Visibility and Communication Consultant

1. ABOUT ACTED

ACTED in an international NGO that has been registered in Leba­non since 2006. It has an established country office in Beirut as well as a field office in Akkar. More recently, it has been carrying out activities in the South and in Tripoli. ACTED works closely with local authorities and civil society stakeholders at the com­munity level to implement priori­ty humanitarian interventions such as emergency multi-purpose cash assis­tance, WASH projects (including disease monitoring and infrastructural and be­havioral response), and shelter interven­tions incorporating multiple modalities. ACTED is also implementing long-term development projects to rehabilitate infrastructure, improv­e agricultural production, increase livelihood opportunities and support state and non-state ac­tors to improve service deliv­ery and social stability through col­lective development planning.

ACTED responds to emergency and develop­ment needs through a community driven approach which focuses on engagement and capacity building of local civil soci­ety and local authorities, with the aim of promoting accountable governance and civic engagement. Moreover, ACTED in Lebanon seeks to support private sector actors to become the key driv­ers in Lebanon’s economic development with the goal of raising the living standards of Lebanese and refugee households, and improving the coping capacity of local communities.

The consultant is expected to start mid- January 2022 and consultancy to end April 2022 for a specific number of days during this period.

2. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The overall objective of this action is to support vulnerable Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugees in 4 villages : Kfar Habou, Akroum, Syr el Donniyeh, and Bebnine in Akkar and North-Lebanon governorates through promoting social and solidarity income-generating initiatives in agriculture and agro-food sectors. Over a duration of  18 months (started early 2020), the following is/will be covered a) identifying social and economic priorities in the agriculture and agro-food sectors, and conducting a mapping of active actors willing to engage collaboratively in social and solidarity income-generating projects; and b) setting up a local governance structure (Steering Committees - SC) that ensures proper implementation of these initiatives, through training and coaching c) building the capacities of the local governance structures in   the multi-stakeholder engagement.

3. OBJECTIVE & EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

ACTED is looking for an experienced communications and visibility consultant to support the local steering committees (SC) in designing and implementing visibility materials for each target village and preparing a set of communications guidelines for SCs. The below communications materials will be developed by the SC members and the consultant to disseminate information to the relevant stakeholders, community members, and general public on the work and role of the steering committees and their involvement with the different initiatives.

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

• Develop 4 factsheets (1 per village), geared towards community members. These factsheets will introduce the SCs to the local community, highlighting their work, briefly introducing the projects, and emphasizing the SC’s role in the governance of these initiatives and their engagement with the community.
• Develop 4 short 2-3 minutes storyboard videos (1 per village) presenting the SCs, their work and role, and the role they played in the success of the projects. Review the final drafts of the developed videos before disseminating.
• Hold meetings with the SCs as necessary to produce the factsheets and the outlines of the videos.
• Produce a set of communications and visibility guidelines which can be used by SCs in the future, further ensuring the sustainability of these committees.

4. Deliverables :

1. Develop 4 factsheets (1 per village) by end of January and Mid February 2022
2. Develop 4 short ; 2-3 minutes, story board videos (1 per village) by March 2022
3. Develop set of communication and visibility guidelines based on the meetings and discussions with SCs by end of March and Mid April 2022
4. Submit a final report of the work conducted by April 2022

5. qualifications

The consultant(s) or consulting firm is expected to have the following skills:

• Master’s degree in social sciences, journalism, communications/media studies, or any other relevant field
• Minimum 5 years of experience of working as communication consultant and capacity building consultant with organizations in Lebanon
• Experience working in North Lebanon and Akkar
• Professional knowledge of humanitarian and protection principles
• Communications management, including internal communications and communicating with communities
• Fluency in English and Arabic, both written and verbal