring and evaluation systems, data collection, and reporting (within Expertise France and among implementation partners); participate in the recruitment of external M&E consultants/experts if required.

- Design and implement a MEAL framework ensuring quality and consistency in M&E and reporting tools, processes, procedures, and methodologies—aligned with the Agency’s M&E policy. Develop or supervise the development of a MEAL plan for the project, detailing key system activities, timelines, budget, and roles/responsibilities.

- Develop data collection, feedback, consolidation, analysis, and visualization tools to streamline and systematize MEAL data management (e.g., Kobo or ODK questionnaires, dashboards, reporting formats, etc.).

- Develop and implement methodologies for data collection, analysis, and management, including quality control, database development, analysis workflows, outcome measurement (objectives, variables, quantitative data, aggregation), and project team/partner reporting. Support and supervise field missions for data collection.

- Ensure the quality and relevance of M&E activities within the project, the reliability of collected data, and compliance with GDPR standards for databases. Ensure that project teams properly complete the tracking tools and use collected data for project steering, aligned with the technical proposals.

- Participate in regular project monitoring meetings to provide up-to-date information on MEAL progress; contribute to internal review exercises within Expertise France and, if needed, present at steering committee meetings.

- Support the planning and implementation of both internal and external evaluations of the project.

·       Training and Learning

- Raise awareness and train staff and stakeholders on MEAL tools and mechanisms to facilitate their involvement in the implementation and use of the MEAL system.

- Develop capacity-building plans with project teams and partners to strengthen their technical skills in monitoring and evaluation.

- Provide technical support to relevant staff on project monitoring and evaluation aspects.

- Contribute to the project's capitalisation exercises (support project teams with scoping, recruitment of consultants if needed, and/or facilitation of workshops).

·       Other Responsibilities

- Prepare reports and communication materials jointly with field teams in accessible formats for internal and external stakeholders, relating to project M&E activities or capitalisation of project achievements.

Project or context description

Context and Justification

In 2023, the European Union and Lesotho launched the Equitable Lesotho programme with the aim of reducing multidimensional poverty and the vulnerability of the country's population. The specific objectives of the project include improving the well-being and development of children under five, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of social assistance. This requires that policies implemented by the government and international partners be based on high-quality data and statistics, targeting the most vulnerable populations.

The programme is structured around two main components:

1-      Improving social policies for vulnerable populations.

2-      Strengthening the national statistical system (NSS), which includes all institutions involved in the production of public data, with a particular focus on the Bureau of Statistics (BoS). The project also aims to support institutional change by promoting a new legal status for the BoS, thereby reinforcing its autonomy and central role in coordinating the NSS.

The project will place particular emphasis on integrating a gender perspective in the collection and analysis of statistical data, in order to inform public policy and help Lesotho meet its international commitments (African Union Agenda 2063 and United Nations 2030 Agenda).

The implementation of this statistical component has been entrusted to Expertise France, in partnership with the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee). The support will be structured around three strategic areas:

  • Pillar 1: Consolidating the institutional framework of the BoS and ensuring coordination of the NSS.
  • Pillar 2: Strengthening national capacities to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
  • Pillar 3: Integrating a gender-sensitive approach in the production, analysis, and dissemination of public statistics.

To implement this support, Expertise France has recruited a Resident Project Manager, who is seconded to the Bureau of Statistics and based in its premises for a duration of three years. The field project team is also supported by a Project Assistant, who works closely with the Insee Project Coordinator and the Expertise France team based in Paris.

Objectives

  • General Objective: Contribute to strengthening the capacity of Lesotho's national statistical system to measure the reduction of multidimensional poverty and population vulnerability.
  • Specific Objective: Provide technical assistance to the Bureau of Statistics and ministerial statistical departments.

Expected Results

  1. The institutional framework and coordination of the public statistical system are improved.
  2. National capacities for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals are strengthened.
  3. A gender-sensitive approach is integrated throughout the public statistics value chain.

Required profile

Profile of the Short-Term Expert – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

·       Required Qualifications and Experience:

-          A relevant university degree (e.g., political or social sciences, international cooperation, project management, applied statistics, or any related field).

-          At least 5 to 10 years of professional experience in functions related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning of development projects or programmes, preferably in the sectors mentioned above and/or in Lesotho.

-          Proven experience in monitoring projects funded by the European Union (EU).

-          Strong knowledge of monitoring, evaluation, and learning approaches and tools.

-          Excellent understanding of project cycle management, results-based management, quality assurance, and gender mainstreaming.

-          Ability to ensure team ownership and effective use of MEAL tools and processes.

-          Good command of data collection software (e.g., KoboToolbox, Survey CTO, ODK), data analysis tools (R, SPSS, Stata) and data visualization platforms (Power BI).

-          Strong capacity to transfer skills and support operational teams.

-          Excellent organizational skills, with an ability to anticipate, plan and prioritize.

-          Proactive, autonomous, and capable of taking initiative.

-          Strong coordination and teamwork skills.

-          Excellent written and spoken English is required; French is an asset.

 

Additional information

·       Assignment Location and Duration

-          Expected start date: October 2025

-          Duration: Up to 35 months

-          Location: Primarily remote work with occasional missions to Maseru, Lesotho

-          Contract type: Service provision contract

·       Application Requirements

-          Deadline for submission: August 4, 2025

-          Documents to submit:

-          A motivation letter

-          A recent CV, including up-to-date contact details (phone and email)

-          Three professional references

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s skills linked with the expert mission
  • Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
  • Candidate’s expected linguistic understanding
  • Assessment of the candidate's skills in the sought-after domain
  • Candidate’s understanding of cooperation project stakes

Deadline for application : 2025/08/04 23:59

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

  • democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
  • peace, stability, and security ;
  • climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
  • health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

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