Housing Ecosystem Assessment – Regionalization Consultant

Almost a quarter of the world’s population lives in substandard shelter, impacting their health, livelihoods, and their children’s education. Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) operates through a federated network of independent National Organizations (NOs) and branches as well as partnerships in more than 70 countries around the world. HFHI also has an expansive network of affiliates within the United States, serving over 1,000 communities with adequate and affordable housing. HFHI hosts its international headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 59 million people worldwide improve their shelter conditions. Yet, Habitat’s construction efforts alone cannot keep pace with the massive and growing need. In fact, no response by governments or private philanthropy alone can meet the shelter needs of 1.6 billion people. Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation Shelter (TCIS) is dedicated to developing innovative, customer-focused products, services, and financial solutions in the housing sector.

Until now, the Habitat network has deployed a wide range of methodologies for understanding the way that housing works. Over the last year, HFHI has developed a consolidated methodology to assess housing ecosystems that should allow for greater consistency and quality across the network. This methodology is based on existing literature on housing, Habitat’s own experience, and consultation with a wide range of experts on systems assessments and housing systems change. HFHI is now preparing to test the methodology within the network, iterate and refine it and extract key lessons.
At the same time, TCIS is developing a framework focused on expanding the center’s work and approaches beyond country-specific programs towards a sub-regional focus. The objective of this shift is to extend and scale the Terwilliger Center’s programs and approaches to impact many more families and ultimately reduce the housing deficit including in new geographies where the Terwilliger Center does not currently have a sustained presence regardless of the presence of other Habitat entities in those geographies. As part of this framework, TCIS is developing a training curriculum to align the Terwilliger Center’s methodology and approach to program implementation with the ongoing efforts to develop and roll out a consolidated Housing Ecosystem Assessment (HEA) methodology for understanding the way a housing ecosystem works, and to provide an opportunity for the Terwilliger Center and National Organizations to co-create community-based and market-based initiatives that address specific constraints identified in an HEA. Secondary audiences could encompass professionals working in various capacities within governmental agencies, NGOs, and private sectors involved in housing and urban development.

The purpose of the HEA is to support the HFHI network and implementing teams including country offices and partners to understand the context in which they work from a people-centered, systems thinking perspective, specifically the influences that affect equitable access to adequate and affordable housing. A deeper understanding of the housing ecosystem will enable Habitat to better define an effective strategy in a particular context. The implementing team should use the HEA to inform their country strategic planning, development of their core programs or advocacy platform. The initial pilots of the HEA will take place in four countries, Mexico, Nepal, Kenya, and Romania, prior to January 2025.

2. Overview

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is seeking a Housing Ecosystem Assessment (HEA)-Regionalization Consultant, to support bringing together the current HEA methodology into the TCIS Regionalization framework and piloting it across the Habitat global network. Specifically, the consultant will support: the integration of the HEA into the Regionalization Framework and curriculum; testing and global roll out of the HEA (particularly Stage 2 – the “deep dive” and Stage 3 – “action planning”); support the initial prototype interventions developed through “action planning workshops;” and document lessons learned and revise the HEA process based on the results of piloting.

Specific responsibilities of the consultant will include:

* HEA Integration into the TCIS Regionalization Framework: Adjust and adapt the HEA methodology to align with the TCIS Regionalization Framework
– Evaluate the alignment of the HEA with the TCIS Regionalization Framework.
– Coordinate with the TCIS Toolkit Curriculum development process to support Action Planning and Integration modules that align to the HEA step three.

* Piloting of the HEA through four global pilots
– Support ongoing and/or planned pilots of the HEA Process in four countries globally including through coordination of global consultants supporting the process.
– Coordinate with relevant stakeholders throughout the Habitat network including NOs, Area Offices (AOs), Integrated Programs, and other relevant teams to access support for and update progress related to the HEA pilots.
– Further development Action Planning and Intervention (Step Three) toolkit material for pilot countries to test and refine.
– Support NOs and other relevant stakeholders to prototype interventions based on the results of action planning workshops conducted as part of the HEA pilots.

* Document Lessons Learned and Revise Tools
– Coordinate active learning throughout the pilot process at both a local and global level.
– Collate key learnings from the HEA pilots back into the HEA templates/design.
– Extract examples from the pilots, that can be built into the tools and methodology to provide real-life examples for the global roll-out.
– Coordinate with Senior Director Research and Learning to ensure key research from the HEA assessments is utilized.
– Support engagement of design firm to re-package the HEA and related tools into an easy to access format.
– Support the development of a plan for knowledge management and learning at a global level from the HEAs.
– Design a network roll-out plan including what a NO/AO needs in place to start a HEA and what HFHI can offer to support the process and what it cannot.
– Develop an ongoing learning plan for NOs and AOs to engage in peer sharing and learning opportunities based on their experiences with the HEA, and ensure that ongoing learnings are captured and shared with relevant stakeholders.
– Ensure that the HEA effectively supports complementary organizational efforts, such as:
* Strategy planning
* Advocacy
* DEI
* Program effectiveness
* Results measurement

3. Period of Performance
The contract period is from July 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, with a maximum value of $75,000.

Period of Performance
Interested individual consultant applicants should submit a CV and cover letter detailing relevant similar experience to TCIS@habitat.org. Any inquiries regarding the assignment can be submitted to the same.