Careers Vacancy

Consultancy – Strengthening the Capacity of the FSC-IF through Organizational Management Strategy and Strategic Planning

I. IPARD PROGRAM INFORMATION

A. BACKGROUND

In 2019, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) established the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) as the operational office of the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC). The FSC-IF is a private interest foundation in accordance with Law No. 25 of June 12, 1995 of the Republic of Panama. The mission of FSC-IF is to enable an enabling environment to guarantee the rights of Indigenous Peoples and promote sustainable forest-based solutions within 300 million hectares of indigenous forests on the planet. The vision is that Indigenous Peoples’ global values, rights, livelihoods, ecosystem services, natural capital and communities are incorporated into forest governance, climate change governance and market systems.

Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development

The FSC-IF is the implementing partner of the five-year Global Development Alliance (GDA) program funded by USAID and FSC: Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD). The IPARD Program is guided by three development objectives:

● Objective 1: To organize and convene a capacity building program for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and stakeholders;

● Objective 2: To foster an enabling environment for the recognition, effective participation and joint decision-making by Indigenous Peoples in matters affecting them; and;

● Objective 3: Promote the sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples based on sustainable economic models.

IPARD uses three interconnected approaches to support Indigenous Peoples in overcoming their development challenges:

A. Multi-Sectoral Approach (MSA): under the strategic guidance of IPARD’s Steering Committee (SC), the Program convenes and leverages the expertise of multi-sectoral partners to ensure that the needs of Indigenous communities are considered across a wide range of sectors.

B. Country-Focused Approach (CFA): IPARD’s programmatic strategy is guided by a country-focused approach, driven by specific national contexts related to Indigenous Peoples. IPARD implements a structured process to identify, evaluate and select countries for its programs. FSC-IF works in conjunction with the IPARD Steering Committee, and according to the guidelines of the multi-sectoral approach, in order to select countries and identify key priorities and strategies.

C. Indigenous Project Management Approach (IPMA): Leveraging FSC-IF’s networks and relationships with Indigenous leaders and organizations around the world, IPARD seeks ongoing dialogue, consultation, and feedback with Indigenous Peoples to inform the Program. IPARD supports a forum through which the FSC-IF Indigenous Foundation serves as a bridge between Indigenous Peoples, technical partners, national governments, and the private sector. IPARD invests in best practice conservation and effective approaches and methodologies to ensure strategic cohesion of partnerships at various levels.

Through these three approaches, IPARD aims to empower Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and catalyze an enabling environment where Indigenous Peoples can pursue their development.

B. CONTEXT

The FSC-IF is a rapidly growing organization in need to develop an organizational management and strategic plan for the next 5 years to ensure a robust growth to respond to the needs and expectations of Indigenous Peoples. As an entity that is tied to the FSC, FSC-IF’s Strategy Plan will be connected to FSC Global’s Strategic Plan for 2021-26 and the FSC’s charter and internal regulations. Together with several strategic partners worldwide, the FSC-IF has also been awarded or are in the pipeline of projects aligned with IPARD´s objectives which amount to nearly $30 million to be submitted or negotiated with different donors worldwide by December 2021.

The IPARD Program currently has a results framework that is aligned with Indigenous Peoples’ needs and presents the conditions for building partnerships. This framework is being adjusted according to the engagement with Indigenous Peoples and the Program Implementation. Acting in parallel, the FSC´s PIPC is in the process of developing plans for each of its five regions in the world part of its global governance structure including Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe-CIS, Latin America, and North America. In addition, the FSC-IF has started dialogues for collaboration with regional Indigenous Peoples organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America including the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA), the Mesoamerican Alliance for Peoples and Forests (AMPB), the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN), and the Global Alliance for Territorial Communities (GATC). With this context, the FSC-IF needs to strengthen its strategic governance by adjusting its mission, vision, strategies, and target long-term outcomes for the next 5 years to best respond to the needs and priorities of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. In order to achieve this objective and the long-term objectives of the Foundation a systematic, methodical, and participatory process needs to happen so growth will happen proactively and integrating the different actors linked to the FSC-IF. Indigenous Peoples organizations partnering or collaborating with the IPARD Program will be also engaged during the planning process.

C. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

General objective

To best support the IPARD’s 3 objectives, this consultancy aims to strengthen the capacity of the FSC-IF by providing strategic and facilitation support on the areas of development of an Organizational Management Strategy and strategic planning with engagement of the PIPC and Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPO) worldwide. Under direct guidance of the FSC-IF Managing Director, FSC IF Governance, and consultation with the IPARD Steering Committee (SC) with , the Consultant firm will facilitate a series of virtual and in-person dialogues, consultations, and alignments with IPO partners, PIPC, FSC, and IPARD strategic partners on main challenges, opportunities, and global trends on issues related to Indigenous Peoples including but not limited to Indigenous global advocacy and policies, forests, right-based development & businesses, climate change, sustainable resource management.

Specific Objectives:

The consultant firm will facilitate and will support the development of:

  1. an institutional diagnosis of the current state and long-term potential of FSC-IF including a mapping of potential opportunities in areas related to Indigenous Peoples and the IPARD’s objectives.
  2. a strategic analysis identifying areas of collaboration with Indigenous Peoples Organizations worldwide with a plan of dialogs to be implemented during the consultancy.
  3. a series of multi-sectoral dialogue and social learning events that will provide the space for Indigenous Peoples exchanges and strategic information on the ambitions, missions, visions, values, and principles to guide the operations and management of the FSC-IF.
  4. 5-year strategic plan that will propel the FSC-IF to become a leading global organization to support Indigenous Peoples worldwide in areas prioritized by them and connected with IPARD.
  5. change management plan that will create the conditions for FSC-IF´s to better align strategically with its key stakeholders including but not limited to IPO and PIPC.
  6. an Organizational Management Strategy integrating the FSC-IF´s current management and planning instruments with the proposed plans and strategies.

D. TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

1) Applications need to include the following documents:

  1. A technical proposal including the activities and timeline to meet the objectives and complete the deliverables listed below.
  2. One page description on the strategy to incorporate Indigenous leaders and key IPO on the process of implementing the consultancy emphasizing possible previous experience with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
  3. CVs of the team members who would be working on this project.
  4. Financial proposal including detailed cost breakdown for the deliverables.

2) Tasks and Deliverables

Under the guidance and supervision of the FSC-IF Managing Director and other key members of the FSC-IF Governance:

  • Collect and prepare data through information from FSC-IF, PIPC, FSC, USAID and other potential public and private donors, and target IPO partners and other stakeholders to develop an institutional diagnosis.
  • Propose an engagement and consultation plan with FSC-IF governance, PIPC, FSC-IF staff, FSC, target IPO and other stakeholders.
  • Coordinate and develop interviews and workshops with FSC-IF employees and key stakeholders to develop a 5-year strategic plan. Develop a draft strategic plan to be shared and socialized to receive feedback and then have a final version.
  • Elaborate a change management plan to create the strategic alignment in between key stakeholders to change the collaborative culture of work.
  • Integrate in a holistic and systemic way all current management instruments with the proposed plans and strategies.
  • Develop word documents and PowerPoint presentations to present all the above deliverables to different stakeholders.
  • Provide support on dissemination of key results and process with IPO to support their capacity development in areas related to the Consultancy.

3) Profile of the Offeror

  • Experienced strategic planning company, with at least 10 years of experience in organizational management strategies, strategic planning and change management.
  • Proven experience in the development and facilitation process of regional and/or global strategic plan in collaborative manner with NGOs.
  • Experience working with Indigenous Peoples is highly desirable.
  • Ability to meet deadlines and flexibility to work collaboratively with organizations and persons in different time zones worldwide, cultures, languages, and visions.

4) Coordination

The consultancy firm will coordinate and facilitate the expected work under supervision of the FSC-IF Managing Director, FSC-IF Director of Finance and Administration, and the IPARD Program Director. The service will require interaction with FSC-IF governance, PIPC membership, FSC and other key stakeholders.

5) Deadline for submission of proposal:

The offeror must submit a Technical and a Financial proposal to procurement.fscif@fsc.org by March 2nd, 2022 – 5:00 p.m. GMT-5 – Panama

6) Conditions for payments of the products:

The products must be authorized by the FSC-IF Managing Director to proceed with payment. All products must be delivered in digital format.

7) Duration of the assignment

Ninety working days distributed in a five-month period (between April 2022 and August 2022 aprox.)