MEAL Expert  -Expertise France Retour vers les opportunités

Project: Fight against the Trafficking of Cultural Goods  

Implementation period: 01 July 2026 – 28 February 2027  

Level of effort: 56 days (on average 5 to 10 days per month)  

Duty station: Home-based with possible ad hoc participation in coordination meetings and selected  project events/missions  

Reporting line: Project Coordinator  

Background  

This project, submitted jointly by Expertise France and the Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri),  presents a comprehensive initiative aimed at supporting the fight against the illicit trafficking of  cultural property in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Anchored in the European  Union’s strategic framework for the protection of cultural heritage and regional stability, the proposed  action seeks to address the major challenges faced by Southern Neighbourhood countries, in particular  Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. These countries are both source countries and  critical transit points for trafficked cultural goods, and are heavily affected by instability, limited law  enforcement resources and inadequate border control systems.  

The project responds to the increasing destruction and looting of cultural heritage in the MENA region,  acts that erode cultural identity and memory, but also finance organised crime and terrorism. Despite  the existence of relevant international conventions and policy tools, the issue remains marginalised in  national agendas. The action therefore proposes a holistic approach that includes strengthening  institutional capacities, improving interinstitutional and cross-border cooperation, and mobilising  cultural stakeholders as agents of prevention and protection. In the long term, this project will thus  contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and in Europe.  

Structured in two phases over a 36-month period, the project will be implemented through three  interconnected components:  

(1) Strengthening prevention and detection among market actors and cultural institutions;

(2) Developing the capacities of law enforcement agencies and judicial actors;  

(3) Promoting regional and interregional cooperation.  

Activities will include the dissemination of digitised cultural databases, training-of-trainers  programmes, and the establishment of regional focal points and standard operating procedures.  

Ultimately, this initiative aims to create sustainable and locally grounded solutions to trafficking by  integrating the protection of cultural heritage into national security strategies and building robust  mechanisms for transnational cooperation. The proposal is fully aligned with the objectives of the 

European Union’s external action and contributes to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the  region.  

Given the complexity of the project environment and the need to ensure robust monitoring,  accountability, learning, and adaptive management throughout implementation, the project seeks to  recruit a MEAL expert to provide regular methodological and technical support over the full duration  of the action.  

Objective  

The overall objective of the assignment is to support the project team in designing, operationalising,  and maintaining a coherent Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework,  aligned with the project’s contractual requirements and implementation realities.  

The MEAL Expert will ensure that the project is equipped with practical tools and processes to  monitor progress, assess results, support evidence-based decision-making, and strengthen learning  throughout implementation.  

Scope  

Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator and in close coordination with the Technical Director  and project team, the MEAL Expert will provide technical support in the following areas:  

MEAL framework  

• Define the baselines, and support the on-going monitoring of the targets, frequency and means  of verification where required.  
• Support the conception, refinement and operationalisation of the project’s MEAL framework.  
• Review the project logframe and results framework, and advise on the relevance, clarity and  measurability of indicators / Ensure consistency between contractual indicators, internal  monitoring needs and operational realities.  
• Support to the development of General Data Protection Regulation protocols  

Data collection, quality assurance and analysis  

• Advise/train the project team on data collection methods adapted to the project’s activities  and context.  
• Support the design of practical systems for collecting, consolidating and validating data from  different implementation streams.  
• Contribute to data quality assurance, including coherence, reliability and traceability of  collection. 
• Analyse monitoring data and highlight trends, gaps, implementation bottlenecks and emerging  results.  

Reporting support  

• Support the drafting of internal indicators, OPSYS report, results narratives, monitoring  sections and evidence-based reporting language.  
• Provide MEAL-related inputs to key project reporting deliverables, including the inception  report (September 2026) and interim reports (2027) and other donor-facing documents as  needed.  
• Support the TDR, team selection and supervision of any mid-term – if relevant 

Evaluation and learning  

• Advise on the design of internal review processes, lessons learned exercises and periodic  reflection moments.  
• Support the documentation of good practices, operational lessons and strategic  recommendations.  
• Promote learning-oriented use of project data to inform adaptation and improve  implementation.  

Capacity support to the project team  

• Provide light-touch guidance to project staff and relevant partners on MEAL concepts, tools  and reporting expectations.  
• Support the strengthening of internal capacities for ongoing monitoring and results-based  management.  
• Participate in coordination meetings when necessary to ensure MEAL is embedded in project  management processes.  

Deliverables  

The MEAL Expert will contribute to the following deliverables over the course of the assignment: 

•  A refined MEAL framework for the project  
• Indicator tracking and monitoring tools  
• Data collection and reporting templates, as needed  
• Inputs to the inception report, including monitoring and evaluation sections 
• Periodic analytical notes and recommendations based on monitoring findings 
•  Contributions to interim reporting  
• Ad hoc methodological guidance notes, upon request  

A more detailed workplan and deliverable schedule will be agreed with the project team at the start  of the assignment and adjusted as needed throughout implementation.  

Duration and level of effort  

The assignment will run for 8 months.  

The level of effort is expected to be regular, on average 5 to 10 days per month, depending on project  needs, reporting deadlines and key implementation milestones. The exact number of working days will  be agreed contractually and mobilised on the basis of validated requests from the project team.  

Profile and qualifications  

The expert should meet the following requirements:  

• Advanced university degree in political science, international development, public policy, social  sciences, monitoring and evaluation, project management, or another relevant field.  
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in monitoring, evaluation, accountability  and learning for international cooperation or donor-funded projects.  
• Proven experience in designing and implementing MEAL frameworks for complex,  multicountry or institution-focused projects.  
• Strong experience with logical frameworks, indicators, baseline setting, data collection tools,  and donor reporting (examples to be provided).  
• Experience working on EU-funded projects and EF-implemented projects is preferred. 
•  Ability to translate MEAL requirements into practical tools adapted to operational teams. 
•  Excellent analytical, drafting and synthesis skills.  
• Ability to work in a multicultural and multi-stakeholder environment.  
• Knowledge of governance, rule of law, security, cultural heritage, trafficking, or related sectors  would be an asset.  
• Excellent command of English and solid working knowledge of French, and Arabic a strong  asset. 

Working arrangements  

The MEAL Expert will work in close coordination with the project team and will be expected to remain  available on a regular basis for remote exchanges

. Participation in selected meetings may be requested  depending on project needs

. Any travel, if required, will be subject to prior agreement.  

Confidentiality  

The expert will be required to exercise discretion and ensure full confidentiality regarding all project  documentation, exchanges, data and internal reporting materials produced or accessed in the  framework of the assignment.  

Submission modalities 

Candidates shall submit an application file including: 

∙ Proof of registration in the national business register or equivalent (Kbis….); 

∙ A detailed CV;  

∙ A methodological note including:  

o An indicative implementation schedule and an estimated breakdown of the number  of working days per assignment;  

∙ A financial offer (daily fee rate excluding taxes). Any potential travel costs must be included in  the financial offer.  

Deadline for submission of offers: 01/06/2026 

Submission email address: achat.tunisie@expertisefrance.fr