Consultancy for Baseline, GEDSI and Environmental Impact Assessment

Where? Dili, Timor Leste

When? Closes 9 December 2025

A career at ChildFund isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children.

We’re looking for a qualified consultant to conduct the baseline assessment for the SHINE-C project.

Organisational context

ChildFund Timor-Leste is a representative office of ChildFund Australia. ChildFund Australia is an independent and non-religious international development organization that works to reduce poverty for children in developing communities. We work in partnership with children and their communities to create lasting change by supporting long-term community development, responding to humanitarian emergencies, and promoting children’s rights. We want every child to be able to say: “I am safe. I am educated. I am heard. I can make a difference. I have a future.” ChildFund Australia implements programs with a range of local partners in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and other Pacific nations, and manages projects delivered by partner organizations throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Our work is funded through child and community sponsorship, government grants as well as donations from individuals, trusts and foundations, and corporate organizations.

ChildFund Australia’s goals in Timor-Leste are to achieve and demonstrate effectiveness and accountability in its program activities and add value to the efforts of its partners through quality development programs that are respectful, responsive, and effective in helping children in poverty, their families, and communities. ChildFund Timor-Leste has been working directly and through local partners in Timor-Leste since 1990 several projects has been implemented in Timor-Leste around Municipalities since 2011 until today.

Background

Timor-Leste has made strong progress in health system development since it gained its independence and focuses on strengthening health system, equitable access, improve quality of care, and addressing specific health challenges such as improve its infrastructure, strengthened its human resource workforce and improve in the public emergency. However, malnutrition with 47.1% categorised as stunting among children under five, remains one of the highest numbers in the Asia-Pacific region and continues to cause preventable deaths. One in every 24 children does not survive past the age of five, largely due to malnutrition, poor WASH access, and limited maternal and child healthcare. This project is aligned with Timor-Leste focus to improve maternal and child health as stated in the country's National Health Strategic Plan II (2020-2030) and Sustainable Development Goals 3 (SDG-3) good health and well-being.

ChildFund Timor-Leste has been working directly and through local partners in Timor-Leste since 1990 several projects have been implemented in Timor-Leste around Municipalities since 2011 until today, including projects in the health, education and child protection sectors.

In Ainaro and Ermera municipalities, these challenges are particularly severe. Many women miss antenatal care visits, over half give birth outside health facilities, and poor access to clean water and sanitation continues to endanger mothers and infants. Adolescents and women of reproductive age also face widespread undernutrition and limited dietary diversity, further increasing health risks for families.

People with disabilities face additional barriers to healthcare due to inaccessible facilities and limited awareness among health workers, widening inequities in health access.

Consistent with this specific EU Action’s call that prioritise the promotion of an integrated nutrition approach leading to the reduction of malnutrition amongst parents and their children, as well as the promotion of community-based interventions that improve the nutritional status of children in early childhood and women of reproductive age in the worst affected rural areas of Timor-Leste, this project will seek to improve the nutritional and health status of children, women, and families through integrated actions in nutrition, WASH, food security, and sexual and reproductive health, while promoting gender equality, disability inclusion, and community empowerment.

The SHINE-C project is implemented by ChildFund Timor-Leste and is partnered with the Alola Foundation.

Project goal: Improved nutritional status and overall health of children under five (all gender and abilities), adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women (all abilities) in Ainaro and Ermera municipalities in Ainaro and Ermera Municipalities as funded by the European Union.

Purpose of the Object of the Baseline

The primary purpose of this baseline survey is to collect data to establish baseline values for the project’s indicators for the overall objective and specific objective levels, as outlined in its results framework and as per the below schedule:

Table 1. Schedule of indicators

Specifically, the survey will establish benchmarks for monitoring progress and evaluating the project’s impact over time by:

• Determining the current status of, and including the enablers and barriers to key nutrition, health, WASH, SRH, and food security indicators among children, girls and women, boys and men, and adults from non-binary genders, and all those who have a disability in the target areas;
• Identifying existing knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among target groups related to nutrition, health, WASH, as well as in gender and disability equality norms and behaviours and smallholder farming practices;
• As per the above values and/or realised indicator data, provide an analysis of the barriers to the inclusion of women and girls, children, and individuals with a disability; and,
• In relation to the project’s primary activities, conduct an environmental impact assessment that aims to identify and evaluate the potential environmental, social, and health impacts of the project’s key interventions.

Scope, approach and methodology

The consultant/s will be responsible for conducting a baseline, GEDSI and Environmental impact assessment study cover Ainaro and Ermera Municipalities.

This will be completed via a desktop review, obtaining additional data from local health facilities and undertaking focus groups discussions, or local sample group which could include the following members:

• Pregnant and lactating women
• Parents and caregivers of Children under five (with/without disabilities)
• Primary and pre-secondary school students and their school teachers
• Primary healthcare workers (PHCWs)
• Community health workers (CHWs)
• Local farmers and their households

Included in information obtained will be an examination of underlying social norms, behaviours and attitudes and how power, gender and disability affects access to nutrition, antenatal care and family planning services.

Scope of Work

The consultant/s will:

1. Inception and Desk Review

• Review all relevant project documentation (proposal, logframe, and MEL plan) including sourcing relevant and/or
• Review and source appropriate sources for supplementary data from secondary data, official databases, or reports.

2. Methodology and tools development

• Develop integrated data collection tools (Qualitative survey, FGDs, KIIs, Participatory exercises, ocular view, field observation sign survey methodology, sampling framework, and tools aligned with project indicators where needed.
• Ensure alignment with project indicators on gender equality framework (agency, relations, and practicing).
• Ensure alignment with environmental impact assessment tools and social and community representatives.

3. Data collection

• Conduct field data collection through household surveys, KAP interviews, anthropometric measurements, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs).

• Proper data management, coding, entry, cleaning, and analysis in terms of the purpose of the baseline study.

• Preserve and provide soft copies of data (either through SPSS, Excel, CSV extract from ODK).

• Analyze collected data and generate baseline values for each relevant indicator.

• Prepare a comprehensive baseline report with findings, analysis, and recommendations.

• Facilitate draft report sharing workshop with ChildFund and partners’ project staff and management for their inputs on the findings.

• Support the sharing of findings to community stakeholders and seeking feedback.

• Incorporate feedback and finalise the report.

Methodology

The consultant is expected to propose a robust mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative household surveys and qualitative participatory methods.

Key methodological steps include:

1. Desk review of secondary data.
2. Sampling design using statistically representative cluster sampling.
3. Structured household surveys using digital data collection tools (e.g., KoboToolbox, ODK).
4. Anthropometric measurements of children under five (weight, height, length, age).
5. FGDs and KIIs with key stakeholders (health staff, teachers, farmers, parents).
6. Data analysis.
7. Observation of WASH facilities (households, schools, and health centers).
8. Triangulation of data to ensure reliability and validity.

Note: the detail deliverables and timeframe please see in the TOR

Required Qualifications

The lead consultant must possess:

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Social Science, Development Studies, or related field.
• Proven experience in designing and conducting large-scale baseline or evaluation surveys at least 5 to 7 years.
• Strong knowledge of nutrition, WASH, SRH, and gender-based indicators.
• Expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Experience in anthropometric data collection and analysis.
• Proven experience in Timor-Leste or similar contexts.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in Tetum and Portugues is an asset

Application Process

Interested consultants or firms should submit:

1. Technical Proposal (including understanding of assignment, methodology, work plan, and team composition).
2. Financial Proposal (itemized budget in USD).
3. CV(s) of key personnel.
4. Sample of previous similar work (preferably baseline or evaluation reports)

1.     Selection Criteria for Consultant

At the minimum, the lead consultant must possess the following:

Required experience:

• Advance degree in the field of Public Health, Medicine, Social Sciences, Statistics, or any other related fields.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in community health programming including evidence of leading research and/or project evaluations.
• Proven experience in designing and conducting large-scale baseline or evaluation surveys at least 5 to 7 years.
• Strong knowledge of nutrition, WASH, SRH, and gender-based indicators.
• Experience developing program strategies in maternal and child health.
• Demonstrated experience using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including design and analysis.
• Proven experience in data analysis, presentation methods and report writing.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills.
• Good spoken and written communication skills in English and/or Tetum.
• Experience working in development projects in Timor Leste or Asia Pacific region.

Desirable:

• Knowledge on maternal and child health programs, approaches and polices in Timor Leste.
• Previous experience working in or evaluating community-based maternal and child health or adolescent/youth SRH projects, especially in rural areas.
• Previous experience working for international organizations.
• Understanding of the local context and dialect.

The Consultant must be available for distance (skype, zoom or MS Teams) and face-to-face meetings, as necessary, Qualified national candidates, women, and persons living with disability are encouraged to apply.

The Expression of Interest should include:

• Resume/CV
• Referees or sample of past work
• A proposal indicating competence for the required work, professional fee, brief outline of approaches/methodologies and timeline based on the Terms of Reference.

Interested applicants please submit your application via BambooHR no later than 9 December 2025

NOTE: Short-listing of candidates will commence prior to the closure of this role, so please do not delay submitting your application.

ChildFund Australia believes in a global community where children are safe and can reach their full potential. We take extensive steps to safeguard children in any work done by our people, i.e., our staff, volunteers and interns, supporters, partners, board members, ambassadors and suppliers. We strive to keep children safe through child safe practices, and rigorously ensure we prevent, oppose, and combat all exploitation and abuse of children and vulnerable people. As part of this commitment, all people working with us will undergo relevant background checks before joining ChildFund Australia.

At ChildFund Australia, all staff must remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding or sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment (SEAH) risks. Staff will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to understand our Child Safeguarding and PSEAH policies & procedures, promote strong safeguarding practices, and conduct themselves consistent with these policies.

In line with our values, diversity of people and ideas is critical to our work and our success at ChildFund Australia. We strive for a team culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive. Childfund is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and strongly encourages people from all backgrounds, abilities, and identities to apply.

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