NGO Management and Leadership Consultant

SEED Foundation (SEED) is seeking proposals for professional consulting services to facilitate a strategic planning process and support the development of a three year organizational strategy. Please see below Scope of Work (SOW) for further details.

SCOPE OF WORK

SEED is looking for a consultant with extensive experience working with NGOs on strategic planning, management and leadership building, change management, and other organizational development experience to facilitate a strategic planning process that is inclusive, dynamic, and analytical and which will result in the creation of an ambitious yet realistic multi-year plan.

The consultancy will include three distinct phases with discrete deliverables:

• Assessment: In the assessment phase, the consultant will collaborate closely with SEED to complete a detailed mapping of the current context and operating environment, with particular attention given to the implications of broader transition dynamics in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, including the transition from a humanitarian context to development, and from an internationally-led response to localization. The assessment will consider the current donor and funding landscape, strategic priorities for the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government, current research and evidence on key areas of need, emerging gaps and opportunities, and relevant actor networks to support collaboration and avoid duplication. The assessment process will include desk research and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders. Key findings will be analyzed, synthesized, and presented via a brief summative report, comprising the first deliverable.
• Stock-taking: In this phase, using findings from the assessment, the consultant will lead a comprehensive stock-taking exercise to critically evaluate the sectoral areas and activity streams SEED is engaged in; assess the potential for continued relevance, coherence, effectiveness, and impact of these interventions in light of key changes in the operating environment; identify SEED’s comparative advantage, institutional expertise, and existing resources; and consider any needed adjustments, additions, or subtractions to SEED’s portfolio over a three year time horizon. The stock-taking process will include, at minimum, a critical review of existing feedback, evaluations, and lessons learned from previous programming; the development and circulation of a staff survey to ensure inclusive feedback on SEED’s strengths and desired growth directions; and a presentation on key findings, comprising the second deliverable.
• Visioning and Decision-Making: In this phase, the consultant will lead and facilitate an offsite, multi-day visioning workshop to support SEED’s senior management team, component leads, and thematic experts in identifying key decisions emerging from the intersection of the contextual assessment and organizational stock-taking phases; reaching consensus on needed changes; and examining any structural and operational implications introduced by those changes. During this workshop, the consultant will support SEED in developing a draft strategic plan, comprising the third and final deliverable, and will identify actionable next steps, including immediate and interim priorities for roll-out.

DELIVERABLES

Expected deliverables include:

• A brief summative report on key findings from the contextual assessment.
• A presentation on key findings from the organizational stock-taking exercise.
• A draft strategic plan, produced in collaboration with SEED during a multi-day, offsite workshop.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

• Cover letter, highlighting details of comparable experience, as well as relevant skills and capacities;
• Curriculum Vitae, including three references’ contact details;
• Consultancy proposal, including work plan, timeline for each of the three phases, and budget;
• Relevant sample of similar work.

All documents must be submitted in English.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• At least five years of experience working with NGOs operating in humanitarian and/or development contexts, at least two years of which have involved strategic planning, change management and/or other organizational development experience.
• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of Arabic and/or Kurdish is a plus.
• Excellent facilitation skills, with ability to conduct facilitation remotely and in-person.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Ability to travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• The consultant will work closely with SEED Foundation in Erbil, KRI. The consultant will be managed by the Senior Management Team.
• The consultant will be required to utilize his/her own technology equipment and

maintain functional, safe, and secure Skype, ZOOM and email accounts for communication.

• All materials produced by the consultant during the period of this consultancy will be the sole property of SEED Foundation.
• The consultant must sign SEED Foundation’s Code of Conduct, and abide by all provisions of this policy for the duration of the consultancy period.

EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

All proposals will be reviewed by a team of no fewer than three members, including representation from across the organization.

Proposals will be evaluated on:

1. Evidence of experience of similar work.
2. Experience working with NGOs and working in humanitarian settings.
3. Cost efficiency and value for money.
4. Ability to facilitate a consultative process.
5. Work plan and timeline for conducting the required work.
6. Verbal and written communication skills.