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Decolonizing Strategic Growth Consultant

Us

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: Us
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Sustainable Growth and Growth hacking
  • Closing Date: Closed

Purpose of the consultancy:

The purpose of the proposed assignment is to assist the IRC’s Great Lakes (GL) region (covering Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania) in identifying ways to decolonize its approach to strategic growth. While increasing funding is important to the achievement of life-saving and life-enhancing outcomes within the GL contexts, the region is intent on demonstrating that maximum impact is best achieved in collaboration with many diverse stakeholders, and not necessarily through direct funding to the IRC. It seeks to carefully define its path to strategic growth, evaluate regional funding practices and ambitions through a decoloniality lens, and to develop funding strategies that will build upon the Great Lakes’ DEI ambitions. INGOs working across the humanitarian/development/peacebuilding nexus often rely on funding models that are very much tied to traditional growth strategies entrenched in power inequalities. The consultant will query these established norms, take stock of current policy and practice in the region, assess these against best practices for decolonized aid and values-driven decision-making, and make recommendations for bridging the gap between the region’s values and current practices.

The proposed assignment will start ASAP for a period lasting six weeks, with all work to be completed remotely.

Overview of work to be performed:

General decoloniality

  • Advise the Great Lakes region on creating spaces that enhance regional and country program thinking and learning on decoloniality, with a specific focus on decision making around resource mobilization, service delivery and partnerships with local NGOs, community organizations, and clients.
  • Document country program and regional perspectives around power dynamics/structures, values, and incentives tied to traditional funding strategies, expectations, and processes, culminating in a report that will guide the GL decision-making processes and “growth” strategy over the next three years through specific recommendations.
  • Design and create training modules/reading material that will prepare and support Country and Regional leaders in influencing and leading interactions with funders through equitable relationships.

Review of business development processes and practices in the Great Lakes region through a decoloniality lens

  • Review decision-making processes and practices around donor identification, opportunity identification, and go/no-go decisions, and assess key drivers of decisions
  • Review processes and practices for making program design decisions, both internally and in collaboration with partners, focusing on practices that help or hinder design of community-centered programming
  • Assess the extent to which practice aligns with policy in business development work, and the extent to which practice and policy align with the region’s values and ambition to decolonize programming
  • Remain informed of ongoing organizational BD focused initiatives, and where possible and appropriate, contribute to offering a decoloniality lens to these efforts.

Review of partnership practices in the Great Lakes region and recommendations for growing partnership

  • Assess the degree to which current partnership processes and practices promote equity, trust, transparency, and fairness in partner relations
  • Assess the degree to which the current partnership processes and practices of Great Lakes country programs promote greater national and community ownership of programming and greater responsiveness to communities’ expressed needs and preferences
  • Make recommendations for growing the volume of programming implemented through partnership, as well as enhance the quality and equity of partnership relationships.
  • Guide the creation of a partnership mindset/culture across regional and country staff that is rooted in IRC’s principled approach to partnerships.
  • Remain informed of ongoing organizational partnership focused initiatives, and where possible and appropriate, contribute to offering a decoloniality lens to these efforts.

Review of team dynamics and power structures in the Great Lakes region, at global and regional level, and in country programs

  • Assess the degree to which team composition, particularly in positions most directly involved in driving strategic growth, reflects diverse backgrounds and viewpoints
  • Assess the degree to which team dynamics and culture give equitable voice and power to staff from marginalized backgrounds, and the extent to which this dynamic manifests in strategy-setting and growth decision-making
  • Assess the degree to which staff at all levels feel empowered and safe in exercising voice and influence within their team, particularly in strategy and growth decision-making processes

Key Deliverables

  • Proposed methodology and workplan for discussion and approval
  • Draft recommendations to be discussed with the IRC regional and country leadership
  • Final report, including key findings, recommendations and related actions plan
This vacancy is now closed.