Consultant at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) – Yobe and Borno

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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In response to humanitarian needs resulting from the ongoing conflict in the country’s northeastern states, the IRC currently operates in eight sectors (health, nutrition, WASH, protection/rule of law, child protection, women’s protection and empowerment, education, and economic recovery and development) based out of six field offices in Northeast Nigeria

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Terms of Reference for Conducting Organizational Capacity Assessment

Requisition ID: req20184
Locations: Borno and Yobe
Sector: Health
Employment Type: Part-Time
Employment Category: Consultant
Duration of Assignment: 120 days
Expected Start Date: October 15, 2021

Lafiya-HeRoN Program Overview

• The Lafiya-HeRoN project is a Health consortium partnership of three organizations led by the IRC, with Action Against Hunger (AAH), and Society for Family Health (SFH) the other 2 partners.
• The consortium aims to ensure that crisis-affected communities in Borno and Yobe states have meaningful access to quality primary healthcare and nutrition services in the immediate term, while also contributing to the sustained capacity of health systems strengthening at the LGA level.
• The overall outcome of the HeRoN project is that people, with a particular focus on women, girls, and other marginalized groups are protected from and treated for the main causes of morbidity and mortality.
• To achieve the project outcome, the project theory of change will address three main areas: access and quality, demand and behavior change, and health systems strengthening.

Objectives and Scope

• The overall objective of the consultancy is to conduct an organizational capacity assessment and support the action planning of Borno and Yobe States LGA health authority and State Primary healthcare development agency officials to identify areas for organizational development improvements to contribute to the efforts of health systems resilience in the states that will ultimately lead to improved health outcomes of people of Borno and Yobe States.
• The organizational capacity assessment should provide the basis for defining a capacity-building plan and technical assistance strategy to achieve the expected results.
• The capacity-building plan should clearly define the change process that will lead to improvement in the capacity of government officials to achieve results that contribute to systems resilience. The capacity building planning should include activities to be undertaken, budget, and indicators to measure progress towards results.
• The Capacity building plan should also be realistically formulated to cover a 1-4 months’ timeframe and tailored to available funding sources.

Methodology of the Organizational Capacity Assessment:

• The organizational capacity assessment should be participatory and consultative. The consultant should conduct a needs assessment using a defined methodology developed in partnership with the HeRoN consortium leadership.
• It is expected that the assessment will be built around self-assessment processes as well as broad consultation to help validate, expand, and improve the range of information collected targeting the health systems pillars (e.g., HMIS, HRH), develop self-assessment tools for health systems pillar specific topics to be incorporated as the first step for technical assistance engagement in that area and provide the foundation for further technical assistance.
• The consultant will conduct a participatory Organizational Capacity Assessment and action planning (at health facilities, local government, and state health delivery authorities), support implementation of developed plans, and track the progress of implementation.
• The capacity assessment framework should recognize the multiple dimensions of capacity in relation to each other as well as to the expected results.
• This approach ensures that capacity building should go beyond individual capacity (relevant skills and abilities) to include organizational capacity (governance, structures, processes, budgeting, planning, etc.) as well as the broader context and environment within which the HeRoN program is being implemented.

Context of the Organizational Capacity Assessment:

• The OCA will be conducted in Yobe and Borno states of northeast Nigeria. Yobe and Borno states continue to endure the impact of the protracted crisis, which has significantly contributed to its poor human development and health outcomes indicators.
• The protracted conflict has continued to have a negative impact on the health status of the affected population, with poor health indicators recorded.  

Overall Organization of the Assessment
It is envisaged that this assessment process will be organized as follows:

• Advertisement for Consultants and submission of applications.
• Selection of the consultant.
• The signing of the contract with the Consultant. The contract will include details of the emolument and communication protocol.
• The Consultant would submit a detailed workplan and assessment methodology to the HeRoN Team Leader.
• The HeRoN consortium, the Consultant, and HeRoN implementing partners will agree on the draft workplan and assignment methodology within 2-3 days of submission.
• The Consultant will execute the assignment as per the agreed workplan. Necessary revisions to the plan should be communicated and agreed upon in writing.
• A draft report by the Consultant will be presented to the HeRoN consortium lead and implementing partners or validation and feedback.
• A final OCA and capacity building plan will be presented to the same parties as above
• The Consultant will facilitate a workshop with the stakeholders (health facility staff, LGA, and SPHCDA officials) to develop a multi-year implementation plan from the capacity building plan submitted.

Objectives of the Assessment

• The overall objective of the exercise is that HeRoN program will record sustainable organizational resilience through improvement and scale.
• To this end, the OCA must be accompanied by a well-defined capacity-building plan that will guide the capacity building effort and strategy of the HeRoN consortium and implementing partners.

Key focus areas of the OCA are the health systems pillars (governance and leadership, HMIS, health financing, human resources for health, medical commodities and service delivery) Following:

• An implementation plan should be developed, which should include recommended activities, budget, indicators to measure progress, and suggested sequence of execution.
• Identify opportunities where investment in capacity building will drive organizational change to produce sustainable results.

Results of the Assessment:

• The consultant designs and delivers the OCA report and OCD implementation plan.
• The OCD implementation plan is developed based on findings from the OCA. This plan provides a clear pathway to achieve expected results.

Key Deliverables:

• Comprehensive work plan including a detailed methodology, report format, and revised timeline.
• Co-facilitation and presentation of draft OCA and suggested OCD implementation plan to HeRoN consortium and implementing partners.
• Presentation of the consolidated report which would include findings of the OCA and agreed OCD implementation plan to HeRoN Consortium and implementing partners
• Co-facilitation of a workshop with the HeRoN consortium and implementing partners to develop a multi-year OCD implementation strategy with measurable outcomes.

Scope of Work

• Health Sector context and analysis.
• Assess the drivers and constraints which may explain present performance or be a threat to future capacity growth- include mitigants.
• Assess internal elements of the organization, including leadership, current strategy, structures, human resource management, and internal controls.
• Assess change readiness and identify potential or present change inertia factors.
• Develop change strategy and change management aspects.
• Review available government/international donor resources and connections including reports of ongoing consultation with stakeholders.

Overall Approach:

• The assignment and recommendation should be approached in such a way as to facilitate ownership and drive of the final growth plan so that results are sustained.
• It should be participatory and consultative.
• Self-assessment and consultative methodologies should be incorporated into the assignment not only to improve the range of information collected but also to improve ownership and drive of the implementation plan

Roles and Responsibilities
HeRoN consortium will commit time to this exercise:

• Facilitate introductions and connections to key stakeholders for the consultant as necessary
• Facilitate focus group and individual interviews
• Consultant submit work and timetable for the assignment- including clearly stated reporting deadlines for the various stages of the assignment
• A timely request for documents and needed logistical support
• Timely notification for workshops/group discussions and required participants
• Meets agreed deadlines and deliverables

Qualifications

• 5+ years of consultancy experience in organizational capacity assessment.
• Relevant experience working in the Nigeria health sector, with demonstrable technical knowledge on health systems strengthening
• Organizational development skills
• Leadership and Change management skills
• Evidence-based decision-making skills
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Familiarity with methods and tools for participatory self-assessment
• Skills in communication, facilitation, and reporting

Duration and Timing of the Assessment – This is estimated at 120 days, to include but not limited to the following:

• Desk review
• Data collection and analysis- focus groups, workshops, etc.
• Draft of consolidated report
• Validation workshop
• Preparation of the final report
• Presentation of final report and facilitation of workshop to develop OCD implementation strategy.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should address their Technical Proposal to “The HeRoN Team Leader” via email at: Tharcisse.Nsiyi@rescue.org

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Application Guidelines and Selection Criteria
Interested applicants should submit a detailed technical proposal which should include the following components:

• Demonstrate competence and qualification to meet stated objectives of the OCA and implementation planning
• Approach to successfully deliver on stated objectives of the exercise.
• Proposed methodology and examples of their application.
• Cost proposal for executing the assignment including any additional resources needed.
• A sample of previous similar work.