Consultancy – Building capacity for strategic planning and project management of CDCs and programme identification

Position Title: Building capacity for strategic planning and project management of CDCs and programme identification

Duty Station: Abyei

Classification: Consultancy

Type of Appointment: Consultancy Contract for Transition and Recovery Unit

Estimated Start Date: 15^th of October 2021

Background

IOM in South Sudan has a broad range of programming centered around three broad areas: humanitarian coordination and support; humanitarian response and resilience; and peacebuilding, transition and development. Humanitarian coordination and support includes leading/co-leading the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI) Clusters, Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and management of WASH and Shelter and NFI core-pipelines, humanitarian hubs and common transport services. Humanitarian response and resilience includes CCCM, WASH, Shelter & NFI, health, protection, gender equality and inclusion, mental health and psychosocial support and the management of a Rapid Response Fund. Under peacebuilding, transition and development, IOM South Sudan implements programming on housing, land and property Page issues, transition and recovery, transhumance conflict prevention, community-based violence reduction, community development and migration management*.*

IOM directly implements and delivers programs across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus through an integrated, multi-sectoral approach. IOM has extensive experience in delivering transition and recovery programmes that are addressing the root causes of instability and conflict through support to returnees and residents to establish sustainable livelihoods and develop foundations for peaceful co-existence. In Abyei Administrative Area (AAA) IOM has been operational since 2013 contributing to recovery of conflict affected communities and to the overall stability through carefully tailored peace building interventions.

In coordination with local authorities in 2018 IOM have supported reestablishment of Community Development Committees, that were in place prior to the violent conflicts in Abyei. Committees are created through Government Act of South Sudan as community voluntary structures with an aim to conduct regular needs assessment and organize communities to translate their needs into plans, ensuring that developments in Abyei are driven by local communities’ priorities, communicated, and timely coordinated among different stakeholders.

Purpose of consultancy

Under the direct supervision of the Transition and Recovery Unit Programme Coordinator and the overall supervision of the Project officer in Abyei sub-office, the successful candidate will support strengthening and the capacity building of Community Development Committees (CDCs) on strategic planning, priority setting and project management, and translation of needs into plans. As the final product, the consultant will integrate inputs and provide support to CDC in developing integrated Abyei Area Action Plan for Recovery and Development. Action plan will serve as a repository of important information relevant for the further development projects and community strategies. On the basis of the community driven action plan, the consultant will propose programming interventions and draft a fully-fledged programme document for IOM support 2020-2027

Expected Deliverables:

· Develop training modules on, community-based priority setting (inclusive and representative) local development planning, and consultation processes.,

· Support CDCs to conduct rapid assessment on economic, social, and cultural well-being of communities in Abyei with recommendations integrated in the existing county/Abyei Area action plans for recovery and development.

· Support CDCs to edit and finalize existing action plans for recovery and development covering 4 counties, one municipality and the overall Abyei Special Administrative Area.

· Train CDCs on project management covering among others:

o Review of local development structures with introduction to the Local Government Act; and the role of CDCs, local government, local communities, and traditional leaders,

o Introduction on how to conduct community needs assessment by using participatory methods,

o Provide guidance on how to design and develop community development projects with the focus on planning; resources mobilization; financial and human resource management including volunteers; simple ways of monitoring a community development project; mechanism for evaluation, preparing and submitting simple reports.

o Support CDC in establishing an effective coordination mechanism for recovery and development.

· Provide support to CDCs to implement one project in each county which will also serve as example where practical skills will be accessed. Regularly follow up on progress.

· Support CDCs to restructure and include Boma and Payam Development Committees with clear linkages with counties.

· Ensure interlinkages with Youth Peace Building Strategy so that the main area of youth contribution to development are included within the Abyei Area Action Plan for Recovery and Development.

· Training report compiled and submitted.

· Fully fledged draft programme document in standard IOM template including budget, that builds on consultations and work done for the above community action plans. Proposed five-year period 2022-2027

Obligations of IOM

IOM will support the logistics including internal travels, mobilization of participants, consultations with local authorities, stakeholders, organization of venues and related training materials.

Consultancy expected outcomes:

A. CDCs have skills to conduct needs assessments, they understand the project cycle and are able to implement small development project within their communities,

B. Abyei Area Action Plan for Recovery and Development is developed and will serve as a repository of important information relevant for the further development projects and community strategies.

C. Coordination mechanism for recovery established and will support further coordination of CDCs interventions

D. Five-year IOM draft programme proposal incorporating key priorities from the communities and is aligned to CDC action plans.

Commencement and Schedules

The consultancy is expected to commence on 15^th of October, 2021 and will follow the schedule shown below:

Activity

Timeline

Payment Schedule

a) Development of training modules on project management

10 days after signing of contract

10%

b) Practical mentorship of CDCs and the local government to conduct a rapid assessment on emerging needs -Rapid assessment

10 days

15%

c) Training in project management (including technical support to establish coordination mechanism for recovery)

30 days

20%

d) Integration of recommendations and editing of final action plans for recovery and development

10 days

20%

e) Compilation of report and finalization of Abyei Area Action Plan for Recovery and Development.

20 days

25%

f) Draft a fully-fledged programme document for IOM support 2020-2027

20 days

10%

Total contractual days

3 months (90 days)

Total: 100%

Experience:

· Master’s degree in Rural Development, project planning / strategic planning or any other social sciences with a minimum of five years of experience in South Sudan /Abyei.

· Familiarity with participatory methodologies for community-based planning and budgeting and community/village development committees

· Demonstrated experience in programme formulation in complex humanitarian/transition contexts, preferably with IOM transition and recovery approaches, concepts and methodologies.

· Ability to manage community dynamics

· Good understanding and application of conflict sensitive communication

· Excellent conflict sensitive communication skills

· Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

· Ability to write analytical reports

· Excellent community facilitation, coordination, and mentorship skills

· Familiar with gender and conflict sensitivity to community-based planning

Desirable Competencies

Behavioral

· Takes responsibility and manages constructive criticism;

· Works effectively with all clients and stakeholders;

· Promotes continuous learning, communicates clearly;

· Takes initiative and drives high levels of performance management;

· Plans work, and sets goals within area of responsibility;

· Displays mastery of subject matter;

· Contributes to a collegial team environment;

· Incorporates gender-related needs, perspectives, and concerns, and promotes equal gender participation;

· Works with internal and external stakeholders to meet resource needs of IOM.

· Ability to work independently with minimum supervision;

· High sense of confidentiality;

· Personal commitment, efficiency, flexibility and drive for results;

· Capacity to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from various cultures and professional background;

· Works effectively in high-pressure, rapidly changing environments;

· Coordinates actions with emergency response actors and making use of coordination structures; supports adequate levels of information sharing between internal units, cluster partners, IOM and other emergency response actors;

· Ability to work under extreme pressure in difficult conditions while maintaining security awareness

Technical**

· Displays awareness of relevant technological solutions.

· Executes tasks in a timely and accurate manner;

· Coordinates and corresponds in a clear and concise manner;

· Follows up tasks to ensure timely completion;

· Seeks to improve efficiency in tracking and monitoring.

Languages:

Fluent knowledge of English language is required. Knowledge of local languages is essential.