Strategy Development Consultant (Re-advertised)

The consultant will support SCNP in reviewing and evaluating its current roles within the landscape of civil society networks and coordination bodies and develop a short-term strategy with different scenarios for the way forward.

BACKGROUND:

IMPACT – Civil Society Research and Development e.V. , founded in Berlin in 2013, is a non-profit civil society organization with offices in Iraq, Turkey and Syria. Civil society support is the core of IMPACT’s mission through long-term and balanced support to individuals and organizations in the conflict and developed countries. IMPACT main areas of intervention are capacity building, research, peace building and diaspora engagement.

SCNP is a platform that was established late 2017 and aims to bring together rights-based Syrian diaspora and civil society networks and coalitions from a range of host countries. It serves as a cross-country, cross sector, and cross network coordination platform. SCNP’s network comprises over 127 organizations and stretches across the globe, members from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, the UK and the US.

SCNP acts as a space for coordination, prioritization, joint advocacy, and consensus-building by

1) Empowering the exchange and leveraging of resources among Syrian civil society networks across geographical areas and sectors “Information Sharing”.

2)Enhancing Syrian civil society networks’ access and capacity to jointly engage with policymakers’ “Advocacy”.

3) Building members’ capacity to by improving the joint learning process and encouraging resource and practice sharing “Knowledge & Resource Building” And act synergistically to translate its collective knowledge into briefs and advocacy messages.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

At the end of 2022, SCNP conducted research on the role of civil society networks in humanitarian aid, justice and accountability, refugee rights, and countering regime narratives. The research explored methods to pool resources and overcome funding challenges. Two years later, these challenges have become more severe. The evolving political dynamics in Syria and the host countries where these networks operate create an environment that necessitates a role beyond mere coordination and information exchange among organizations which require new strategies for resource pooling and effective operation within a context of shrinking resources.

The overall objective of this consultation is to update the SCNP strategy for the coming two years, considering the new contextual challenges, thematic priorities, and the status of SCNP members. The consultant will work closely with the SCNP coordinator to design, develop, and facilitate a participatory strategic planning process, ensuring a well-informed, integrated, and anchored strategic plan.

SCOPE OF WORK

The assignment will require ten working days of consultancy within a three-month period of the project. During this time, the consultant will:

1. Document Review and Analysis:
   • Review relevant documents to understand the nature of SCNP’s work, challenges, and gaps.
2. Stakeholder Engagement:
   • Meet with SCNP members in person during the SCNP quarterly meeting.
   • Structure and facilitate a session to discuss and agree on the way forward, which helps him/her better understand the work, backgrounds, status of SCNP and its members. In addition to better realizing the contextual challenges, especially regarding coordination bodies and diaspora networks.
3. Strategic Plan Development:
   • Develop a strategic plan, including clear goals, objectives, and actionable strategies.
   • Provide recommendations and starting action steps for the implementation of the strategic plan.

The consultation aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. Review and assess the current strategic plan, including achievements, challenges, and gaps, with input from SCNP members and a few stakeholders.
2. Gather insights and inputs for the updated strategy through structured sessions with SCNP members to discuss the current and future role of SCNP and diaspora forms, and their theories of change.
3. Develop a comprehensive and actionable strategic plan for the next two years, including clear recommendations and initial action steps for implementation.

METHODOLOGY:

Even there will be a quiet space for creativity in this consultancy, but there should be basic standards for the methodology. The consultants are welcomed to share their points of view on methodology in their technical offer.

• Inception Phase: leads to establish the foundation for the process, that will include meeting with SCNP staff, review of relevant documents, agree on the general process and coordinate the work plan
• Assessment Phase: Evaluating the current strategic plan and gathering SCNP staff and members insights.
• Strategic Planning Phase: Develop a draft strategic plan.
• Validation Phase: Circulate the draft plan for review and gather feedback, then integrate that feedback and finalize the document, including implementation steps.

KEY DELIVERABLES:

Following deliverables are expected from the service provider:

• Inception Phase: An inception report detailing the methodology, work plan, and timeline (2-3 pages)
• Assessment Phase: Detailed description on the session with SCNP members (2-3 pages)
• Strategic Planning Phase: A draft updated strategic plan for review and feedback.
• Validation Phase: A final strategic plan document, including implementation steps (15 pages max)
• Assessment Phase: Detailed description on the session with SCNP members (2-3 pages)
• Strategic Planning Phase: A draft updated strategic plan for review and feedback.
• Validation Phase: A final strategic plan document, including implementation steps (15 pages max).

LOCATION:

The tasks of this consultation will be online. However, consultants might be required to travel to Europe to attend in person meetings (Travel expenses will not be covered under this contract and will be processed in a separate transaction)

TIMEFRAME:

This is a short-term assignment for both individual consultants, and institutes for a period of 10 working days in a timeframe of three months. Tentatively this assignment will start in September 2024 (It will be rescheduled if necessary)

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The consultant or their representative person will:

1. Sign with IMPACT a consultancy agreement
2. Discuss and agree with IMPACT/SCNP on the final deliverable.
3. Design an appropriate process of the consultancy leading to the desired results.
4. Propose on the most appropriate methodology for effective delivery of the assignment.
5. Submit the final SCNP strategic plan based on the objectives of this ToR.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES:

• University Degree: A degree in humanitarian/development studies or a related field.
• Professional Experience:

1. At least five years of experience working with civil society in the MENA region, with experience working on Syria being an added advantage.
2. Seven years of professional experience in strategic planning, organizational development, and civil society contexts.
3. Proven experience in developing comprehensive strategic plans for civil society organizations or coordination platforms.

• Participatory Processes: High expertise in designing and facilitating participatory processes and workshops.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills to assess current strategic plans, identify gaps, and synthesize complex information.
• Problem-Solving: Creative problem-solving skills to develop innovative strategies and solutions.
• Language Proficiency: Proficiency in English and Arabic is preferred to ensure effective communication with all stakeholders.
• Contextual Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of the Syrian political, social, and humanitarian context. Familiarity with the roles and challenges of civil society networks, especially in conflict or post-conflict settings.
• Professionalism: Demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and collaboratively with multiple partners.

Language:

The language of this consultancy including all deliverables is English. Communication can be done in English or Arabic.

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL:

The technical proposal should include but not limited to the following information:

• A brief outline of recent related experience in carrying out assignments of similar nature (Max.2 pages)
• Detailed description of how the consultant/firm understands and will respond to the ToR including time frame.
• Curriculum Vitae of consultants.
• The consultant methods to provide this consultancy.
• The consultant might be asked to share “Client references” for conducting similar assignments.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL:

The financial proposal must contain overall quotation in Euro for all the services to be provided and must follows the following:

• Summary of the total costs for the services proposed.
• Any taxes applicable.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

100% of the payment will be released to the consultant/service provider after completing the work.