Senior Researcher

1. Objectives and desired results
   1. General objective

The objective of the assignment is to generate evidence and foster dialogue that supports increased gender representation in municipal governance through legal reform, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy. The Lead Researcher will oversee the design and execution of the research process, ensure methodological rigor, and guide the production of analytical deliverables.

• 2. Specific objectives
• Analyze the gendered impact of the 2025 municipal election outcomes.
• Examine the effectiveness and limitations of current legal frameworks.
• Identify barriers to women’s participation at the municipal level.
• Organize roundtables to validate findings and build advocacy momentum.
• Formulate actionable and context-sensitive recommendations for reform.
  3. Anticipated results

• A high-quality, evidence-based analytical report.
• Stakeholder-driven validation and consensus on key findings.
• A final set of recommendations for improving legal and policy frameworks to support gender inclusion.

2. Description of the assignment
   1. Planned activities

The senior researcher will contribute to the assignment using a participatory and data-driven approach, working closely with one junior researcher and in collaboration with national and local stakeholders.

Assignment preparation

• Lead the review of pertinent documentation (laws, election data, CSO reports).
• Conduct kick-off meetings with partners and outline the detailed work plan.

Phase I: Desk Research and Methodology Design

• Lead comparative legal analysis of Law 25/2008 and Law 44/2017, highlighting implications for gender inclusion.
• Map key gender equity initiatives and electoral outcomes.
• Design and validate data collection tools (KIIs and FGDs), incorporating input from junior researchers and relevant stakeholders.

Phase II: Field Data Collection

• Conduct interviews with women candidates, CSO representatives, and municipal actors.
• Facilitate focus group discussions across diverse geographic regions, ensuring representation and quality of data collection.

Phase III: Data Analysis and Report Writing

• Supervise the analysis of qualitative data, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and gender-sensitive interpretation.
• Lead the drafting and revision of the analytical and policy reports, integrating findings into actionable recommendations.

Phase IV: Stakeholder Validation and Engagement

• Design and moderate stakeholder roundtables to validate key findings.
• Integrate feedback into final outputs and guide strategic messaging for advocacy.

Post-assignment follow-up:

• Lead final debriefings with stakeholders and partners.
• Oversee the preparation of dissemination materials, including the final PowerPoint presentation and executive summaries.

1. 2. Anticipated deliverables

The Lead Researcher will be responsible for drafting, finalizing, and quality-assuring all deliverables with support from the assistants.

Deliverables

End date

1. Inception report with methodology and tools

T0 + 2 weeks

2. Field work (KIIs and FGDs)

T0 + 5 week

3. Draft analytical report

T0 + 7 weeks

4. Roundtable events and summary

T0 + 9 weeks

5. Final policy and analytical report

T0 + 10 weeks

6. Final PowerPoint slide deck

T0 + 10 weeks

7. Dissemination Report

T0 + 11 weeks

1. 3. Coordination

The Senior Researcher will act as the technical lead for the assignment, coordinating all research activities and outputs. They will work in close collaboration with one junior researchers, providing oversight, methodological guidance, and quality assurance across all phases of the project.

The Senior Researcher will serve as the primary technical liaison with Expertise France and other relevant partners, including national and local stakeholders. Regular internal and external coordination meetings be held to ensure alignment on objectives, timelines, and emerging findings.

A launch meeting will be held within three (3) working days following the contract award to finalize the work plan, roles, and communication protocols.

Close collaboration must take place with SO1 Key Expert and WEHUB concerned team members personnel from assignment preparation right up to completion. Furthermore, regular exchanges must take place with WEHUB Project Manager and WEHUB Components Coordinator on assignment progress and any difficulties that may be encountered.

3. Place, duration and terms of performance
   1. Implementation period: August – October 2025

1. 2. Start date: August 1st , 2025

1. 3. End date: 31 November 2025

1. 4. Effective duration per assignment: 20 days

1. 5. Schedule/programme:

The provisional programme for assignment implementation is as follows:

Activity

Place

Period

Duration (man/days)

Expert 1:

Desk Review & Tools

Remote

Week 1–2

5 days

Data Collection

In field

Week 3–5

5 days

Data Analysis & Reporting

Remote

Week 6–7

5 days

Roundtables & Validation

In field

Week 8–9

2 days

Final Reporting

Remote

Week 10

2 days

Dissemination

Remote

Week 11

1 day

Total

20 days

4. Required expertise and profile
   1. Number of experts per assignment: 1

1. 2. Profile of the designated expert(s) responsible for contract execution

1. Qualifications and skills:

• Holder of a postgraduate university degree in gender studies, political science, public administration, or equivalent experience in the related field.
• Proven ability to lead research teams and manage multi-phase research projects.
• Strong experience in authoring high-quality analytical and policy reports.
• Excellent qualities/capacities in:
  • Communication
  • Teamwork and interpersonal skills
  • Knowledge transfer
  • Analysis and reporting
  • Problem identification and resolution
  • Decision-making and taking initiatives
• High proficiency in written and spoken English.

2. General professional experience

• Professional experience of at least 7 years in gender analysis, governance, or electoral reform.
• Experience working in Lebanon or the MENA region.

3. Specific professional experience

• Track record of conducting gender-sensitive research and assessments.
• Experience leading research teams in Lebanon or comparable MENA contexts.
• Demonstrated expertise in gender-sensitive legal and political analysis.
• Experience designing and facilitating stakeholder consultations.
• Familiarity with Lebanese legal and political systems.

5. Assignment reports

A final report aligned with the deliverables section must be submitted in English. It should include an executive summary, methodology, key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

6. Monitoring-evaluation

Performance indicators

Deliverables

Immediate effects

Intermediate effects

Verification sources

Inception report with methodology and tools

Clear research framework and tools established; data collection instruments prepared

Stakeholders aligned on scope and approach

Inception report; Methodological tools; Finalized tools; Fieldwork notes

Fieldwork (conducting KIIs and FGDs)

Firsthand data collected from diverse stakeholders across regions

Rich qualitative insights generated; foundation laid for contextualized analysis

Interview/FGD transcripts and/or notes; Fieldwork summary; Interview logs

Draft analytical report

Preliminary findings available

Critical feedback from stakeholders; basis for refinement

Draft report: Comments received

Roundtable events and summary

Stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing

Strengthened networks and joint ownership of policy recommendations

Agendas; Minutes; Participant feedback forms

Final policy and analytical report

Consolidated findings and recommendations

Used to inform reform efforts; cited in advocacy or institutional proposals

Final report; Dissemination record

PowerPoint slide deck

Visual synthesis of key findings

Advocacy and presentation tool used in external events

Slide deck shared and used in events

Debriefing and dissemination report

Strategic presentation and wrap-up of findings to stakeholders

Helps build ownership and continuity for advocacy or implementation

Debriefing minutes; Dissemination summary; Outreach records

7. Practical information

• Working Language: The working languages of the assignment will be Arabic and English or French. Deliverables will be submitted in English unless otherwise requested.

• Meetings: Regular coordination meetings (online or in-person) will be held with the contracting authority and relevant stakeholders throughout the project period. A launch meeting will take place within the first 3 working days following contract signature.

• Criteria:

• • Specialization: Humanities (Social Studies, Political Science, International Affairs, Economics, Law, History, etc.)
  • Degree: Master’s degree preferable or BA + 7 years of experience in research, minimum experience 5 years.   

• Required Documents: Providing sample of work, Reference check, Technical and financial proposal

8. Evaluation

The best value for money is established by weighing technical quality against price on a 60/40 basis. The quality of each technical and financial offer will be evaluated in accordance with the following award criteria and the weighting:

CRITERIA

WEIGHTS

Requirements and experience

60

Portfolio

(15)

Technical and Methodology Capabilities

(30)

Proposed delivery timeline

(15)

Price

40

Tenders will be appraised and given a score of up to 100 points according to these criteria.

NB:

• Only tenders with scores of at least 45 points on technical evaluation qualify for the financial evaluation.
• No other award criteria will be used. The award criteria will be examined in accordance with the requirements indicated in the Terms of Reference.