Organizational Model Innovation (OMI) Training Expert Consultancy

Organizational Model Innovation (OMI) Training Expert Consultancy

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Location: Baghdad, Iraq

Application Deadline: 21 December 2023

Purpose

Rooted in its rich history of fostering sustainable development, the Near East Foundation (NEF) has consistently championed the enhancement of Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs) organizational effectiveness. NEF recognizes the imperative to evolve beyond traditional needs- and strategy-driven approaches to capacity building.

The Organizational Model Innovation (OMI) approach represents NEF’s response to this imperative. OMI transcends the confines of conventional capacity-building methodologies, directing its focus towards catalyzing organizational and operational innovation. Grounded in NEF’s ethos of transformative impact, OMI seeks to elevate CSOs by harnessing innovative strategies that extend beyond the immediate organizational context.

As part of the implementation of the Anbar Business & Workforce Advancement for Improved Living Conditions (ABWA) project, funded by GIZ under Assisting Reconstruction & Improving Living Conditions in Anbar (ARILA), NEF is looking for an OMI Training Expert to conduct a structured workshop in Baghdad with NEF’s local partner CSO, and support in the development of their OMI plan – identifying priority interventions, defining a workplan and a budget.

OMI Approach and Objectives:

The OMI approach aims to (1) enhance the CSO’s organizational capacity, and (2) facilitate the development of refined organizational and operational models in alignment with emerging trends (e.g., crowdfunding, private sector fundraising partnerships, social and impact financing, and social enterprise), fostering cross-sector relationships with market, governance, and peer entities.

Also, the OMI approach encompasses the following key objectives:

Rethink Current Organizational Strategies and Models:

1. Undertake an introspective examination of existing organizational strategies and operational and financing models.
2. Incorporate insights from local and regional Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that have successfully revised organizational strategies, missions, and embraced innovative trends such as fundraising partnerships, outcomes financing, social enterprises, and work integration activities.
3. Reimagine current operational and financing models, emphasizing innovation-driven approaches to enhance resource diversification, improve sustainability, and amplify the representation and inclusion of marginalized voices.
4. Develop comprehensive implementation plans featuring tangible activities and success indicators to effectively execute the identified strategies.

Improve and Evolve Accountability, Transparency, and Frameworks:

1. Conduct a comprehensive reflection on the role and responsibilities of CSOs in elevating accountability and transparency standards.
2. Revise or develop accountability mechanisms based on industry best practices and minimum quality standards, encompassing governance, management practices, HR development, external relations, sustainability, and more.
3. Enhance transparency and communication frameworks to ensure heightened visibility within local communities.
4. Review and fortify systems and procedures aligned with sound organizational management and compliance, consistent with relevant U.S. foreign assistance regulations, both under this funding opportunity and other U.S.-funded awards.
5. Strengthen systems to enhance competencies and retention of human capital.

Strengthen and Sustain Constituent Linkages:

1. Augment CSO knowledge and practices to actively engage constituents in participatory needs assessments, programming, service delivery, and monitoring and evaluation.
2. Develop inclusive and accessible engagement frameworks for evidence-based programming and policy advocacy.
3. Promote self-awareness within CSOs to recognize and address biases, thereby enhancing the quality of inclusive programming and overall organizational performance, including efficacy and efficiency.

Improve and Develop Cross-Sectoral Partnerships:

1. Conduct a thorough mapping and analysis of cross-sectoral partnerships and opportunities aligned with the identified strategies.
2. Identify individual and joint actions to fortify partnerships and cooperation with the governance and private sectors.
3. Develop a strategic approach for pooling and cooperation within the civil society sector to enhance collaborative efforts and collective impact.

Consultancy Scope of Work:

The Training Expert will conduct a 5-day participatory, process-driven group workshops over two weeks with NEF’s partner CSO to enable adequate time for field research and work by the CSO. Based on the CSOs’ needs and gaps, the workshop training topics can include: financial sustainability and reviewing financing; strategy development and improving accountability and transparency, including development and/or improvement of internal regulations/procedures/policies and their implementation; governance, management practices, HR development; communication; partnership development; community engagement and linkages with Rights-Holders etc.

By the end of week four, the CSO will finalize its results-based and action-driven OMI plan with detailed and budgeted activities to: (1) improve its organizational capacity; (2) support multiplication of capacity development processes for other civil society stakeholders in the same region; and (3) facilitate the development of new or improved (a) organizational and operational models that tap into emerging trends and (b) cross-sector relationships with market, governance, and peer actors.

Each strategy will include success indicators linked with the above-mentioned objectives to ensure all strategies are results-driven and implemented and evaluated.

The Training Expert may also be tasked with recruiting local master trainers and coaches for activities implementation.

Anticipated level of effort: Up to 15 days.

*NEF is also looking for a dedicated OMI Coaching and Support Expert to provide support to the CSO in the implementation of the OMI Plan post training workshops (February and March 2024). Interested applicants are encouraged to apply for both consultancies.

Consultancy Timeline & Deliverables:

From 10 January to 31 January 2024, the applicant should deliver the following:

• Preparatory Phase (up to 1 week): Field research and preparatory activities (online, in person or hybrid).
• Workshop Phase (5 days over 2 weeks): delivery of training to partner CSO (in person)
• OMI Plan Finalization (by the end of the workshop phase): CSO finalizes an OMI plan comprising results-oriented, action-driven strategies with budgets.

Reporting and Communication:

A detailed framework delineating progress updates and communication protocols will be established to maintain transparency and facilitate seamless project management.

Selection Criteria:

• Expertise in delivery of capacity-building workshops to CSOs (40%)
• Knowledge of organizational and operational improvement opportunities in alignment with emerging trends in Iraq (25%)
• Quality of technical proposal (35%)