Deadline: 27 January 2021

Background

Innovation for Change (I4C) is a growing global network of people, organisations and online Hubs with seven (7) connected Regional Centres in Africa, Central Asia, East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia and the Pacific. An eighth Global Innovation Hub, co-facilitated by CIVICUS, supports project implementation and drives innovation across the entire network.

Our networks spark collaborations within civil society as well as partnerships with social and technology businesses and academia. We help power methods, create campaigns and drive programme development across sectors by offering advisory services, education and training, convening and network building, fundraising, free online tools/digital literacy and support with technology product development.

Rationale

Innovation for Change (I4C) Africa Hub’s Secretariat is looking to hire a Consultant to carry out a training needs assessment of the I4C Africa Hub. The overall objective of the assignment is to identify key technical and functional capacity gaps and training needs of I4C Africa Hub personnel to perform key functions as per the I4C Africa Hub’s Strategic Plan, HR Policy Manual of Procedures, job descriptions, job requirements, and make recommendations and develop a training plan for the I4C Africa Hub. The assignment will focus on existing staff capacity with the view to identify training needs for the staff to perform the expected functions and roles of the I4C Africa Hub effectively, as appropriate recommendations on capacity strengthening (staffing level, portfolio division, etc.) can be provided. The assignment is also expected make recommendations regarding enabling environment and institutional arrangements which would impact retention as well as utilisation of acquired skills. The assignment is not part of re-profiling or change management, and does not expect recommendations on these issues.

Objectives

The needs assessment will seek to address the following objectives:

• Gather information on existing capacity building initiatives amongst staff (capacity

building providers, their approaches and delivery mechanisms);

• Identify current shortcomings of capacity building efforts;

• Identify capacity building priorities and needs;

• Identify skills that can be upgraded for programme delivery; via information dissemination, involvement of experts and facilitation of dialogue processes;

• Develop organisational capacities for networking, advocacy, expertise, management, leadership and programme delivery. As such, include both tangible organisational capabilities and intangible aspects of capacity (vision, autonomy, solidarity);

• Promote regional cooperation on capacity building for sustainable development; and

• Develop recommendations for more effective, coordinated and demand-driven capacity building programmes.

Scope of Work

A. The Capacity Gaps Assessment

The I4C Africa Hub Strategic Plan defines key functions to be performed by the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat. In this context, the assignment will assess the level of desired capacity and existing capacity, particularly focusing on technical and functional capacities required to perform the functions and mandate for the Hub. The Consultant shall identify specific desired technical and functional capacities to perform the functions based on the expected roles and responsibilities of the I4C Africa Hub as indicated in the Strategic Plan. The Consultant will also prepare a relationship diagram in terms of information sharing with other units as well as how each department/unit links with each other on aid management process. It is proposed that this assessment will be done through the following:

1. Desk review of key relevant documents, including:

• I4C Africa Hub Strategic Plan;

• I4C Africa Hub Policy Manual of Procedures; and

• Organogram.

2. Interviews of key stakeholders, including staff members of the I4C Africa Hub, key stakeholders who have involvement and roles in resource mobilisation and the grants management process, which will include the following:

• Current challenges related to the grants management process;

• Expected roles from the I4C Africa Hub, functions of the I4C Africa Hub on resource mobilisation, grants management, how the I4C Africa Hub relates to other units/department’s core work and engagement in grant management related processes, and how they see themselves linking with the I4C Africa Hub and other relevant units on grant management related processes;

• Discussions with the I4C Africa Hub staff on their perspectives on strengths, weakness, desired skills and capacity gaps.

3. Preparation of Relationship Diagram based on desk reviews and interviews which defines the linkages between the I4C Africa Hub and other key departments and stakeholders on grant management related processes.

4. Development of a SWOT Analysis to validate the Relationship Diagram produced by the Consultant and based on the diagram, undertake SWOT Analysis for the I4C Africa Hub as well as other key departments in line with resource mobilisation and grants management.

5. Capacity Assessment Questionnaire: A self-reflection of the I4C Africa Hub staff and other key stakeholders on desired capacity and capacity needs can be administered as part of the SWOT Analysis. This can be analysed as needed to draw up a capacity development plan for the Grants Management and Resource Mobilisation processes.

B. Identification of a Training Needs and Development of a Training Plan

Based on the capacity gap assessment (interviews, SWOT and questionnaire) and understanding of functions to be performed by the I4C Africa Hub, the Consultant shall identify priority key training needs and develop a training plan for medium-term (3 years) for the I4C Africa Hub staff in close consultation with the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat. The Consultant shall also make recommendations regarding enabling environment and institutional framework/arrangements which would impact utilization of acquired skills, drawn on the SWOT analysis from key stakeholders as well as interviews. The Consultant shall also make recommendations on capacity strengthening needs (ideal staffing level, portfolio division, etc.).

Methodology

The Consultant is expected to undertake this assignment through a desk review of the I4C Africa Hub Strategic Plan, HR Policy Manual of Procedure as well as any relevant document, including I4C Africa Hub’s capacity assessment, etc., interviews with relevant stakeholders, and SWOT Analysis. The Consultant shall propose other tools (such as self-assessment, survey, etc.) if necessary. However, it is requested that the Consultant engages the I4C Africa Hub staff not only in terms of identification of desired and existing capacity but also in identification of training needs and prioritisation of training (a training plan).

Deliverables

The following deliverables should be submitted to the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat:

1) An Inception Report, which should be submitted to the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat within eight (8) working days after the signature of the contract and the receipt of relevant documents for desk review. The Inception Report shall outline key finding from the desk review, key areas where further interviews will focus on, and a draft programme for a SWOT analysis. If survey, semi-structured interviews and/or self-assessment tools are to be used, the Inception Report shall include questionnaires or any other tools for gaps assessment.

2) A SWOT Analysis.

3) Draft Report, including:

a. Outcomes of capacity gap assessment (desired skills and existing capacity);

b. I4C Africa Hub Training Action Plan;

c. Recommendations on capacity strengthening and enabling environment; and

d. A proposed sensitisation package for the I4C Africa Hub HR Manual of Procedure (materials, presentation, programme, approaches for sensitising broader stakeholders and Donor entities on the I4C Africa Hub HR Policy Manual of Procedure).

4) The I4C Africa Hub Secretariat will provide feedback/inputs to the draft within five (5) days of the receipt of the Draft Report.

5) Final Report, which will incorporate any inputs/comments received from the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat and other stakeholders (including relevant I4C Helper Hub/HH), shall be submitted five (5) days after receiving comments/inputs from the I4C Africa Hub Secretariat and other stakeholders.

For the training needs and training plan to be owned and mainstreamed into the I4C Africa Hub and the I4C Africa Hub’s annual plan, it is important that recommendations from the assignment and training plan be discussed with the key stakeholders prior to it being finalized.

Duration and Timetable

The Consultancy is scheduled for a period of thirty (30) working days and shall not exceed 15th February 2021.

Activities                                                                                  Days

Desk Review, Interviews, & SWOT Analysis                    20

Reporting and Training Plan                                               10

                                                               TOTAL                      30

Assignment Supervision

The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the I4C Africa Hub Regional Manager with technical and advisory support provided by the I4C Africa Hub Senior Grants Specialist. In ensuring the quality of the work undertaken, an inception meeting will be held between the I4C Africa Hub and the Consultant to agree on expectation, scope of the work, and a specific work plan on the basis of an inception report. Regular briefing will be provided to the I4C Africa Hub Regional Manager as well as the I4C Senior Grants Specialist to update on the progress as well as to discuss any issues which requires decisions/guidance from the I4C Africa Hub. Prior to the Consultant concluding the work, a de-brief meeting will be held to discuss any further issues which requires further follow-up.

Criteria and Eligibility

The main competencies required from the international or national Consultant are:

i. At least Master’s degree in International Development, Organisational Development, Social Sciences, Development Economics/Planning, International Relations/;

ii. At least ten (10) years of experience in public financial management, grant management processes and issues, capacity development, organisational development, training;

iii. At least five (5) years’ experience in conducting needs assessments, capacity development assessment for sub regional and international NGOs preferably in Africa;

iv. Experience in Planning, Budgeting, Programme and Strategy Development Processes for both National and Regional levels;

v. Must have carried out at least three (3) similar assignments on the last five (5) years;

vi. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Fluency in spoken French will be an added advantage.

Application Procedures and Deadline for Submitting Proposals

Those wishing to be considered for this consultancy should submit their send application, stating the assignment with the following documents to: [email protected].

This should include the following: b) resume of consultant, c) technical and financial proposals based on the deliverables outlined in the ToR; and d) email addresses and phone numbers of two accessible referees (or organisations) familiar with the candidate’s work.

The proposal should reach the above by the 27th of January 2021 at 17:00 EAT.

Applicants should send all above as one PDF document to the email address provided above (Indicate I4C Africa Hub Professional Development Needs Assessment Consultant in the email subject line). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly.

I4C Africa Hub is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, political affiliation, religion, gender, disability, and/or sexual orientation.