Consultant - Baseline Assessment for CSO Governance Project

Background Information

About CARE in Timor-Leste

CARE is an international development and humanitarian organization that has been working in Timor-Leste since 1994. With programmes that extend across all parts of the country, CARE works with partners to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. CARE works with remote, rural communities and civil society partners to combat gender inequality, as this has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to create sustainable development outcomes. Ensuring well-being and a voice for women and girls in rural, disadvantaged areas is at the heart of CARE's work. This is achieved in four priority areas of Education, Women's Economic Empowerment, Health, and promoting Women's Voice in society through development and humanitarian programmes.

About the Project

CARE in Timor-Leste, through CARE Netherland, in consortium with local implementing consortium partners Asosiasaun HAK, FOKUPERS and FONGTIL will implement the project "Strengthened Local Civil Society Organizations for Responsive and Accountable Governance in Human Rights and Gender Equality in Timor-Leste" funded by the European Commission.

The overall objective of the 36-month action is for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to work as inclusive, participatory, empowered, and independent actors of good governance and development, focused on the empowerment of women and youth. The project is structured around three specific outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Local CSO and CSO networks own and lead the civil society action in Timor-Leste.
• Outcome 2: Local CSOs have strong institutional, organizational, and operational capacity.
• Outcome 3: Women's and youth groups are empowered to promote human rights and gender equality.

Objective

CARE is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct a Baseline Assessment for the project. The assignment will include the analysis of existing datasets collected by external enumerators, including Partnership Capacity Assessments and a CSO survey, as well as the facilitation of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to explore Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) dimensions.

The primary purpose of this assignment is to transform raw data into a coherent, analytical, and well-structured Baseline Report. The report will establish the initial values for key project indicators and provide a clear understanding of the institutional and social context in which the project will operate. The baseline will serve as a reference point for monitoring progress, adaptive management and future evaluations.

The specific objectives are:

• Quantitative analysis of existing datasets including Partnership Capacity Assessments and CSO Survey to establish baseline values for relevant indicators in the project logframe.
• To conduct FGDs with local CSOs focused on GEDSI and analyse qualitative data.
• To provide analysis on the current state of CSO capacity, advocacy effectiveness, and the empowerment of women and youth groups.
• To identify key findings, contextual nuances, potential challenges and opportunities to inform project implementation.

For more information about the consultancy, please visit this link: TOR EU CSO Baseline.pdf

Consultant Qualifications

• Degree in international development, social sciences, statistics, or a related field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Tetum, with the ability to produce high-quality, clear, and concise reports.
• Proven experience in conducting baseline, midline, or endline data analysis for development projects, preferably in governance, human rights, or gender equality sectors.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.
• Demonstrated experience in applying Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) frameworks to data analysis and reporting.
• Familiarity with civil society strengthening, organisational capacity assessment (e.g., PCA), and advocacy work is a strong advantage.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Understanding of the assignment
• Relevant experience and portfolio
• Proposed methodology and timeline
• Cost-effectiveness
• References
• Two samples of previous work

How to Apply

The deadline for submission is May 5, 2026, 5pm Timor-Leste time. The application should be emailed to Mrs. Sonia N. Lay Ximenes: [email protected]