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Consultant (Terms of Reference, Feasibility study for the proposed Ghana as an influencing Hub)

JOB SUMMARY

Company Oxfam
Industry NGO/IGO/INGO
Category Consulting
Location Accra
Job Status Contractor/Co...
Salary GH¢ 
Education Qualified
Experience N/A
Job Expires Feb 28, 2020
Contact ...
 

Company Profile

Oxfam is a rights-based global development organization with more than 70 years of experience in more than 90 countries worldwide. Oxfam’s mission is to end the injustice of poverty and inequality through systemic change and the advancement of political, economic and social rights. Oxfam has been working in Ghana since 1986, managing programs related to food security and livelihoods, universal access to education and healthcare and transparency and accountability in extractive industries (mining, oil and gas).

Oxfam’s experience in Ghana and strong partnerships with government institutions, Ghanaian civil society organizations and NGOs supports the delivery of active and innovative programs and advocacy work seeking to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaians and strengthen citizen accountability. Oxfam in Ghana currently works in 11 out of Ghana’s 16 administrative regions.

Job Description

Terms of Reference, Feasibility study for the proposed Ghana as an influencing Hub
 
In October 2018 the Oxfam International (OI) Executive Board (EB) approved overall proposals for the Oxfam country map review and future business/presence models at country and regional level. This included a decision to phase out of a number of countries as well as proposals for new models of working for regions and countries.
 
Ghana among two other West African countries (Senegal and Nigeria) were designated to rethink and transform their country operating models into Influencing Hubs by reducing Oxfam program footprint, focusing more on influencing and working more in urban settings.
As part of the process, A New Organizational Model (NORM) taskforce was established in Ghana with membership at country and Regional level with the sole responsibility to develop and lead the implementation of the new organizational model in Ghana.
 
A major role for this taskforce is to articulate a theory of change for the new model, determining what success will look like and provide a cost-benefits analysis of shifting the country programme from the current model to the proposed new model for Regional Governance Group approval.
 
This study is therefore being requested as the EB approval was subject to completion of a detailed feasibility study that will robustly interrogate the assumptions underlying the model propositions.
 
Objectives of the Feasibility Study
The main objective of the study is to assess the viability of the influencing hub proposal (based on internal documents from Oxfam) through a careful look at costs, risks and opportunities involved based on that to support in the articulation of a theory of change for the envisioned influencing model in Ghana. This feasibility study will provide input for RGG among other inputs as basis for a clear recommendation by the Regional Governance Group (RGG) on how to proceed with the model in Ghana.
 
Specifically, the study will
  • Assess the assumptions made on the operationality of Ghana as an influencing Hub model based on the Ghana Road Map (see Annex 1)
  • Answer the key areas/questions that require further interrogation for the smooth operationalization of the model. These are divided into the following six components:
  1. Purpose/ Programming for Influencing
  2. Platforms and Partnerships
  3. People and Organizational Culture
  4. Processes/Systems and Control Issues
  5. Financing and /Funding Feasibility
  6. Risk and sensitivity Analysis
 
Key Questions
  1. Purpose/Programming for Influencing
    • What is the fit of the proposed Hub approach in Ghana to programming to the broader Oxfam 2020 ambition?
    • What external contextual factors and drivers of change are important to the success of this proposal?
    • Under what economic and political conditions does influencing program succeed?
    • What conditions need to be present for the approach of leveraging global or regional policy advocacy to support national policy reform campaigning to be effective?
    • What are the key considerations for shifting from the current country model into a transformed model
    • What potential changes in the external environment might stress this model? And what would need to be in place to ensure that the model can absorb shocks and stresses in the operating context?
    • Does the new model support the positioning of Oxfam in Ghana in Local Humanitarian Leadership – considering the low humanitarian history in Ghana and relatively high current events in the West Africa Region (WAF)?
    • What is the Impact and Influencing benefits of the new model/operational load benefits?
    • How competitive will this model be compared to other agencies with a similar vision/ ambition?
    • What is the value proposition of Oxfam in Ghana as an influencing hub, related to Nigeria, Senegal and WAF?
    • How do we systematize knowledge and evidence-based approach within the current approach to be able to propose an agenda for change, transform the prevailing narrative that obscures the drivers and blockers that perpetuate injustice, inequality and poverty, or just puts the spotlight on other issues?
  2. Platforms and Partnerships 
    • Is there scope to develop more innovative partnerships and how do we work with current and new platforms as an integral part of the model?
    • Is there existing partnership practice within Ghana and beyond that we can learn from and scale up from within the country programme to cascade into the new normal?
    • What potential actors in Ghana and beyond that Oxfam could engage with to support its transformation to becoming an Influencing Hub?
    • What is the feasibility of partnerships with unusual suspects (Private sector, Research and Think tanks, social movements, regional institutes, bilateral and multilateral agencies)
    • What changes would be needed to ways of working with Executing Affiliates/Partner Affiliates to achieve enhanced efficiencies with the proposed model regarding partnerships?
    • What platforms exists internally and externally within Oxfam, that the new hub could capitalize on to leverage impact at scale/ What platforms and partnerships to sustain/build on/take forward
    • What investment will be required from Oxfam to support capacity development for partners/Platforms in the context of the proposed model?
    • What type/level of capacity will our partners require to be able to operate effectively within this model and the wider confederation?
    • What potential do we have to enhance the influencing capacities of those individuals and groups that seek to change current conditions, as well as those of other civil society groups that also work with and support them?
    • How can we secure legitimacy through partnerships as well as strengthening the leadership of the people we work for as main agents of change?
    • What does this mean for the role and relevance of affiliates as EAs/PAs?
    • What type of partnerships and platforms are important for the success of this proposal?
    • What conditions need to be present for the kind of partnership approach that is transformative and can leverage transformative change?
    • What new emerging growth areas -- into the future -- do we see, given the proposal? Who will we work with and why?
    • What parts of and approaches to partnership are not aligned with the influencing hub proposal, or need to stop to create space for agility?
    • How can we responsibly transition this partnership, supporting key partners and learning? How much time and budget do we need to allocate to exit well?
  3. People and Organizational Culture
    • What kinds of people (including core capabilities, mindset, behaviors, skills and competencies do we need for the influencing hub.
    • How can we responsibly transition people and culture, and support learning?
    • How do we achieve more competitive and attractive packages for skilled and competent staff?
    • How can this be achieved given the existing HR parameters that apply in Oxfam?
    • Within the existing Oxfam Reward policy, what opportunities are there to be able to retain and attract the right people with programme management, representative and thematic expertise for the model?
    • What kinds of Oxfam organizational culture could be harnessed to support in the process?
    • What existing capacity/capability, structure, culture and competencies of Oxfam in Ghana need to be created/changed?
    • What capacities and profile of staff will be required to engage at policy level, to convene actors and build alliances, to broker and connect roles across stakeholders and through different layers (local, national, regional, global)?
  4. Processes- Systems and Control
    • How does the envisaged Model fit into the current architecture, systems, and ways of working within Oxfam?
    • What flexibility is there to adjust the model to accommodate the existing ways of working?
    • How does this align to the Confederation Development agenda (e.g. beyond affiliates)?
    • How do we effectively manage external and internal demands, with leaner structures?
    • Would the model be flexible enough to allow programme adaptation and modifications to ensure effective delivery?
    • What existing systems and processes within Oxfam in Ghana and Oxfam broadly will need to be created/changed to support the model better?
    • What key dependencies or changes that need to happen in relation to partner affiliates and OI level change plans to make the system work?
    • What type of business services and system are important for the success of this proposal?
    • What conditions need to be present for the kind of processes that are transformative and can leverage transformative change?
    • What processes in the Oxfam system needs to be sustained/built on /take forward?
    • What parts of and approaches to business service and systems are not aligned with the influencing hub proposal, or need to stop to create space for agility?
  5. Financing and funding feasibility.
    • What are the potentials and limitations for finding institutional funding for influencing programmes in Ghana and beyond?
    • Identify financial implications -including and cost reductions (or increases) for OI, PAs and/or EA.
    • How much time and budget do we need to allocate to exit and transition well?
    • Compare the costs against forecast benefits, include analysis of likely shifts to income/revenue
    • Provide evidence of affordability (all costs considered)
    • Analysis of current revenue/income streams vs. the costing of future model
    • Analysis of impact on indirect costs (Increases or decreases) incurred by Executing Affiliates (EAs) and Partner Affiliates (PAs) – for functions that would be materially impacted by new model.
    • What type of funding models might be needed for the effective implementation of this model, in addition to the traditional sources?
    • What needs to be in place to ensure quality programme delivery, grant management and compliance?
    • What is the transitional cost (costing the investment required to build capability and systems and costing of change management and change costs
    • What other factors needs to be considered to assure donor confidence?
  6. Risk and Sensitivity AnalysisWhat are the potential costs, risks and opportunities to consider under this proposal?
  • What needs to be in place to ensure same programming effective risk management (including safeguarding)?
  • Risk/Sensitivity Analysis and identify potential alternative futures – and identify if the model is adaptive to these potential futures.
  • What is the cost-benefit and risk analysis of shifting the program from the current model to proposed influencing hub model?
  • Measure impact of risks on model assumptions and likelihood for success.
  • How can the model be future proof in light of the rapidly changing growing economies in the global south, Brexit (consider local to global)?
  • Identifying possible showstoppers (from outside and Oxfam side) that can derail or end the process.
Main tasks
  • Carry out a desk review of all Oxfam’s key documents relating to the ‘Programme Hub’
  • Model and clarify with Oxfam internal and external stakeholders the expected outcomes of the Study.
  • Develop a detailed work package outlining how the study will be carried out (Inception Report)
  • Undertake the study, covering the six components identified above for further review by Oxfam.
  • During the contract period, conduct coordination meetings with the clients (Oxfam In Ghana Taskforce and other affiliated groups (Advisory Group and coordinating group):
  • interview and solicit their responses to some of the questions, (b) discuss the progress of the work and preliminary output; (c) provide an opportunity to make comments and suggestions on a timely basis; and (d) resolve challenges and issues that may be encountered.
  • Conduct, at least, one workshop between Oxfam staff and other stakeholders to socialize the outcomes of the Study (workshop should create ‘open’ space for participants to discuss key issues, questions, concerns etc.).
  • Prepare an interim and final report.
Expected Outputs
  • An interim report of a maximum of xx pages summarizing the key findings, reviewable by the Taskforce Force/Advisory Group for initial comments.
  • A final report which is no more than 20 pages (excluding Annexes), with an executive summary including the key findings containing the following:
  • Clear analysis of what works in the current model and what needs to be transformed
  • Clear propositions towards the transformation of the current model.
  • Clear cost/benefit analysis of the new model and expected savings.
  • Clear analysis of the cost of transitioning to the new model
  • Provide an explicit report on funding models for the future
  • A proposed staff structure to support the delivery of the model
  • A clear proposition on critical interdependences in Oxfam on which the success of this model will be based – e.g. shift in EA roles, PA commitment to support, role of WAF, OI)
Time Frame
The Study is planned to start by xxxx February and be completed by xxxx March 2020. The actual Study period should not exceed 30 working days. This includes the preparatory work, desk reviews, implementation and production of the final report. The final report should be ready by 30th March 2020.
 

Activity

Timeline

Preparatory   work   –   including   internal interviews, desk reviews and inception report.

3 days

Carry out core assignment

18 days

Preparation of draft report

3 days

One 3-day consultation workshop or Two 2-day consultation workshops

4 days

Final Report 2 days
Total 30 days
 
Budget
To be confirmed
 
Role of Oxfam
Oxfam (Through the taskforce would provide the necessary documents and facilitate links between the contracted personnel and any key respondents (e.g. Oxfam staff internal/external) government officials, NGOs, development partners, local and regional partners) where this might be necessary. Oxfam will also review key products generated from or to aid the Study (e.g. proposed tools and methodologies and report drafts). The Ghana NORM Taskforce will act as the Project client with the Ghana Country Director acting as the Project Manager and responsible for the project delivery.

Required Skills or Experience

Expected profile of the consultant
The prospective consultant(s) should have an appropriate balance of management and technical skills, knowledge of the Ghanaian/West African context and experience in conducting this type of Study. The consultant(s) must have good communication and strong interpersonal skills.

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