Company Profile

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy, and WASH to local contexts. SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organisation that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

SNV has worked in Ghana since the 1992 and currently has offices in Accra, Tamale, and Nandom. 

For more information on SNV, visit our website: www.snv.org

Job Description

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Recruitment of a professional conference management company to launch Inclusive Business Club (IB Club) in Tamale in October 2023

Overview and background of 2SCALE

The 2SCALE program is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems. 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch and other small and medium-sized enterprises - SMEs) and producer organizations (POs) to develop business models and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.

Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:

• Improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP - markets) with nutritious food products.
• Improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains.
• Attract and employ the youth.
• Engage and empower women.

To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains.

2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023. It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising SNV and the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc).

Overview and background to the IB Club

As part of its project activities, 2SCALE Ghana will organize a 1-day conference in Tamale to introduce an Inclusive Business Club. This will be an industry initiative to promote the development of inclusive agribusinesses in Ghana.

The program seeks to create a network of agribusinesses that are committed to running inclusive businesses. The 2SCALE Ghana team will be partnering with a public research institution to lead the propagation of inclusivity among agribusinesses in Ghana.

The objective of the launch is to introduce the concept of inclusive business and the benefits associated with it to the agribusiness community in Ghana.

It is expected that the launch will lead to the following results:

• Contribute to the policy environment needed for inclusive business in Ghana through providing a space for sharing and exchanging experiences and research results between stakeholders and policy makers. 
• Share and exchange experiences on the benefits of inclusive business.
• Provide networking opportunities and exchange of ideas among agribusinesses, thus promoting innovation.

Key Conference Activities

• Plenary session on the concept of inclusive agribusiness organised in the form of presentations and led by various speakers.
• Discussion panels covering the benefits and challenges of running inclusive businesses. They will be facilitated by resource persons and professionals from the private sector (agribusiness companies, financial institutions, etc.) and the public sector.
• Focused networking opportunities
• Expo and exhibitions showcasing products of inclusive agribusinesses.
• Media engagement – Pre, during and post the conference. 

Conference Participants

The launch will bring together agribusinesses, government agencies, research institutions, and other like-minded institutions in the agribusiness eco-system in Ghana.

Conference duration

The IB Club launch will be a one-day conference, scheduled to take place this October 2023 in Tamale, Ghana. There will be planning period in addition to the actual event day. This will a maximum of five days.

Purpose of the assignment

The 2SCALE program needs the services of an conference manager or firm with proven experience in organising national conferences. The successful conference manager or firm will coordinate the planning and logistics for the conference and publicity activities before, during and after the conference as specified under scope of work below, in close collaboration with the 2SCALE Ghana organising committee.

Scope of work

The successful conference manager or firm will be responsible for all planning and execution of activities. Working closely with the 2SCALE organising committee, the conference manager will review the conference concept note and make recommendations on the proposed format and implementation of the conference.

The conference manager or firm shall undertake the following tasks:

Pre-conference management activities

Preparatory activities

1. Participate in kick-off meeting with SNV and the 2SCALE organising committee.
2. Review of conference concept note.
3. Make recommendations on the agenda of the conference.
4. Propose high level speakers and engagement strategy.
5. Develop strategy and workplan with clear timelines, including a media plan.
6. Discuss and agree with the general organising committee regarding the appointment of sub-contractors and service providers.
7. Identifying and liaising with potential partners where necessary

Communication and visibility

1. In close collaboration with SNV marketing and comms teams/committee for the conference
2. Liaise with the relevant media outlets to promote visibility of the conference (locally and internationally). Recommended media channels include social media, radio announcements, radio interviews and web banners.
3. Ensure that all media channels used are relevant to the conference target audience and appropriate to the specific activities being undertaken.
4. Design of publicity materials (e-flyers, social media posts, radio announcements, media info packs, videos etc)
5. Liaise with 2SCALE Ghana organizing committee to ensure 2SCALE, SNV, and other key stakeholders branding guidelines are applied to all visibility materials.

Participant management

1. Establish the list of target participants with the 2SCALE Ghana organising committee.
2. Develop and manage the registration process for all participants.
3. Send out invitations with the approved programme details to all confirmed participants, including conference Master of Ceremony, moderators/facilitators, speakers, and panel members.
4. Follow up on invitations with reminders and manage any enquiries in liaison with designate SNV team.
5. Ensure that all resource persons who will serve as keynote speakers, panel members and facilitators/moderators have all the relevant information and are well briefed for their roles prior to the conference.

Logistical arrangements

1. Ensure that venue to be used for the conference is appropriately set up on time.
2. Ensure that all technology support systems are secured and adequately tested prior to the conference.  
3. Ensure that all presentations from speakers are submitted on time and readily available for sharing.    
4. Ensure that the right technical set up is used to manage the conference.
5. Coordinate the media coverage for the conference.
6. Coordinate conference and/or exhibition arrangements including refreshments for participants.

Conference management activities

1. Ensure a seamless execution of the conference.
2. Ensure that all speakers, presenters, panel members, moderators/facilitators are available on time for the conference.   
3. Ensure that all IT equipment, audio-visuals/sound systems, internet connections and power backups are secured and tested each day.
4. Ensure that all presentations, audio visuals etc are submitted on time and tested prior to the conference.

Post-conference management activities

1. Ensure that thank you and appreciation messages are sent to all participants.
2. Administer feedback questionnaire and solicit for suggestions for improvements on future conferences.
3. Document media coverage of the conference if any.
4. Compile post-conference report detailing the number and type of participants, what worked well and what did not, a summary of the feedback received from participants, recommendations for future conferences.
5. Hold a debrief meeting with the 2SCALE Ghana organising committee.

Logistics requirements

• Manage venue set up for 100 participants.
• Venue set up for exhibition space for 5 to 10 SMEs.
• Riser, stage and accessories
• Backdrop for stage
• Rental of tables for lunch, exhibition, food stations
• Electronic registration for participants
• Photography/ Videography
• Comfort monitor
• Ushers

Timeline 

The assignment will begin from 10^th October 2023 and end on 20^th October 2023.  This includes the planning and actual event date.

Deliverables

The following deliverables are expected from the conference manager:

• A programme outline and plan for the conference.
• Support the organising committee in scouting and selection of moderators, speakers, panellist, etc for the conference.
• A detailed media plan for increased visibility before, during and after the conference.
• Coordinate conference activities to ensure a smooth implementation.
• A post conference report detailing the number and type of participants, what worked well and what did not, a summary of the feedback received from participants, recommendations for future conferences. 

Required Skills or Experience

The conference manager or firm must have

• A proven experience of managing conferences and summits for both online and in-person conferences (or blended).
• Experience in working with various media houses in Ghana. An established relationship with these media houses will be a plus.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in managing corporate conferences including planning and coordination, as well as publicity and communications