Consultant – Organizational Capacity Assessment at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Full Time

Job Title: Consultant – Organizational Capacity Assessment

Requisition ID: req31864
Location: Maiduguri, Borno

Lafiya-HeRoN Program Overview

• The Lafiya-HeRoN project is a Health Systems Strengthening consortium partnership of three organizations led by the IRC, with Action Against Hunger (AAH), and Society for Family Health (SFH)
• The consortium aims to ensure that crisis-affected communities in Borno and Yobe states have meaningful access to quality primary healthcare and nutrition services in the immediate term, while also contributing to the sustained capacity of health systems strengthening at the LGA level.
• The overall outcome of the HeRoN project is that people, with a particular focus on women, girls, and other marginalized groups are protected from and treated for the main causes of morbidity and mortality.
• To achieve the project outcome, the project theory of change will address three main areas: access and quality, demand and behavior change, and health systems strengthening.

Objectives and Scope

• The overall objective of the consultancy is to conduct an organizational capacity assessment and support the action planning of the Borno and Yobe State Primary Healthcare Development Agencies to identify areas for organizational development improvements to contribute to the efforts of health systems resilience in the states that will ultimately lead to improved health outcomes of people of Borno and the Yobe States.
• An organizational capacity assessment of some selected Local government health authorities and 45 Primary healthcare centers supported by HeRON across Borno and Yobe have been conducted with results showing gaps and mitigation approaches across service delivery, supply chain system, community participation in PHCC activities, leadership, and governance, planning and management. These results will be utilized and incorporated into the final OCA report for the two states to portray a more holistic and wider result and findings of health systems of the two states.
• The organizational capacity assessment should provide the basis for defining a capacity-building plan/organizational development plan and technical assistance strategy to achieve the expected results. The organizational development should clearly define the change process that will lead to improvement in the capacity of the state agency to achieve results that contribute to systems resilience. The capacity-building planning should include activities to be undertaken, budget, and indicators to measure progress towards results.

Methodology Of the Organizational Capacity Assessment

• The organizational capacity assessment should be participatory and consultative. The consultant should conduct a needs assessment using a defined methodology developed in partnership with the HeRoN consortium leadership.
• It is expected that the assessment will be built around self-assessment processes through an OCA workshop with staff and personnel from different departments/units of the organization for a consultation to help validate, expand, and improve the range of information collected targeting the health systems pillars (e.g., HMIS, HRH, leadership and governance, medical procurements/supply chain, service delivery), use and adapt the existing self-assessment tools for assessment of health systems pillars and provide the foundation for further technical assistance and organizational development.
• The Consultant will conduct a participatory Organizational Capacity Assessment and action planning at the state primary healthcare development agency while leveraging on results and organization plans/recommendations from the available OCA of the 45 selected HeRON Supported PHCCs and 10 LGHAs.
• The organizational development plan and framework should recognize the multiple dimensions of capacity in relation to each other as well as to the expected results.
• This approach ensures that capacity building should go beyond individual capacity (relevant skills and abilities) to include organizational capacity (governance, structures, processes, budgeting, planning, etc.) as well as the broader context and environment within which the HeRoN program is being implemented.

Context of the Organizational Capacity Assessment

• The OCA will be conducted in the Yobe and Borno states of northeast Nigeria. Yobe and Borno states continue to endure the impact of the protracted crisis, which has significantly contributed to its poor human development and health outcomes indicators.
• The protracted conflict has continued to have a negative impact on the health status of the affected population, with poor health indicators recorded and gaps across its health system pillars.

Overall Organization of the Assessment
It is envisaged that this assessment process will be organized as follows:

• The signing of the contract with the Consultant. The contract will include details of the emolument and communication protocol
• The Consultant would submit a detailed work plan and assessment methodology to the HeRoN Team Leader and Health Governance Manager.
• The Consultant to review existing results from the 45 PHCCs and 10 LGA OCA across Borno and Yobe to tailor the State OCA tools and deliverables
• The HeRoN consortium, the Consultant, and HeRoN implementing partners will agree on the draft work plan and assignment methodology within 2-3 days of submission.
• The Consultant will execute the assignment as per the agreed work plan. Necessary revisions to the plan should be communicated and agreed upon in writing.
• A draft report by the Consultant will be presented to the HeRON consortium leadership and implementing partners for validation and feedback.
• A final report for the OCA and Organizational development plan – including and incorporating all results from the OCA and OD for the PHCCs and LGAs.

Objectives of the Assessment

• The overall objective of the exercise is that HeRoN program will record sustainable organizational resilience through improvement and scale.
• To this end, the OCA must be accompanied by a well-defined capacity-building plan that will guide the capacity-building effort and strategy of the HeRoN consortium and implementing partners.
• Key focus areas of the OCA are the health systems pillars (governance and leadership, HMIS, health financing, human resources for health, medical commodities, and service delivery).
• An implementation plan should be developed, which should include recommended activities, a budget, indicators to measure progress, and a suggested sequence of execution.
• Opportunities should be identified where investment in capacity building will drive organizational change to produce sustainable results.

Results of the Assessment

• OCA and OD of the two state agencies, OCD implementation plan is developed based on findings from the OCA. This plan provides a clear pathway to achieving expected results
• The consultant designs and delivers the two final OCA reports for Borno and Yobe incorporating all results from the conducted State Agencies, PHCCs and LGA OCAs.

Key Deliverables

• Comprehensive work plan including a detailed methodology, report format, and revised timeline.
• Provision of an inception report incorporating preliminary findings
• Facilitation of the self-assessment organization capacity assessment in 2 state agencies.
• Submission OCA results and organizational development plans for the two agencies
• Submission of the final OCA report for Borno and Yobe including the detailed implementation strategy.
• Co-facilitation and presentation of draft OCA and OD plan to HeRoN consortium and implementing partners including the implementation strategy.

Scope of Work

• Health Sector context and analysis.
• Review the state primary health care agencies’ structures and elements of the organization, including leadership, current strategy, structures, human resource management, and internal controls.
• Assess the drivers and constraints which may explain present performance or be a threat
• to future capacity growth- include mitigants.
• Assess change readiness and identify potential or present change inertia factors.
• Develop change strategy and change management aspects.
• Review available government/international donor resources and connections including
• reports of ongoing consultation with stakeholders.

Overall Approach

• The assignment and recommendation should be approached in such a way as to facilitate ownership and drive of the final growth plan so that results are sustained.
• It should be participatory and consultative.
• Self-assessments and consultative methodologies should be incorporated into the assignment not only to improve the range of information collected but also to improve ownership and drive of the implementation plan.

Roles and Responsibilities

• HeRON consortium will commit time to support the consultant during this exercise:
• Facilitate introductions and connections to key stakeholders for the consultant as necessary
• Facilitate the mobilization of participants for interviews with government stakeholders.
• Facilitate travel bookings and accommodation
• Organize regular check-in calls with the consultant for the provision of updates

Consultant to submit work and timetable for the assignment- including clearly stated:

• reporting deadlines for the various stages of the assignment
• A timely request for documents and needed logistical support
• Timely notification for workshops, interviews and required participants
• Meets agreed deadlines and deliverables

Required Competencies and Experience

• 5+ years of consultancy experience in organizational capacity assessments, preferably for health system strengthening assessments.
• Relevant experience working in the Nigeria health sector, with demonstrable technical knowledge on health systems strengthening.
• Organizational development skills
• Leadership and Change management skills
• Evidence-based decision-making skills
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Familiarity with methods and tools for participatory self-assessment
• Skills in communication, facilitation, and reporting

Duration and Timing of the Assessment- This is estimated at 37 days, including but not limited to the following:

• Data collection and analysis- focus groups, workshops, etc.
• Draft of consolidated report
• Preparation of the final report
• Presentation of final report and facilitation of workshop to develop OCD implementation strategy.

Activity / deliverables – No. of Days

• Review of existing OCA tools and previous assessment results from HeRON supported 10 LGAs and 45 PHCCs – (3 Days)
• Adaptation of methods and development of workplan for approvals – (2 Days)
• Qualitative interviews (including field work as needed) at State, LGA level and PHCC with government stakeholders and Adaptation of tools – (8 Days)
• Submission of first inception report – (4 Days)
• Facilitate the organizational capacity assessment in the two state agencies – (4 Days)
• ·Review and share OCA results and organizational development plan for the two states and share – (4 Days)
• Preparation of the final OCA report for both Borno and Yobe State – incorporating results, detailed analysis and findings from previous assessment reports from the LGA and PHCCs inclusive of the implementation strategy – (8 Days)
• Submission of final report to the consortium management and incorporate feedback/inputs received – (4 Days)
• Total Days: 37

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a detailed Technical Proposal to: [email protected] which should include the following components:

• Demonstrate competence and qualification to meet stated objectives of the OCA and implementation planning
• Approach to successfully deliver on stated objectives of the exercise.
• Proposed methodology and examples of their application.
• Cost proposal for executing the assignment including any additional resources needed.
• A sample of previous similar work.