THE RECRUITMENT OF A CONSULTANT/S or CONSULTANCY FIRM TO DEVELOP OUR WOMEN FOR WOMEN RWANDA FIVE-YEARS’ STRATEGIC PLAN (2025-2029)

Background

Women for Women Rwanda (WfW-Rwanda) is a non- profit national NGO legally, with the mission of supporting women and girls to break the vicious circle of poverty and social exclusion, by enabling them to become socially and economically capable to lead themselves and their community to better health, education, and social conditions.

WfW-Rwanda programs are guided by its strategic plan. which in turn is informed by global, regional and national strategic documents that includes Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African Union’s Agenda 2063, EAC Vision 2050 and Rwanda Vision 2020/2050, National Strategy for Transformation 2024-2029 (NST2) among others.

The current Strategic Plan is articulated around 5 strategic priorities including Integrated Social and Economic program, GBV Prevention, Men Engage and Girls’ Integrated program, Socio-Economic Transformation through Graduate Networks and Partnership with Women’s Opportunity Center (WOC) and Organizational Development and Sustainability.

This five-year strategic plan is in its last year of implementation and will end by 31st December 2024, thus the need to hire a consultant(s) or a Consulting firm to provide support during the elaboration of a new five-year Strategic Plan (2025 -2029). 

Objectives of the Strategic Plan Development

A Desk review will be conducted to assess the progress of the WfW-Rwanda Five Years Strategic Plan ending by 31st December 2024 against set of priorities, objectives, outcomes while highlighting issues and challenges affecting the effective and efficient implementation of the Strategic Plan and recommend changes where necessary.

The Review is being undertaken at the endpoint of the Strategic Plan’s implementation and will pave way for the next strategic plan’s delivery for another five years’ period and recommend necessary amendments (if any) hence allowing the new (2025-2029) Strategic Plan’s implementation arrangements to lead to more effective and sustainable performance of WfW-Rwanda.

• This Analysis will include: Scanning any new dynamics in Rwandan social, economic and political landscape that has impacted substantially and meaningful both positively and negatively the current Strategic Plan;
• Evaluate the current Strategic Plan and relevant business plans against new opportunities and risks.
• Investigate what has been missed and what should be incorporated into the revised Strategic Plan in terms of institutional and organizational development of WfW-Rwanda.
• Develop a WfW-Rwanda Strategic Plan for the next five years, starting from 2025 up to 2029.

It will focus on the degree to which planned results are on target, and the areas that may require improvement.

Scope of the Work

The Consultant(s) will review the performance of the WfW-Rwanda 2020-2024 Strategic Plan since its inception to date. Specifically, it will review the strategic priorities, strategic objectives, outcomes, activities, risks and mitigation strategies as outlined in the Strategic Plan and other relevant documents. The team will also consider any change incurred during the implementation period such as changes to adapt to pandemics for example COVID-19 pandemic and others, to determine their relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability with the mandate and mission of WfW-Rwanda. This assignment is expected to provide an updated Strategic Plan inclusive of recommended changes. On completion of this assignment, a new Strategic Plan will be developed in collaboration with WfW-Rwanda staff.

Outputs

The proposed modifications and recommendations will be thoroughly discussed with the Board of Directors and the WfW-Rwanda team. The final draft document will be submitted in both hard and soft copy at the end of the assignment.

The key outputs of this assignment are:

• Inception report: submission of an inception report with a draft report format containing Table of Contents for the final report for approval by WfW Rwanda.
• The Final Report: The report should be logically structured, contain evidence-based findings, conclusions, lessons and recommendations, and should be free of information that is not relevant to the overall analysis. The report should respond in detail to the key focus areas described above. It should include a set of specific recommendations to WfWRwanda, and identify the necessary actions required to be undertaken.
• A brief paper documenting recommended changes (if any) to be developed. This may be annexed to the Final Report.
• Presentation: For presenting and discussing the draft final report interactively, the consultants willfacilitate a two days’ workshop for the Board of Directors.

Expected Deliverables

• Inception report that includes methodology and work plan
• A comprehensive final report that mainly incorporates the following:
• An analysis of achievements, strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of the mid-term performance of the WfW-Rwanda 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.
• Recommendations on how WfW-Rwanda will build on its strengths and achievements to overcome identified weaknesses and challenges.
• Validation workshop for presenting and discussing the draft final report interactively, the Consultant (s) will facilitate discussion sessions.

Consultant(s) Profile

The Consultant or Consultancy Firm’s members’ base skills and education must encompass:

• At least a master’s degree in management related discipline,
• At least 5 years of experience reviewing and developing Strategic Plan,
• At least 5 years of experience in Gender-based Programming and Women Socio-Economic Empowerment background
• Business Development skills
• Policy Analysis and Evaluation

Methodology

The review will adopt a consultative and participative approach. This will include desk review of relevant documents including WfW Rwanda Strategic Plan, Annual Reports, Annual Work Plans, and Budgets, Field Reports and meetings (both face-to-face and virtual interactions). The Consultant(s) will also meet with WfW-Rwanda staff and Board Members.

The Consultant(s) will propose and justify an appropriate methodology.

Stage 1:Inception phase involving discussion with WfW Rwanda Senior Management Team inclusive of Board of Directors to define the scope of review, refine the questionnaires, conduct desk study and produce an inception report. This inception report will incorporate a detailed work plan, methodology for gathering, verifying, and analyzing data.

Stage 2:Desk review of relevant documents

Stage 3:Preparation of the preliminary Strategic Plan document, submission to WfW Rwanda for comments, and validation meeting to present the findings and validate results.

Stage 4: Preparation of final Strategic Plan document and submission.

Duration of Consultancy

• The assignment is expected to be completed within a month, which would make more sense from the contract signature.
• This assignment is expected to start by end-November 2024.

Reporting Line

The consultant will be reporting to the Executive Director and will be receiving guidelines from the Program Manager and Head of Monitoring and Evaluation.

Application Instructions:

All interested candidates should submit an updated CV, cover letter, proof of 3 similar rendered services and 3 professional references to: wfwr.procurement@womenforwomenrwanda.org no later than Friday November 29th, 2024, at 4:00pm.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next step of the process.

Date: November 15th, 2024

Berna Uwase Rusagara 

Executive Director

Women for Women Rwanda