Search for Common Ground

Position Summary

 Search for Common Ground’s 2018-2028 Strategic Plan reaffirmed our commitment to pursuing an enduring change in the way societies address conflict, away from adversarial approaches towards collaborative solutions. We also prioritized which of these conflicts we want to focus on transforming over the coming decade. After wide consultations with Searchers as well as thought leaders, policymakers, donors, partners, analysts, and other leaders, we determined to move past country-based planning and to define the boundaries of our engagement by the borders of the conflicts we tackle, and to focus on addressing the world’s most consequential conflicts. We also agreed that we would transition out of 10 countries where we currently implement programs. This means that in some countries where we work today as an international NGO, we will seek to transition our engagement model. 

In Madagascar, we are supporting the creation of an independent national NGO which will operate in parallel to Search as we prepare to transition out. Search is seeking a qualified Strategy Consultant to assist this NGO in the development of its strategy and core business plan to guide their strategic development. 

The Consultant will provide informed recommendations and considerations for this strategy and business plan, working closely with the country office, regional team, and headquarters in order to facilitate a smooth, sustainable transition process. The goal is a future state where the independent entity is organizationally equipped to transform the conflicts of today and tomorrow in Madagascar. 

The Consultant will report to the Central and Southern Africa Regional Director and work closely with the regional and country office staff in Madagascar.

Key Responsibility

Specifically, the Consultant will:

1. Familiarize him/herself with Search for Common Ground transitioning process with appropriate documentation and consultations with Search and local NGO management, stakeholders, board members, and partners.
2. On the basis of the above, work with the country and regional teams to develop a stakeholder-validated business plan to be used for sourcing financing and generating resources for an impact-oriented new peacebuilding NGO.

The goal of developing the business plan for the new NGO is to provide strategic guidance for fundraising. The business plan will have three key steps:

• Conduct a business development audit which:

1. Identifies any skill gaps, especially those related to operations and financial sustainability capacities, as well as capacity development activities to address those gaps
2. Defines the comparative advantage of the NGO to win grants from governmental and international funding sources including the UN.

• Define the market and the potential donors and strategic partners (donor mapping for short, medium and long-term sustainability)
• Create a fundraising roadmap for the new entity which:

1. Describes the business model, including the marketing and engagement strategy for each potential funding source category
2. Projects a realistic revenue goal over the next three years based on the anticipated evolution of the capacity of absorption.
3. Projects the time to reach the break-even status from the present funding and donor support (funds) required till then
4. Identifies areas where Search can invest in capacity development and/or asset transfer in order to best support the sustainability of the new local entity

Based on these objectives the consultant(s) will consult all available stakeholders (starting with Search Madagascar and the regional team) and provide an analysis of the present scenario and develop a detailed business plan for the new NGO that is expected to provide overall direction to the transitioning local NGO operations with the objective of making it sustainable, efficient and growth-oriented in the long run. The plan should be time-bound and show clear achievable targets within defined timelines. The business plan will have the following sections at the minimum:

1. Executive summary (overview of history in country, program relevance, value proposition)
2. Analysis of the activity streams offered (program impact, sectors)
3. Analysis of the organizational structure, skill sets, running cost and gaps thereof
4. Analysis of the market and potential funding sources (including potential strategic partnerships with INGOs), as well as specific challenges such as donor regulatory requirements
5. Comparative advantage
6. Marketing and engagement strategy broke out by sector and type of donor
7. Proposed organizational management structure & new skill sets (including areas where Search can provide capacity development or other forms of support)
8. Projection of revenues over 3 years 
9. Financial/funding needs until break-even status (including required investment from Search in hard or knowledge management assets to support sustainability)
10. Plan to build a reserve fund, including a target, a strategy to reach it, and parameters guiding its activation.

The plan should also have a section on general guidance and preparation of an annual budget, as well as 3-year projections of the following statements developed in coordination with the regional team:

1. Projected income statement
2. Projected cash flow statement
3. Projected balance sheet.

Deliverables (within two months of signature of the contract). 

• An inception report containing a detailed presentation of methodological components and a table of contents of the final document to be submitted 5 days after the contract is signed (30%)
• The first draft of the business plan to be submitted 10 days after a consultative visit to Madagascar office (40%)
• Final business plan to be submitted not later than 5 days after the draft plan validation workshop (30%)

Time Frame

The assignment is expected to be concluded within a one month period. Search anticipates this will involve approximately 20 days of work in total: 10 days of in-country consultation and research and 10 days of background research and writing of the business plan.

Qualifications 

Education

• A post-graduate or equivalent qualification/degree in International Relations, International Development, or any other relevant discipline.

Experience

• At least 10 years of prior work experience in NGO business planning, program/project development, and/or NGO strategy planning;
• Demonstrated experience in the Madagascar peacebuilding and/or media sectors, including familiarity with national strategies, key government, key donors, and civil society players, and relevant policies and priorities an advantage; 
• Demonstrated experience and skills in facilitating stakeholder/working group consultations.

Skills and Competencies

Required

• Working proficiency in written and oral proficiency in English and French.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Audience-oriented communications, teamwork, and presentation skills.

Desirable Skills

• Proven ability to work with and manage a diverse group of multicultural stakeholders
• Demonstrable strong organizational and coordination skills
• Creative and thorough approach to work 

This consultancy will close on October 31st, 2019.

 To apply

To apply, interested candidates should send the following items  to our employment portal here:

• current resume
• cover letter- in your letter, please clearly state why the position is of interest, and your specific relevant experience. Please include the date you can start work and the length of your availability (in months).
• Daily consultancy fee

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Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.

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