Objective of the assignment

Expertise France (EF) is looking for a Specialist to support the team on various MEAL related activities throughout the project. He or she will be responsible in the establishment of a comprehensive MEAL framework and implementation plan. He or she will ensure the good rolling-out of the MEAL framework and tools and carry out the necessary training and/or coaching to EF team to do so.

It is then expected that the Specialist will intervene on a regular basis to assess the progress made on MEAL activities, to support with unblocking impediments in the implementation of MEAL processes and tools, and to provide an independent and external perspective during yearly “pause and reflect”/review exercises.

The MEAL specialist will:

•   Establish and operationalise a robust MEAL framework and plan:
•      Ensure effective monitoring of results, outcomes and impact;
•      Facilitate capacity building of EF staff and partners on MEAL;
•      Provide independent support during annual “pause and reflect” reviews;
•      Promote participatory and outcome-oriented evaluation methods.

Scope of services

The Specialist will be expected to carry out and deliver on the following tasks:

Inception phase

Participate and support the project team in refining the logic of intervention:

•          Review and update the project theory of change (TOC) and Logframe, in collaboration with project team and stakeholders, checking its coherence and relevance after a year of implementation,
•          Linked to the activity above, facilitate a process to reflect on project impacts and outcomes, ensuring that they are clear, realistic, feasible and measurable,
•          Examine whether the assumptions behind intended outcomes are valid and likely to lead to the desired impacts,
•       Support the project team in analysing overlaps, synergies, complementarities and distinctions with other cooperation agencies and NGOs in order to reach an exhaustive overview of stakeholders, and in taking these elements into account when refining the logic of intervention,
•         Produce / refine the project Logframe based on the TOC(s): it will not be possible to modify the logic of intervention, but certain adjustments will be possible to align the results with the vision of the project as it has evolved since the project signature.

Expected deliverables:

- A completed Theory of change that illustrates the short, medium and long term changes the project wishes to achieve and/or support,

- A revised Project Logframe, with gender-sensitive indicators, risks and assumptions.

Establish an operational MEAL system for the project, and provide the team with tools to effectively monitor project progress and achievement, and to provide evaluations with sufficient information to assess the project success:

•       Do a critical analysis of the current indicators and propose new or adjusted indicators to measure progress towards achieving the desired changes, as well as performance indicators at output level and relevant context indicators. These indicators should capture both quantitative and qualitative information,
•          Lead the discussions to provide specific definitions to each indicator and develop indicator reference sheets,
•          Identify data sources that can serve as verification for indicators. As much as possible, use existing data sources embedded in existing systems,
•          Review existing documents and input from team/partners to compile baseline values; identify missing data and recommend how to fill those gaps (e.g. surveys or other tools). Help design baseline surveys if needed,
•          Lead the process of setting realistic and appropriate targets for each indicator,
•          Recommend data collection and management processes and suggest data visualisation tools/softwares. Create user guides if the tools are complex or users need support,
•       Draft and finalise the project MEAL framework guidelines. This document should include: (a) MEAL principles, (b) procedures and templates for data management, (c) guidance on outcome and output indicators and data sources, (d) assigned roles and responsibilities, (e) format and reporting frequencies,
•          Ensure that the monitoring system is compliant with EU MEAL and reporting policies and guidance and is aligned with EF internal reporting mechanisms,
•          Provide advice and training on results-based management and MEAL to EF team and the implementing partners already identified, if necessary.
•       The MEAL system should be conceptually and operationally linked to the Urban Observatory by aligning indicators, sharing data and tools, and ensuring that project monitoring not only informs internal learning and accountability but also directly strengthens a sustainable national platform for urban knowledge and policy.

Expected deliverables:

- Indicator reference sheets

- Initial baseline + plan for baseline values and information gaps that require further surveys or other data collection tools

- Indicator target values

- MEAL framework guideline, including calendar of MEAL activities and associated budget

- Data collection and management systems and processes

- Dashboard for visualising the progress of activities and indicators

- Concept note, action plan and budget for the learning strategy

Implementation

Support the project team in deploying the MEAL system, and facilitate regular, critical reviews of project implementation to ensure MEAL effectively informs project management:

•          Guide the team in understanding and applying the MEAL framework, including clear delineation of roles and responsibilities related to data management,
•          Design and streamline data collection and analysis tools to ensure timely, user-friendly reporting. Summarise progress using agreed formats such as briefing notes and dashboards,
•          Ensure the programme meets all internal MEAL requirements, delivering high-quality information on time, including quarterly reports and agency global indicators,
•          Set up a mechanism to verify that beneficiaries and partners are satisfied with the support provided by the project,
•          Conduct monitoring missions and review exercises to:

o   Identify operational and strategic strengths and weaknesses using different diverse data collection methods,

o   Verify data quality and alignment with MEAL framework principles,

o   Facilitate yearly review exercises as planned in EF processes,

o   Make recommendations for strategic and operational adjustments to meet programme objectives,

o   Review the Theory of Change and assess unforeseen changes that may impact success,

•          Assist the team in formulating an evaluation strategy tailored to the programme’s operational context, learning objectives and donor requirements,
•      Support the development of a learning strategy, including knowledge management, to promote continuous improvement. Ensure lessons learned from implementation are captured and documented effectively,
•          Facilitate access to technical support if necessary, through trainings, workshops and relevant resources as needed.

Expected deliverables:

- Monitoring mission reports and recommendations follow-up table

- Facilitation of annual review exercises

- Updated TOC/Logframe, if relevant

- Evaluation and learning strategy

Support the integration of participatory and outcome-focused monitoring and evaluation methods in order to complement traditional quantitative and output-focused project indicators. These methods should foster adaptive learning and project responsiveness.

•        Assess, recommend and adapt the most suitable participatory and outcome-oriented M&E methods (e.g. Most Significant Change (MSC), Outcome harvesting and/or Outcome mapping) to complement output and indicator-based monitoring,
•          Design tailored frameworks or protocols for these methods, aligned with the project context, objectives and learning priorities,
•          Facilitate capacity building workshops with teams and partners to build skills in applying participatory and outcome-oriented approaches,
•          Use findings from participatory methods to generate actionable insights and learning.

Expected deliverables:

- Participatory M&E methods guidelines and tools

- Reports