Background
Partnership is AFF’s ‘way of working’ and is embedded in all its interventions, primarily through convenings on specific issues as well as for on-going sharing, learning, and co-creation of solutions – at continental, regional, and national levels. AFF brokers collaboration with and among organisations, particularly those whose mandates and activities are consistent with those of AFF. The collaboration aims to bring together complementary resources and skills to enhance effectiveness and probability of success in joint delivery of interventions at all levels.
Purpose of the work
This consultancy aims at developing, in collaboration with the AFF Secretariat, a Partnership Policy document that will guide the institution in leveraging required expertise and financial resources for its sustainability and strengthened delivery of its mandate.
Specific tasks
The specific tasks for the assignment include:
- Carry out an evaluation of the AFF current way of partnering: identify gaps, challenges and recommend actions and measures to achieve the desired goals taking into considering new and emerging trends in forestry, climate change and donor landscapes.
- Conduct a desk review of the partnership landscape and partnership policies and strategies of organisations (with similar mode/way of working as AFF) in Africa and other regions of the world.
- Develop an annotated outline of the AFF Partnership Policy; to be validated by the AFF Secretariat prior to finalising development of the policy that can inform AFF’s strategy on partnerships.
- Develop a draft AFF Partnerships Policy Document to guide the institution in better developing and managing its partnerships. This could include (but not limited to):
- A clear structure (typology/nomenclature) and hierarchy of partnerships and related agreements (types and contents).
- Approaches and procedures for identifying partners and developing partnerships with adequate stakeholders at various levels.
- Approaches and strategies to forge closer working linkages with relevant national institutions in the host country and in other African countries.
- Approaches to seek closer and operational relationships with international, regional and sub-regional intergovernmental institutions (African Union Commission, UNECA, RECs, etc).
- Approaches to reach to and forge closer relationships with the donor community and relevant international institutions to mobilize resources for the work of AFF.
- Collate areas of partnership and approaches to best engage the (heterogeneous) private sector in resource mobilization and project implementation in Africa and beyond.
- An approach to due diligence prior to signing of agreements.
- An approach to internal and external management and monitoring of partnership risks and impacts.
- Benchmark the scope and range of partnerships essential for AFF’s core functions.
- Mapping the best engagement strategies and platforms.
- Present the draft Partnerships Policy Document to the AFF Secretariat staff and other resource persons and collect inputs / amendments to help revise the policy document.
- Finalise the Partnerships Policy Document with clear implementation matrix.
Duration
The tasks in these TORs are for a one month’s workload spread over 4 months.
Expected deliverables
The selected expert is expected to produce the following deliverables:
- A detailed report on the evaluation of the AFF current way of partnering versus partnership practices of similar organizations
- A draft AFF Partnership Policy Document.
- A final Transformative Partnership Policy Document incorporating feedback from relevant stakeholders.
Minimum qualifications and skills
This consultancy is meant for experts demonstrating the following education and skills.
- Have, at least, an MSc degree in international development, international affairs, business administration, social sciences, economics, natural resources management, forestry or any other related fields;
- Have, at least, ten years of proven experience in developing and/or managing partnerships of organisations working in diverse fields including natural resources management, forestry, and climate change;
- Have proven knowledge, understanding of the structure and mechanisms of financial institutions including global, regional, and sub-regional multilateral development banks, climate finance institutions, international cooperation agencies, and bilateral donors.
- Have demonstrated research and analytical skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Knowledge of French will be an added advantage
How to apply
Each application should contain the following:
- Cover letter stating how you meet the above qualifications and experience requirements.
- Curriculum vitae.
- A technical proposal of a maximum of 3 pages detailing how you intend to undertake the tasks, and also listing your previous involvement in similar assignments. Contacts of reference persons for each previous similar assignment should be provided. Providing proof of previous similar assignments (contract, certificate of service, etc.) would be an asset.
The expert shall work from his / her location but in close consultation with relevant staff at the AFF Secretariat.
All these should be submitted as email with attachment, indicating in the subject line: “Consultancy no 1- 4.4.2.1: Expert to develop a Partnerships Policy Document for the African Forest Forum”. The mail should be addressed to: Dr Doris Mutta (d.mutta@cifor-icraf.org), with copy to Dr. Djibril S. Dayamba (d.dayamba@cifor-icraf.org), Dr Tefera Endalamaw (T.Endalamaw@cifor-icraf.org) and exec.sec@afforum.org. Application deadline is 22th August 2024.
[1] Nelson J., 2017. Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Collective action by business, governments and civil society to achieve scale and transform markets. Business and Sustainable Development Commission, and Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School.
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