Context

Interpeace

Interpeace is an international peacebuilding organisation established in 1994 by the United Nations, which became independent in 2000 and works in more than 20 countries around the world, together with national partners, to ensure greater ownership of its peacebuilding actions and methodologies. Interpeace's mission is to strengthen national capacities and infrastructures to build sustainable peace through partnerships with national actors and by ensuring lasting impact. In line with this approach, since 2007, Interpeace in Guinea-Bissau has been working closely with Voz di Paz, supporting its capacities through a long-lasting and fruitful partnership. Since January 2026, Interpeace and Voz di Paz are jointly working implementing the project JOVENS FIRKIDJA DI PAZ - Strengthening youth’s role for positive change and sustainable peace.

The project

The inclusion of young people in Guinea-Bissau’s society, politics and economy represents both a challenge and an opportunity for a society struggling towards political stabilisation. Given the constraints they face – disenfranchisement, limited political and economic opportunity (leaving them open to political manipulation), as well as often being vilified by a society which fails to recognise their potential - young people need opportunities to take charge of their own development and spaces to realise their potential as peacebuilders and positive contributors to social and political life in Guinea Bissau.

In the latest years, different consultations by Interpeace and Voz di Paz have highlighted the need to strengthen young people's capacities for conflict resolution[1] and to promote opportunities and mechanisms for youth to contribute to existing conflict resolution efforts.[2]  On this premises, and drawing on Interpeace and Voz di Paz’s deep expertise in both mediation and youth empowerment, the two organizations developed the project JOVENS FIRKIDJA DI PAZ - Strengthening youth’s role for positive change and sustainable peace to address these needs and constraints in ways which are peace responsive[3] and sustainable. Responding to these calls and recommendations from young men and women, who are and will continue to be co-creators, key stakeholders and beneficiaries of the intervention, the proposed action aims to:

• IMPACT: improved sustainable conflict management and peacebuilding by in-country (civil society) actors in Guinea-Bissau
• OUTCOME: Civil society actors, particularly the youth, act (or engage) more effectively as agents for positive change and peace in their communities and the public arena

Concretely, it will achieve these objective and address the needs and constraints mentioned above by: 1) building capacities of young men and women using methods which are proven to have long-term impact (such as coupling capacity building with mentorship, which is increasingly recognised as an important package for ensuring more holistic skill building and transformation); 2) creating relationships and opportunities for conflict mediation and resolution through Peace Guardian Spaces; 3) providing micro-grants to grassroots youth-led associations to enable them to decide where to invest resources to resolve local conflicts and; 4) changing public discourse and promoting peaceful solutions to conflict through youth-led campaigns and awareness-raising. Spaces and products will be co-created for and by youth in all their diversity to meaningfully participate, including those most excluded from political and civic spaces such as young women, rural youth, youth with disabilities, and youth with lower education or economic power.

Consultancy’s details

Interpeace is committed to rigorous monitoring and evaluation to inform the management and implementation of the project, facilitate learning and adaptation, and gather evidence that ensures progress toward intended outcomes and impacts.

However, no staff currently holds dedicated MEL responsibilities, yet these functions are essential for data management, learning documentation, and donor compliance. To fill this gap, in the framework of the JOVENS FIRKIDJA DI PAZ project, tailored accompaniment and support is required to bridge this institutional gap until a permanent position is established.

Objectives:

1. Update the project logical framework by integrating the findings from the baseline study.
2. Operationalize the project MEL system and ensure its alignment with the project logical framework and the Global DMEL framework. Supports the project team in developing and integrating methodologies and tools for routine MEL processes and outcome harvesting into the project’s MEL system, including digitalization where appropriate.
3. Assesses the project team’s capacities, gaps, and needs to effectively implement the MEL framework and related MEL activities.
4. Strengthen the MEL capacities of the project team to implement the MEL processes effectively and independently.

Scope and Key responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Interpeace Global DMEL Officer, the consultant will provide technical support to strengthen the project’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system and the capacities of the project team to implement it effectively.

First, the consultant will assess the current MEL capacities of the project team, identifying existing strengths, gaps, and priority needs related to the implementation of MEL activities. Based on this assessment, the consultant will design and facilitate a targeted capacity-strengthening process tailored to the team’s operational context and aligned with the Interpeace Global DMEL framework. The capacity-building activities will aim to equip the team with practical skills and tools to manage MEL processes more effectively and independently.

In parallel, the consultant will work closely with the project team to review and update the project logical framework, ensuring that the baseline study findings are adequately integrated into the project’s results framework and learning processes.

Building on the updated logical framework, the consultant will support the team in operationalizing the project MEL system, ensuring its alignment with both the project’s results framework and the Global DMEL framework. This will include supporting the identification and planning of key MEL activities within the project implementation cycle and the development of a MEL workplan, along with appropriate tools and procedures for data collection, validation, and reporting.

The consultant will also provide targeted support in designing and integrating methodologies and tools for routine MEL processes, including regular monitoring of project activities and outputs as well as annual outcome harvesting exercises. This will involve developing practical methodologies, templates, and guidance to support these processes and integrating them into the project’s MEL system, including digitalization where appropriate.

Throughout this process, the consultant will focus on strengthening the capacities of the project team to apply these methodologies and tools effectively. The overall objective is to ensure the quality, consistency, and reliability of data and information collected, while enabling the project team to independently implement MEL processes and learning exercises throughout the project lifecycle.

Roles and responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Conduct preparatory meetings with in-country Interpeace and Voz di Paz staff and with Interpeace Global MEL Officer.
• Review project documents, logical framework, and relevant literature.
• Develop and submit a tailored capacity building plan
• Organize a capacity building in person exercise with theoretical contents and practical exercises
• Organize a workshop revision of the project MEL framework and support the team in updating the project logical framework
• Lead the development of a MEL workplan
• Support the team in design outcome harvesting/periodical evaluation exercises to be implemented across the project

The Consultant will ensure full compliance with research ethics and data protection standards

Interpeace and Voz di Paz will be responsible for:

• Provide the project document as also all the relevant literature
• Provide timely feedback to the consultant products

Deliverables

1. A Capacity Building Plan and corresponding training session delivered.
2. Updated and harmonized project MEL framework including an updated project logframe
3. A MEL project workplan
4. Tools for implementing outcome harvesting/periodical evaluation exercises and MEL activities along the project implementation

All products will be reviewed by Interpeace MEL Global Officer and Voz di Paz Project Coordinator before being approved by Interpeace Programme Manager for Guinea-Bissau.

Timeline

Considering the baseline study is planned to be carried out between April and May 2026, the consultancy will take place between June and August 2026.

• Expected starting date: 01 June 2026
• Duration: An estimated 12–15 working days to be completed within a three-month timeframe (June–August 2026).

Budget

The total available budget for this consultancy is of 9.000 Euro. Financial proposals must be aligned with this ceiling. The financial proposal must include a detailed budget breakdown, clearly indicating unit costs and justifications. Any costs not covered by the consultancy budget must be explicitly stated.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field such as Project Management, Statistics, Demography, Public Health, Social Sciences, or another related field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in support, monitoring, evaluation, learning (DMEL), or research; preferably within multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral programmes.
• Demonstrated working experience in Guinea Bissau on similar assignments.
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of MEL concepts, frameworks, and tools, including logical frameworks, results chains, and theories of change
• Demonstrated capacity to design, manage, and operationalize MEL systems and activities.
• Proven experience in capacity building and technical support for partners and field teams, particularly in data management and reporting.
• Strong ability to translate complex evidence into actionable insights, through analytical reports, learning briefs, and communication materials tailored to different audiences.
• Deep understanding of Guinea-Bissau peacebuilding dynamics
• Excellent communication, facilitation and writing skills in Portuguese and English.

Reporting language

• All products will need to be produced in English and Portuguese

Modalities for Submission of Bids

Interested consultants (individuals or firms) are invited to submit a technical and financial proposal no later than the 25^th of March 2026, 12:00 am GMT

The application package must include:

• Technical Proposal, outlining the proposed methodology, sampling approach, workplan and timeline, team composition (if applicable), and relevant experience aligned with the TOR.
• Financial Proposal, including a detailed and itemized budget (professional fees, fieldwork costs, travel, data management, workshops, and any other relevant expenses), clearly aligned with the available budget ceiling.
• CV(s) of the consultant(s) highlighting relevant experience.
• Samples of previous similar assignments (preferably baseline studies or evaluations in peacebuilding or governance sectors).
• Contact details of at least two professional references.

Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format to: ferrati@interpeace.org , with the subject line: MEL Support Consultancy – JOVENS FIRKIDJA DI PAZ.

Late submissions will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

[1] Agenda Juventude, Paz e Segurança: O que os jovens esperam? Interpeace/Voz di Paz 2022

[2] Recomendações participativas para tornar a gestão da terra mais pacífica e inclusive, Interpeace/Voz di Paz, 2022

[3] Peace responsiveness seeks to enhance the ability of actors operating in conflict affected or fragile contexts to be conflict-sensitive and to deliberately contribute to peace through their technical programming -in a manner that enhances collective impact, that supports inclusive, gender-responsive and locally- led change and that strengthens societal resilience to conflict and violence.