Terms of Reference for a Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Consultant

Background Dawaer Foundation, supported by the European Union and in partnership with Masar Association, is implementing a project entitled “Youth Vanguard: Bringing Together Lebanon for Social Unity” aimed at strengthening social cohesion among youth in Lebanon. The initiative seeks to empower young people as agents of change, fostering dialogue and understanding across communities through activities such as sports, theater, media advocacy, and community engagement. The project will work in four Lebanese cities, Choueifat, Muhammara, Saida, and Qab Elias, bringing together youth, municipalities, and community members to address social tensions and promote a shared identity. Scope of Work Dawaer seeks to engage a consultant to work on strengthening the monitoring and evaluation capabilities in support of the above-mentioned project. The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with EU INTPA regulations and reporting procedures. This position is an essential one aimed at strengthening the MEAL capacity of both project partners. The consultant will design and implement the project’s M&E system to track project progress against key indicators, assess performance, evaluate the outcomes against predefined goals and provide data-driven recommendations to optimize project outcomes. This system will provide critical insights into the project’s effectiveness, efficiency, and impact, enabling timely adjustments and improvements as needed. An M&E consultant will be contracted to follow up on all project activities and write a final report. This role requires expertise in data collection, analysis, and reporting, with a strong emphasis on gender and conflict sensitivity. Key Responsibilities Develop M&E Framework: • Design a results-based M&E plan aligned with the project’s logical framework and EU guidelines. • Create data collection tools (e.g., surveys, focus group guides, observation reports) for quantitative and qualitative indicators. • Attend and actively participate in internal partners workshops and learning sessions implemented with youth. • Ensure gender, age, and conflict-sensitive approaches in all M&E activities. Data Management & Analysis: • Analyze data to assess progress toward outputs and outcomes (e.g., youth engagement, social cohesion impact). • Use digital tools for real-time monitoring and reporting. Reporting & Compliance: • Prepare quarterly M&E reports for internal use and EU compliance. • Prepare EU interim reports and update information on OPSYS. • Ensure compliance of project documents to EU guidelines. • Support in drafting the ToR of the external evaluator, reviewing inception and evaluation reports, providing feedback, facilitating the evaluation process. Capacity Building: • Train project staff, youth teams, and partners on M&E tools and processes. • Participate and input to the learning sessions to integrate feedback into project adjustments. Risk Management: • Support risk monitoring • Conduct field visits as needed to set up a monitoring plan. Deadlines and Targets: • Develop MEL action plan of the project in line with the donor contract and Dawaer practices • Review and refine the MEL frame work outlining output and outcome indicators, data collection methods, and reporting mechanisms & add it to the platform OPSYS. • Monitor outcome & output indicators in line with the MEL plan, including data collection and analysis. • Report quarterly (written report and meeting) on monitoring data and analysis, document learning and recommend adaptations to the MEL plan. • Draft the inception report with detailed M&E plan and tools, annual report and the final report(2028) using EU reporting templates. Specific dates for each target will be agreed at the stage of developing the MEL action plan. Required Qualifications and Experience • Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Statistics, or related field. • Minimum 5 years of experience in M&E for EU-funded projects, preferably in social cohesion, youth, or peacebuilding. • Proficiency in M&E software (e.g., KoBo Toolbox, SPSS) and EU reporting standards. • Strong understanding of conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches. • Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken).