Contextual Analysis Package Consultancy TOR

Terms of Reference

Summary:

Job Title:

Consultancy for Context Analysis Tool and Process Development

Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to understand and develop a flexible context analysis tool based on sector best-practice that enables a structured understanding of the contextual factors that could influence, hinder or advance country strategic aims. The outputs from the process should help inform strategy development and annual planning processes.

Duration

15-18 working days

Years of Experience:

5+ years

Problem statement

War Child UK is a child focused organisation that operates in highly volatile, fragile contexts requiring careful analysis of the conditions prior to any engagement. This necessitates well-structured processes of understanding the social, cultural, political, economic and physical conditions in which we will seek to impact positive change for children and young people. Currently our process for providing this analysis varies from country programme to country programme, and requires closer alignment to operational planning process and strategy development.

War Child UK response

War Child UK would like to develop a more comprehensive, systematic, and structured process for contextual analysis that provides a macro**-level analysis of a country** or a specific geographic context of a country and informs strategy direction/decisions and annual planning to ensure the right resourcing, funding and strategic decisions are made. We would want this tool/process to be agile enough to collect information and provide analysis on a district level or country wide. This would ideally be captured in easy to use and flexible guidance and related tool/s country for teams This should include how to effectively source data and ask questions to provide a snapshot of the current situation, drawing together the views of a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, including local communities and beneficiaries to capture micro-level insights from local community members including children and young people strengthen and inform the macro-level analysis. The tools and process should generate actionable and practical recommendations for War Child’s understanding of how to structure our response to ensure it is appropriate and relevant to the context. These would include data and analysis around:

• Conflict dynamics – the historical and current drivers to the conflict to help inform a conflict sensitive approach
• Gender relations/dynamics – a rigorous gender analysis to properly understand the gender dynamics at play and how to ensure a gender responsive approach to our programming
• Social/cultural analysis – understand social/cultural dynamics
• Power/political analysis – understanding the political context by identifying key political actors/forces and the power dynamics between them (Note: this will be vital to informing any national advocacy work in-country if intended)
• Economic analysis – understanding the macroeconomic situation in country which will inform and help situate any livelihoods/CVA programming
• Demographic analysis – to understand generational and demographic trends specifically focused on issues related children and youth

Overall purpose of the consultancy:

The initial objectives of the consultancy are as follows:

1. Scope and engage with WCUK operational and technical teams on how to systematise our context analysis process and what is needed in terms of tool/process and develop something we can easy implement on an annual basis
2. Create accessible and easy to use guidance and tools that is flexible enough to be used within a range of country contexts but also with the flexibility to further adapt and make content and conclusions suitably contextualised.
3. Develop tool and process package aligned with interagency standards and best practice
4. Test, share and train HQ and country teams on using the tool and process developed.

Deliverables/expected outputs:

The research consultant will be expected to independently lead on:

1. Undertaking a desk review of existing approaches to context analysis (3 days)
2. Engage and train WCUK teams on the tool and process developed (7 days)
3. Development of the tool and process (4 days)
4. Testing and training on using the tool and process (2 day)
5. Feedback and presentation (1 day)

Budget

The consultant is to submit a budget for this work including daily consultancy fee including of VAT and taxes related (inclusive) within the suggested parameters indicated above. Budgets should not exceed 12K GBP. Value-for-money and quality considerations will be part of the selection process.

Terms and Conditions

Supervision and Reporting: The consultant will be responsible to keep War Child abreast of progress through periodic updates (frequency to be decided at inception phase). They will be supervised by War Child UK’s (TBD) in HQ and by the Project Lead in the WCUK Iraq Country Office.

The consultant will use her/his own office/resources/materials and laptop in the execution of this assignment.

Person Specifications

• Demonstrable experience in developing similar tools and process, particularly for any emergency, humanitarian or recovery contexts.
• Background and experience in working with children and conducting similar child-focused assessments or exercises
• Strong background and experience in conducting similar context analysis and assessment processes
• Ability to independently and autonomously lead
• Solid desk research skills and existing orientation around the sector standards and resource spaces relevant for this work
• Sound understanding and familiarity of context, working knowledge and experience of delivering programmes in fragile contexts preferably similar to the ones we operate in.
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English; Arabic and/or French desirable

All Consultants will be required to abide by War Child UK’s organizational policies, namely Child Safeguarding Policy with Code of Conduct. They will be required to sign a statement of commitment, and other organisational policies, and provide two references prior to commencing their consultancy.

Selection and appointment

Interested applicants are requested to submit a brief Expression of Interest including:

• A cover letter clearly stating how you meet the person specifications, work-plan with lines of inquiry and availability (max. 3-4 pages)
• CV(s) and with full contact details
• Details of two referees familiar with your work
• Proposed budget for the consultancy

The selected candidate will be contracted for the consultancy and will commence work shortly after selection and successful references. A services agreement will be signed between consultant and WCUK with the TOR attached.

At War Child we are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children in our work. War Child will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with children are recruited to work for us.