Consultancy to Support Locally led Coordination and Cooperation Network in Iraq – Skills Development and Mutual Learning Exchange At International Council of Voluntary Agencies

Organisation: International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)

Duration: Up to 20 days of work

Starting date: 1 December – 1 May 2025

Location: Virtual, and the ability to travel to Jordan and Iraq when required

Background

About ICVA

Founded in 1962, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) is a global network of over 160 nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) active in 160 countries, operating at global, regional, national and local levels, whose mission is to make humanitarian action more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. As an NGO network, ICVA brings together civil society organisations from around the world and acts as a bridge connecting them to the UN, governments, and regional organisations.

About the Co-Led Initiative between Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and ICVA on Supporting improved coordination, information management, and advocacy amongst NGOs in Iraq to provide efficient and effective humanitarian assistance

The purpose of the initiative is to strengthen locally-led humanitarian-development networking and coordination efforts, aiming to create sustainable coordination and an inclusive locally-led platform. ICVA aims to strengthen locally-led humanitarian-development networking and coordination efforts, to create sustainable coordination and an inclusive platform that is co-founded by the local NGO, Public Aid Organization (PAO). ICVA coordinates closely with all relevant stakeholders to identify and respond to meaningful gaps across different humanitarian responses at the national, regional, and global levels. As a standing invitee to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), ICVA advocates for NGOs, including national and local NGO voices in coordination and decision-making mechanisms at global, regional, and local levels. ICVA’s unique added value is in better linking national and local concerns with regional and global debates, which will be critical to making meaningful progress on localisation, durable solutions, forced displacement, and financing among many other sector-related issues. Through this initiative, ICVA will directly support the alternative coordination mechanism.

Consultancy objectives

This consultancy will be responsible for data collection, analysis of the existing needs and gaps for local actors to strengthen their coordination and leadership, as well as the implementation and facilitation of trainings and workshops. The consultant will work closely with the newly established local NGO Network, co-founded by PAO and other stakeholders from local NGOs, INGOs, and UN agencies, to support the ICVA MENA team in achieving various objectives related to advancing the role of local actors and strengthening their coordination capabilities.

The hired consultant will be responsible for putting together a survey on coordination needs, challenges and gaps to properly address them within the new platform and this will be disseminated through ICVA and PAO to local NGOs throughout Iraq. This survey will need to be analysed and make recommendations for the new network to ensure we are steering the network based on the needs of the NGO community itself.

Based on the needs analysis, the consultant will be expected to develop and deliver a tailored training, with supporting tools and resources, for local and national Iraqi NGOs to strengthen their understanding and participation in coordination mechanisms, networking/and influence and collective advocacy with the goal of hopefully becoming members in the newly established network hosted by PAO.

Additionally, the consultant will work closely with ICVA MENA team to develop a program for an NGO network exchange workshop to be held in Amman, Jordan, with heads of networks from Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria to foster learning exchange of good practices among the various NGO networks.

1. Subject

The importance of coordination considering the current context in Iraq, the newly established coordination network and how to actively participate in collective advocacy and influence for change.

The interactive training structure and content will be developed for the specific target audience and involve:

• Expert speakers
• Tools, resources and approaches
• Scenario/case study-based Group exercises
• Exchange of practices and examples through interactive exercises

2. Training date, duration, and language

The consultancy will take place starting from December 2024 to 1 May 2025, up to 20 working days during this period. This duration covers the time required to deliver the above agreed upon needs analysis and workshops design, development and delivery. The training workshops will be held in-person in Erbil, Iraq or in Amman, Jordan. These are full day sessions from 9am – 4pm with a lunch break. The language of the training will be Arabic.

3. Training participants

15-20 pre-identified National/local Iraqi NGOs. Each NNGO will be represented by the head or deputy of the organisation.

4. Training purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop/design, conduct, and report on the knowledge sharing workshop for national/local NGOs in Iraq. The consultant is expected to:

• Designing pre-survey on coordination needs, current issues and opportunities.
• Design the overall training structure and the structure and content of the training sessions. Compile into a training guide and running sheet.
• Develop the required tools and resources for the training in good time to allow required translation of tools into Arabic.
• Deliver the in-person training in Arabic to the local/national Iraqi NGOs.
• Closely liaise with and provide regular updates to the ICVA MENA team to ensure effective preparation and delivery of the training.
• Closely liaise with PAO (Public Aid organization), the host of the local network and the steering committee to identify objectives for training.
• Provide a Post-Training Report

5. Deliverables

The Consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

• Comprehensive survey on coordination needs, gaps, challenges for the wider NGOs across Iraq (virtual).
• Analysis and recommendations and feedback of the survey. Meeting with ICVA and local Network Steering Committee on the feedback on this.
• Facilitate two workshops inside Iraq (in Arabic).
• Full agenda for the training workshops includes interactive exercises, development of tools and exercises, PowerPoints, evaluation forms, pre-post tests, and external speakers. Training running sheet and detailed annotated internal agenda.
• Facilitation 1 exchange workshop in Amman, Jordan with heads of networks from Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria.

6. Engagement with ICVA

The consultant will report to the ICVA Regional Representative and will work closely with the ICVA MENA Deputy Regional Representative, and wider ICVA team members as required.

7. Consultant requirements

• At least 8 years of progressive experience in the humanitarian and/or development sectors, including in senior management roles related to humanitarian coordination.
• Excellent understanding of the NGOs networks work, core areas related to strategic planning processes, accountability, and good governance.
• Knowledge of the international humanitarian sector including the major current humanitarian policy issues including localisation.
• Experience working with and supporting NGO Networks – national, joint and/or international.
• Proven experience in planning, developing and facilitating participatory trainings.
• Exposure and expertise in training methods, approaches and key facilitation skills.
• Experience and expertise in the MENA region working with NGOs on capacity strengthening workshops and needs assessment.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Proven experience in developing tools and resources to support NGO Networks.
• The ability to deliver the training in Arabic language is a must, and to have an excellent English writing skills to finalise the final training report.
• Understanding of ICVA’s mission and NGO contribution to the humanitarian sector.
• Proven ability to work autonomously.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and be flexible, including ability to cope with deadline, multiple tasks, and competing and changing demands.
• Ability to travel to Iraq to deliver the required trainings in person, during the period of February-May 2025.