CONSULTANCY SUPPORT FOR CARE BURUNDI’S REALIGNMENT PROCESS

Overview

Despite deliberate movement to establish a clear and focused Programmatic foundation for CARE’s work which was focused on local partnerships, we have struggled to establish a financially sustainable foundation for our work in Burundi. This leads us to a situation where we have a limited number of current and ongoing grants, a relatively low donor profile, a team which requires subsidizing through unrestricted inputs from CARE US and questions around the overall direction that the CO should be pursuing in the medium to long term to ensure that we can resource ourselves without ongoing subsidies.

CARE is not unique amongst INGOs in asking questions around the business viability and financial sustainability of its Burundi operations. A lack of clear and long-term donor commitments to the country together with a shifting sense of what Government and Civil Society are looking from INGOs has led several organizations to undertake a deep rethink around how they are focused and structured in country.

At the start of 2024, CARE International will be undertaking an intentional realignment process across the calendar year to transform the Burundi program into a financially viable and impactful development partner.

Scope of Work

The Consultant will undertake the following activities in three sequential project phases, with a total duration of an initial 3 months. Upon signing the contract the consultant should present a draft work plan which will then be reviewed and agreed between all parties to ensure that the work is well anchored with a clear sense of the deliverables which will be achieved.

Whilst the phased definition of work which follows here is clear in determining a phased split of deliverables and stage gates for each, success will also depend on the consultant being able to successfully engage with key stakeholders to ensure that all opportunities for future structures and management relationships are explored to ensure that this realignment exercise sets a strong foundation for future success. To this end its important that the selected consultant can bring decision makers a solid understanding of the issues and options which will inform this end state discussion, particularly those which lie beyond Burundi itself.

Phase 1 – Opportunity Exploration – estimated timeframe of 3 weeks engagement.

Develop a fifteen page paper to cover the following:

• How other INGOs have approached business continuity and funding challenges in Burundi.
• Build on the recent donor mapping undertaken by the Burundi team to identify projected the business opportunities which exist in country, with this leading to a market viability analysis for our existing strategic intent.
• Support the team in exploring opportunities for strategic partnerships with local organizations, INGOs and government agencies in order to enhance operational capacity and impact.
• Map out our existing structure and support the team in using this to identify:

(i) existing operational pain points and any staff training needs which arise from this.

(ii) any structural changes required to build programme delivery and resource mobilization capability (this is a short term measure, and it is understood that phase 2 of this change would involve a deeper dive into these areas)

• Analyzing how initiatives such as the innovation hub and the set-up of GLID by CARE Burundi have fared, and what this tells us about our existing capacity for innovation.

Phase 2 – Development of a realignment plan for CARE Burundi – estimated at 2 weeks.

There are two specific deliverables identified within this Phase:

• The analysis and knowledge developed during phase 1 will be brought into a single document which:

(i) outlines costed options for CARE’s future presence in country.

(ii) makes clear recommendations for CARE’s consideration on the most suitable course of action/model, with each scenario having been carefully evaluated to determine its potential impact on CARE’s mission in Burundi, effectiveness and long term sustainability.

• The process of developing this should fully engage with CARE US and other CARE International/CMP staff. This document will then be presented to the steering committee who will identify the preferred model selected for the future CARE Burundi programme.
• Once the end goal is selected a detailed remediation change plan will be set out, with this setting out a clear high level rational for the change together with a more detailed Change Management Action Plan. This will explicitly identify specific workstreams and associated activities, initiatives and communications plans. Activities and initiatives within the action plan should be based on but not be constrained by the following areas:

(i) Develop a detailed and phased change plan across all affected elements of the business with this including team scope, staff skills, structural change etc.

(ii) Develop a budget for this change with this being reflected in the FY 24 CANVAS plan.

(iii) Design key messages for the change process tailoring as required for different elements of the change process and for different stakeholders within this process.

(iv) Set up a change team drawn for within the CARE Burundi, the ECA RMU and, depending on the scenario followed another CO.

(v)Arrange external support for the change as needed.

(vi)Set up pulse checks and feedback loops as required.

Phase 3 – Delivery of the realignment work in the direction identified within Phase 2 – estimated at 7 to 8 weeks dependent on the option landed on at the end of stage 2.

The delivery phase will consist of running out the change plan identified in phase 2. Stage gates need to be established at any required sign off points and to ensure that check ins on ongoing progress are enabled.

Progress Reporting

In addition to activities covered under the three phases as described above, the Consultant must also submit bi-monthly progress reports (once every 2 weeks), detailing activities completed, future plans and support needed.

On completion of all activities envisaged under the assignment, the consultant shall submit a Final Report that should contain a summarized description of activities the Consultant conducted over the assignment period, and the results achieved during the development and implementation of the Change Management Strategic Framework and Action Plan. The Report should also include results from the feedback of change management training programs and recommendations of further improvements for Strategic Framework.

The Final Report and the bi-monthly progress reports must be submitted to the Country Director, the ECA Director of Programmes Operations and the ECA Regional Director.

Key Relationships

• The consultant will report to the Director of Programme Operations for the ECA region. Other key stakeholders of this consultancy are as follows – Country Director CARE Burundi, Senior Leadership Team CARE Burundi, Regional Director – ECA Region, Regional Business Service Director, Regional HR Business Partner

Required Competencies and Experience

• French language skills
• Proven experience in change management in INGOs setting.
• Strong facilitation skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong background in operational management and experience in successfully integrating processes, systems and procedures across business units
• Project management experience – planning, implementation, risk management and monitoring and evaluation (M & E) with a focus on delivering results
• Team leadership