Consultant on Organizational Capacity Development - Beirut - For National Candidates Only

Background to IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

As a part of its Strategic Planning, the IRC Lebanon has recognized that working with Local and International partners will continue to grow in its relevance and created a partnerships unit in 2017 with more than 20 established partnerships today in 2020 with local actors and governmental bodies. Effective partnerships with local and national CSOs and government entities enable the IRC to pursue the strategic objectives set out in IRC 2020 and result in better outcomes for the people we serve.

Context Overview

Strengthening local actors’ ability to deliver services and respond to the needs of people is a key element of the IRC’s mission. Consistent with its mission to maximize reach to the most vulnerable populations, the IRC prioritizes capacity strengthening investments in local and national civil society organizations and other actors that will be long-term catalysts and drivers of change in the geographical areas where we work.

Capacity sharing is a process of mutual learning between the IRC and partner organization that improves the quality of services and outcomes for the people we serve. Capacity-sharing support is based on each organization’s aspirations and commitment to sustainable organizational development, in addition to the immediate support that may be required to achieve the objectives of a project and reach program outcomes.  Organizational development is a long-term change process driven by the partner organization’s mission, vision and systems, focusing on organizational change, improvement, and transformation.

Purpose of the consultancy and Scope of Work:

Within this framework, the IRC is seeking a consultant to conduct an organizational capacity assessment and deliver on organization development plans for three partners identified by the IRC. The Consultant would work closely with three of IRC’s local partner organizations and the IRC partnerships and program teams to identify organizational development priorities for each of the partners. This would take place in two phases: assessment and planning.

The ultimate outcome of organizational development support is that all three partners are better able to serve their clients more effectively and sustainably, through stronger systems and leadership, technical, advocacy and networking abilities, in accordance with their mission and vision. Organizational development support would address partners’ abilities to lead, manage, and connect with stakeholders and clients as needed, and aims to strengthen not just the skills of individual staff, but the capacity of the organization as a whole, so that it may fulfil its mission.

Specific Responsibilities:

Consultant:

• To review the ToR of this consultancy and provide inputs as needed.
• To meet with IRC relevant program coordinators and partnerships focal points to receive a briefing on all three partner organizations’ projects and previous assessments done.
• To meet with partners organizations management and teams to receive a briefing on the organizations, and discuss expectations and workplans.
• To review relevant project materials and other documents provided by the IRC and partners related to previous capacity assessment/s done and  for any previous project support plans executed by the IRC or any other donor and any other organizational support received by any other party.
• To provide a concise inception report that will clarify the methodology to be used by the consultant to fulfil the assigned deliverables, for the approval of IRC prior to the start of the assessment. The inception report will also include a clear and accurate timeline and workplan.
• Lead the organizational capacity assessment for all three partners.
• Lead the organizational development planning for all three partners.
• To finalize all assignments through incorporating feedback provided by IRC and partners organizations.

IRC Team:

The IRC team will support the consultant with the below:

• To provide the consultant with background material on all current and previous projects with identified partners.
• Provide introduction and facilitate communication with all three identified partners.
• To provide the consultant with a consolidated list of prioritized municipalities and ministries.
• To provide the consultant with clear guidance on the specific outputs. Partnership Capacity Sharing manager will be the Focal point.
• To provide the consultant with information needed to arrange meetings and interviews related to the scope of the consultancy.
• To provide the consultant with logistic support as needed.
• To provide the consultant with both Organizational Capacity Assessment and Organizational Capacity Development Plan templates.
• To provide the consultant with the necessary feedback to each of the deliverables.
• To validate the final deliverables submitted by the consultant.

Deliverables:

1. To provide a concise inception report that will clarify the methodology used by the consultant to fulfil the assigned deliverables, for the approval of IRC. The inception report will also include a clear and accurate timeline and workplan.
2. Conduct three workshops/ one with each partner to gather information for the OCA (Organizational Capacity Assessment).
3. To provide a written report with the results of the OCA: one for each organization.
4. Based on the results of the assessment, the consultant would produce capacity strengthening priorities incorporated in a holistic Organizational Capacity Development Plan tailored for each of the three organizations. The plan should set out SMART objectives with concrete activities (to be validated by each of the partners and the IRC) and clear Key Performance Indicators against which progress can be measured.

Timeframe:

3 weeks in total - 15 working days

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Partnerships Capacity Sharing Manager
• Position works with:  Partners Organizations, IRC programs’ technical leads, partnerships Coordinator, Senior program Support Coordinator

Requirements:

• Graduate Degree in Social Science, Political Science, governance and policy making or other fields that are relevant to the scope of the consultancy.
• Demonstrated experience in working on similar portfolio of projects with NGOs or governmental stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in organizational development with civil society actors.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Arabic and English.
• Experience in drafting reports.
• Strong facilitation skills.
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to work well in a team setting.
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Excellent computer skills including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

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The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.