TERMS OF REFERENCE: CONSULTANT FOR DEVELOPING FOR EQUALITY’S STRATEGIC PLAN

Background

For Equality (FE) is a Pan African women’s rights organization working to accelerate progress towards attaining gender equality. The organization’s vision is toward a gender equal and just Africa. Every day, women and girls around the world face violence and discrimination. Sexual exploitation, violence, harmful cultural practices, and systemic inequalities violate their human rights and prevent them from reaching their potential. For equality sees these gender inequalities as threats to the actualization of empowering girls and women and seeks to strengthen the individual and collective agency of pan-African women to dismantle systems of oppression and attain gender equality.

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance organizational effectiveness and impact, FE seeks to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that will guide its activities and initiatives over the next five years (2024-2028). This strategic plan aims to articulate FE’s vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategies while also defining its theory of change.

Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to support For Equality in developing a robust 5 year strategic plan, including the articulation of a clear theory of change.

Scope of Work

The consultant’s scope of work will include, but not be limited to, the following activities:

Conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of relevant organizational documents, including mission and vision statements, previous strategic plan, and other relevant materials.
Conduct an induction meeting with the FE team to build understanding and consensus on the purpose and process of developing a strategic plan.

Conduct consultations with staff and other key stakeholders including board members, program participants, external stakeholders , partners and donors to understand priority areas in line with FE vision, mission, goals and objectives for the next 5 years.
Facilitate workshops and meetings with staff and other key stakeholders including board members, program participants, external partners, donors and stakeholders to gather insights, inputs and expectations of the strategic planning process.
Conduct a SWOT and PESTEL analysis to identify internal and external factors affecting For Equality’s operations and strategic direction
Develop a draft 5 year strategic plan with a clear theory of change based on the findings from the review, Staff workshop/ meetings, stakeholder consultations and SWOT/PESTEL analysis
Present the draft strategic Plan to the FE team and key stakeholders for validation.
Finalize the strategic plan and theory of change document, ensuring alignment with For Equality’s mission, vision and values.
Deliverables

●      Submission of an inception report demonstrating understanding of the assignment by the consultant.

●      Finalize and validate FE’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework

●      Finalized 5-year strategic plan and theory of change documents.

Responsibilities

Consultant(s) in consultation with For Equality will be responsible for drafting the Organization Strategic Plan (OSP). Validation of the OSP with internal and external stakeholders will be led by consultant(s).

Target Audience

The plan needs to address the specific needs and interests which are categorized as follows:

Internal Audience

●      FE Board of Directors

●      FE Senior Management Team

●      FE Staff Members

External Audience

●      Funding Partners and Donors

●      Beneficiaries and Partners

●      Other relevant external stakeholders as deemed necessary Audiences

Timeline

The consultant is expected to complete the assignment within 45 working days from the contract’s start date. Regular progress updates should be provided to FE’s Board of Directors and senior management team. The final deliverables should be submitted no later than 28th June 2024.

Budget

The consultant is invited to provide a detailed budget proposal, including fees, travel expenses (if applicable), and any other costs related to the assignment.

Qualifications

The ideal consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:
Extensive experience in strategic planning, organizational development, and theory of change development, particularly within the non-profit sector.
Strong facilitation skills and experience in conducting participatory workshops and brainstorming sessions.
Excellent analytical and writing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and develop clear and concise documents.
Familiarity with issues related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social justice.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and adapt to changing needs and priorities.
Prior experience working with organizations similar to For Equality is desirable.
Submission

Interested consultants are requested to fill the google form provided in the link below and submit the following documents through the same link:

1. A proposal, including a detailed methodology, timeline, budget

2. Resume

3. Two letters of Reference from previous clients

NOTE: Please fill this form when you have all required documents to be uploaded ready