Duration of the contract and timeline: 01 August 2022 to 30 October 2022 (This assignment is for 30-person days over a period of 3 months)
Deadline for applications: 24 July 2022, 5pm (America/New York)
Background
The purpose of the consultancy is to support the ongoing development of the Regional Youth Forum (RYF) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) through the development of a regional strategic action plan, and a plan to operationalise the secretariat function of the RYF.
The UNFPA, together with UNDP, UN Women, and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, is jointly implementing an EU-funded Programme in support of ICGLR with the overall objective to promote ongoing peacebuilding and consolidation efforts in the African Great Lakes Region.
The three overall outcomes of the project are:
Outcome 1: The ICGLR Peace and Security Programme is strengthened.
Outcome 2: Control of the exploitation of selected mineral resources (tungsten, tin, tantalum, and gold) is enhanced.
Outcome 3: The provisions of the Protocol on Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence Against Women and Children are effectively applied in the Great Lakes Region.
UNFPA is responsible for activities under Outcome 1, i.e. “A1.5 Support for the participation of the ICGLR Fora (multifunctional regional Women Forum, Women Forum, Civil Society Forum and Private Sector Forum) in the ICGLR consultative process”. This consultancy is part of the activities planned in support of strengthening activities of the RWF.
The Regional Youth Forum (RYF) is a constituent programme of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The First Meeting of the General Assembly of the RYF that took place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from 10 - 12 May 2010 that reiterated the call of the Heads of States and Governments to support and promote the youth of the Region as the main actors in developing the ownership and growth and of their own empowerment agenda.
The ACCORD of the RYF provides the framework for the functioning of the forum and the revised version was adopted on the 27 th April 2018 by all twelve (12) signatory countries of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (RYF-F); Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
RYF Main Objectives:
- To provide for a platform for exchange of experiences and good practices, establish lasting alliances for dialogue and consultation, develop advocacy strategies and a culture of tolerance and peace at the regional level;
- To promote the role of the youth in peace, security, and development processes, including access to information and participation in good governance and democratic processes at the national and regional level;
- To advocate for the participation of the youth in the elaboration of development and job creation policies to ensure that youth priorities and concerns are addressed;
- To promote dialogue between youths and decision makers;
- To reinforce the capacities of youth organizations of the Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in coordinating, networking, and educating the population on their role in the promotion of peace, human and women rights, rule of Law, democracy, and good governance in the Great Lakes Region.
For the RYF to continue discharging its mandates effectively, there is a need to review the strategic direction of the RYF to ensure that it retains its relevance in its spheres of influence, of key importance, is harmonization and aligning its roles, mandates and activities with the national fora in the region. In addition, a key requirement identified for the effective operation of the RYF is to establish a functioning Secretariat that can ensure that the day-day activities of the RYF are carried out.
Supervision Arrangements:
This consultancy assignment will be supervised jointly by UNFPA ESARO, the ICGLR Secretariat (Dir: Democracy and Good Governance), and the RYF Bureau. The day-day monitoring and guidance will be provided by the UNFPA ESARO Regional Program Specialist - Adolescent and Women, together with the UNFPA-appointed International Consultant appointed to implement Outcome A1.5 of the EUUN programme.
Monitoring and progress control:
Weekly update and review of progress against KPIs set in Inception Report.
Report of strategic planning workshop to be submitted within 1-week of the workshop including outcomes and key decisions made (if applicable).
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:
The initial Inception Report to be submitted 10 days after appointment, including methodology and detailed plan of work. A draft 3-year strategic plan (2023-25) and action plan outline (2023) should be submitted by 15 September 2022. The final 3-year strategic plan and action plan outline should be submitted by 15 October 2022. A draft plan to operationalise the Secretariat functions, with 2-year budget, should be submitted by 31 st September 2022. The final plan to operationalise the Secretariat functions should be submitted by 30 th October 2022.
Expected travel:
This consultancy will be home-based, with possible trip to region to facilitate strategic planning workshop.
General Objectives
The overall objective is to develop a three-year Regional Strategic Plan that aligns and harmonizes RYF strategic direction with the objectives and activities of the ICGLR, Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) in the Great Lakes, National Youth Fora and other Youth-led organizations in the Great Lakes region, and to develop a realistic and affordable plan of action to establish and operate the Secretariat of the RYF for a period of 2 years from establishment. The organisational structure and functions need to be aligned with the activities of the proposed Regional Strategy and Action Plan.
Scope of Consultancy:
The scope is the development of a new strategic framework for RYF that will take into account the Forum’s current internal and external operating environment to enhance effectiveness and sustainability in the area of programming, policy, and advocacy in the Great Lakes Region. It is expected that the strategic framework, will build on RYF’s previous achievements and take into consideration its current operating environment.
The plan will clearly define:
RYF’s Vision, Mission, strategic areas, and objectives; including priority focus areas for the strategic period.
RYF’s situational context, through a SWOT, PEST, and other relevant analysis.
RYF’s Sustainability plan; including proposals for effective financial and human resource strategies.
RYF’s stakeholder map and identify relevant strategies to engage them to advance the organization’s stated objectives.
RYF’s functional organizational and leadership structure.
Monitoring and reporting framework to enable effective tracking of the strategic plan.
Risk analysis and management approach.
Costing of the strategic plan.
The Strategic plan development will be a participatory process that will encompass the following activities:
A review of internal documents and benchmark with similar institutions and organizations
Consultations between RYF’s Executive Committee, staff, selected partners, and stakeholders to review the current operational environment and set priorities for the strategic plan.
Holding a strategic planning workshop with staff, Executive Committee members, and selected stakeholders to generate proposals and inputs that will feed into the draft Strategic plan.
Developing a draft 3-year Regional Strategic Plan.
Draft and outline and suggestions for a 1-year Regional Action Plan based on the Regional Strategy
The scope is the development of a plan to establish and operate the Secretariat of the RYF for a period of 2 years. The plan will take into account the Host Government Agreement signed by the Kenyan Government in early 2022 and will also relate to the proposed activities and outcomes of the draft Strategic and Action Plans developed in 2.1 of this TOR.
The plan will clearly define:
The key functions and areas of responsibility of the Secretariat.
Key performance indicators (outputs) of the Secretariat (quarterly deliverables)
Resources required to carry out its key functions and achieve proposed deliverables
Optimum and efficient organigram of the Secretariat
Draft Job Descriptions of the main functionaries of the Secretariat
Budget that includes set-up costs and a 2-Year operational budget
Key Deliverables
Inception Report
Regional Strategic Plan (2023-25)
Regional Action Plan (2023)
Operational Plan for the Establishment of RYF Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya (incl. 2-year budget)
Qualifications and Experience needed
Education
A minimum of a postgraduate qualification in the field of Organizational Management, Strategic Planning, Peacebuilding, or a related field.
Experience
Essential:
A minimum of a postgraduate qualification in the field of Organizational Management, Strategic Planning, Peacebuilding, or a related field;
A minimum of 5 years of experience in strategic planning and/or organisational development;
A working knowledge of unique challenges faced by youth in the Great Lakes region, including factors leading to youth vulnerability to extremism and capacities for peace;
A good understanding of the regional operational environment for youth-focussed and youth-led organizations working in the fields of peace and security, and who are the key youth-focussed and youth-led organizations and stakeholders in the Great Lakes region;
Excellent inter-personal and facilitation skills;
Exceptional ability to communication (oral and writing) in English;
Highly motivated and committed to values of Professionalism, Accountability, Confidentiality,
Integrity, and Teamwork.
Desirable:
Experience in organizational development/strengthening
Experience in organizational management/support, e.g., through secretariat functions
Experience from international development context/s
Experience from youth, organizations, the private sector, the UN-system, regional economic communities or government
Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese (oral and writing)
How to apply:
Interested applicants should send an expression of interest (EOI) highlighting relevant experience in delivering similar work with relevant links, a detailed CV with the subject clearly stated, "ICGLR Regional Youth Strategy Development Consultancy"; to jobs.esaro@unfpa.org , an example of a recent similar work conducted. CV should include at least three (3) current referees. UNFPA will only respond to those applicants who meet the criteria and in whom we have further interest.
Disclaimer
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing, or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters, or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity, and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.
