FSF Capacity building plan

Background

Solidarités International (SI) is a humanitarian
organization committed to providing aid to communities affected by crises, with
a focus on water, sanitation, hygiene, food security, and shelter. In Lebanon,
SI works to address the needs of vulnerable populations, including refugees and
host communities, with a particular emphasis on emergency response, shelter
rehabilitation, and accountability to affected populations.

Farah Social Foundation (FSF) Since 2019, FSF has
established itself as a reliable emergency responder in Lebanon, focusing on
providing essential services in areas such as Food Security (hot meals and
RTEs), Basic Assistance (hygiene kits, mattresses, pillows, and blankets) and
Shelter. FSF has been actively involved in supporting vulnerable populations,
particularly in Mount Lebanon (Aley, Chouf, Baabda), Bekaa (West and Central
Bekaa), and Beirut. Currently, FSF has a dedicated team of 24 employees working
across the three regions to ensure efficient and impactful response efforts.

Context

FSF and SI have been collaborating for the past
year delivering complementary humanitarian assistance to affected population.
As part of this initiative and a project funded by LHF, SI and FSF seek to
engage a consultant to assess the current capacities and practices of the Farah
Social Foundation in Human Resources, finance management and logistics. It aims
to ser measurable baselines and develop a tailored capacity building plan to
address identified gaps.

The detailed capacities assessment conducted by
SI for FSF in June 2023 highlighted weaknesses in HR, procurement and finance
policies. These findings align with the needs identified by SI during
one-to-one coaching sessions implemented as part of a risk mitigation plan
under a previous LHF-funded project focused on ensuring compliance of the
sub-partner with international best practices, donor regulations, and local
protocols. In response, SI will develop, jointly with FSF, a tailored capacity building
plan aimed at enhancing HR, finance and procurement policies. The plan, including
realistic and clear objectives, will take into account existing tools,
policies, and procedures relevant to the exercise. The capacity-building plan,
informed by a baseline assessment, will be supported by the implementation of
quarterly training and on-the-job coaching sessions, including interactive
workshops, practical exercises, and peer-to-peer learning to ensure
comprehensive skill development, alongside the sharing of tools and materials
and support in developing tailored policies and procedures that fit FSF’s
organizational context.

The objectives of the consultancy

1. 
   Assess the current
   capacity of the local NGO in the areas of HR, finance, and logistics.
2. 
   Identify gaps,
   challenges, and opportunities within these operational areas.
3. 
   Establish clear and
   measurable baseline indicators for each area.
4. 
   Develop a
   comprehensive capacity-building plan with prioritized recommendations and
   actionable steps.

The Scope of work of the consultant

The consultant will be responsible for

1. Inception Phase
   • Conducting an initial meeting with key stakeholders to clarify
     objectives and expectations.
   • Reviewing existing documents, policies, and processes related to
     HR, finance, and logistics.
2. Assessment
   • Conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys with relevant
     staff and stakeholders.
   • Analyzing existing systems, policies, and practices in HR,
     finance, and logistics.
   • Mapping current capacities and identifying gaps and risks.
3. Baseline Setting
   • Developing a framework to measure current capacities in HR,
     finance, and logistics.
   • Establishing baseline indicators to track progress over time.
4. Capacity-Building Plan
   • Developing a tailored capacity-building plan with specific goals,
     timelines, and resource requirements.
   • Providing actionable recommendations and strategies for
     implementation.
   • A minimum of 5 capacity building sessions.
5. Validation and Final Reporting
   • Presenting draft findings and the proposed capacity-building plan
     to key stakeholders for feedback.
   • Finalizing the report incorporating stakeholder inputs.Bottom of Form

Timeline

The consultancy is expected to take place over, with the following key
milestones:

• 
  Inception report: April
  2025
• 
  Assessment
  completion: April 2025
• 
  Draft
  capacity-building plan: May 2025
• 
  Capacity building
  plan: From May to July 2025
• 
  Final report and
  presentation: July 2025

Expected Deliverables

1. 
   An inception report
   outlining the methodology, work plan, and timeline.
2. 
   A comprehensive
   assessment report, including baseline indicators, SWOT analysis and gap
   analysis.
3. 
   A tailored
   capacity-building plan with prioritized recommendations.
4. 
   A final presentation
   to stakeholders summarizing findings and the proposed plan.

Qualification and Experience

The
ideal consultant should possess:

1. Proven expertise
   in organizational capacity assessment and development.
2. Experience in
   working with NGOs, particularly in HR, finance, and logistics.
3. Strong
   analytical and facilitation skills.
4. Excellent communication
   and report-writing skills.
5. Familiarity with
   the local context and challenges faced by NGOs in the region.
6. Fluency in
   English and Arabic