JOMAR24007 Consultancy for the development of PIJOs new country strategy (FY 2025-2029) At Plan International

About Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that strives to advance children’s rights and equality for girls all over the world. We work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. For over 80 years we have been building powerful partnerships for children, and we are active in over 75 countries.

About Plan International Jordan

Plan International Jordan has been established in 2016 and has programmes across the country under six thematic areas: Inclusive Quality Education (IQE), Early Childhood Development (ECD), Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (SOYEE), Youth Empowerment and Meaningful Participation, Protection from Violence (PfV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Plan International Jordan aims to confront and challenge discrimination and human rights violations based on gender, including gender-based violence, and other forms of exclusion, challenge stereotypes and unequal power relations between women, men, boys, and girls to promote gender equality, girls’ rights, and inclusion, foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion, while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.

Plan International Jordan Country Strategy

Due to the massive number of refugees forced to flee conflict and live far from home across the Middle East, gender inequality, abuse, child labour and a lack of education have become rife, and the international response has struggled to keep up. By focusing on the critical issues faced in Jordan by the most vulnerable children, especially girls, among refugee and host communities, we are working where we are needed most and where we can have the most significant impact.

In 2019, Plan International Jordan (PIJO) developed its first five-year Country Strategy for the years 2020-2024 and updated it in June 2020 and in September 2021. This strategy lays out the programmatic and organizational response in the local and international development context in which Plan Jordan operates, and outlines our goal to strengthening the humanitarian-development nexus through a collaborative approach to achieve collective outcomes for both humanitarian and development programmes.

The table below presents a summary of the programmes incorporated in the country strategy, along with the underlying theory of change for each programme. Each programme includes a set of outcomes, associated indicators, and primary impact groups.

Programme 1: Increased access to gender responsive and safe ECCD and education for children, adolescents

Theory of Change: Children and their families (parents/caregivers) will be targeted through a holistic programme that combines gender responsive nurturing care, child protection, gender-based violence, life skills and education in order to help address contextual educational barriers and provision of age-appropriate opportunities. Working collaboratively with local partners within the community to promote the use of context-led holistic programming that feeds into and strengthens national mechanisms and policies for the healthy growth and development of young children; and drop-outs children /children at high risk of dropping out taking in consideration strengthening the online education, through building capacity of MOH and MOE. This, in turn, will build knowledge and capacity at the ministries level to help improve the current national systems and pathways

Programme & Influencing Objective: Girls and boys (0-17), from vulnerable and excluded groups have equal access to inclusive and quality education, receiving the care, support and services they need to survive, grow up healthy and develop to their full potential, free from discriminatory gender norms and harmful attitudes.

Programme 2:

Economic opportunities and protective economic integration for marginalized youth, especially women

Theory of Change: Both vulnerable youth and their families will be targeted through an integrated educational and economic programming. It combines Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), life skills and business skills training, support to the transition to employment and entrepreneurship including using social enterprise platforms. The Country Programme will address the social norms and behavioural barriers, by working collaboratively with families and with local partners within the community, to promote the use of context-led programming that feeds into and strengthens national mechanisms and policies for the economic inclusion of the most vulnerable, both Jordanians and refugees.

Programme & Influencing Objective:

Vulnerable and excluded young people, particularly young women, are resilient and are actively engaged in decent working opportunities whether waged or self-employed.

Programme 3:

Strengthen capacities of families and societies to address the SRHR needs of children, adolescents, and young people and protect them from violence and abuse and other forms of SGBV

Theory of Change:Children, adolescents and young adults are supported by community members and live in a protective environment free from discrimination, abuse, violence, or harmful practices; and are able to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives, including whether, when and whom to marry and whether, when and by what means to have a child.

Programme & Influencing Objective: Vulnerable children, adolescents and youth (aged 6-24), especially adolescent girls and young women who are affected by conflict, supported by adolescent boys and young men/their male peers and by their parents/caregivers, families and communities, have the capacity and resources to prevent and respond to CP and GBV concerns and to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives, free from discrimination, coercion, violence, or harmful practices.

Programme 4: Vulnerable and excluded children, particularly girls, have the power to take action on issues that matter to them and shape the decisions that affect their lives

Theory of Change:

The programme will work with the adolescent girls and young women to develop and use their agency, voice, and resources to become women as drivers of social and political change in a conscious manner with the:

– Support of young male peers

– Supportive family members

– Meaningful inclusion of young people especially young women through maintaining spaces for young people in decision-making

– Promoting positive and gender equal media portrayal

– Institutionalize young people’s participation in decision making and invest in their collective actions

Programme & Influencing Objective:

Increased sustained influence of GYW on decision making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.

FUNCTIONS/DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CONSULTANT (SCOPE OF WORK)

Under the direct supervision of Plan International Jordan CS core team, the consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

Phase 1- Assessment and Diagnostic Stage

Purpose of the assessment

The primary objective of the assessment is to evaluate the Country strategy for the years 2020-2024 in terms of process and immediate outcomes, pinpoint observed gaps within the organization, and gather evidence. The aim is to provide recommendations that should be considered during the development phase of the new country strategy, addressing the following questions:

• How successful were the processes, approaches, country strategy framework, and designs in implementing CSP, and what factors contributed to their success?
• What challenges were encountered in the CSP implementation, and what were the underlying reasons for these difficulties?
• To what extent have observable changes and results been achieved as a result of the CSP implementation?
• How effectively do the organization structures support the CSP objectives, and what aspects require improvement to enhance their functionality?
• What partnerships were established and what challenges were faced in implementing the CSP, and how can we learn from these experiences to manage partnerships effectively in the new country strategy?

Phase 2- Development of a New Country Strategy (2025- 2029)

Following the assessment of the current country strategy, along with the documentation of findings and analysis accompanied by recommendations, a new country strategy for the years 2025-2029 should be formulated in close collaboration with a core team established from Plan International Jordan. The final Country Strategy should be a concise, clear document that presents the high-level strategic thinking. It is designed to provide strategic direction to all of Plan International’s work in the country over a 5-year period. It should be easy for a wide range of stakeholders to understand. It should not describe operational details or all aspects of the underlying analysis which can be captured in separate documentation.

The consultant will facilitate regular meetings and workshops with Plan International’s core team to collaboratively develop the new country strategy document.

The components of the new country strategy will include:

• Situation analysis This section presents a summary of the situation analysis, including as a minimum:

a) Key aspects of the social, political, economic and legal environment that have a major impact on children’s rights and equality for girls, including identifying relevant laws, policies, budget allocations and social practices in view of the major rights gaps identified.

b) Major gaps in children’s rights, gender equality and inclusion, which are significant at a national level and/or local level with an analysis of the root causes and drivers of these gaps, inequalities and power-imbalances and how they affect and interact with the vulnerabilities of different stakeholders including girls and boys, sponsored children and youth.

c) An analysis of threats from natural and man-made disasters, conflict and climate change.

d) Organisations, including representative ones (e.g. Women’s groups, indigenous groups, Disabled People’s Organisation etc), that have a major impact on children’s rights and equality for girls, their major priorities and interests/power dynamics. Included analysis of the current partnership approach and practices in relation to the Country Strategy.

The situation analysis draws from existing sources of data and evidence wherever possible. It should be developed in light of Plan International’s purpose, global strategic priorities and global theory of change. This is complemented by primary research where needed. Sources of data include external research and evaluations, ongoing monitoring of programmes and country context, as well as Plan International’s programme work and sponsorship data.

• Lessons Learned from Previous Strategy This section should review and reflect on the previous country strategy and summarise the key learnings programmatically, strategically and operationally. Provide an overview of what worked well and what will be adapted or changed in the new strategy. This section should also outline key areas of the previous strategy which were not delivered or will be integrated into the new strategic objectives.
• Strategic choices and rationale This section outlines what strategic choices have been made and why these particular strategic focus areas have been chosen in response to the issues and gaps identified in the situation analysis.

This section should cover two primary aspects:

• Based on the situation analysis and Plan International’s priorities, outline what are the strategic options and what strategic choices have been made to determine our overall focus
• Provide rationale explaining how this will contribute to Plan’s overall purpose and how it is realistic/feasible/relevant. The rationale should consider the lessons about how to improve Plan International’s work, and address at minimum:
• Experience and expertise/capabilities
• Human and financial resources
• Funding opportunities
• Major partners whose work may overlap or intersect with that of Plan International
• Global priorities and approaches

The strategic choices include transformational changes to what Plan International already does, in line with the global strategy. They take account of up-to-date technical good practice in different thematic areas. The strategic choices and rationale section should be based upon the situation analysis and existing data sources wherever possible, including sponsorship data and includes lessons identified from the review of the previous Country Strategy (see 4.1.3), quarterly and annual reports, projects, evaluations, audits, the strategic choices workshop and the country risk register, as well as feedback from key stakeholders.

• Programme and Influencing Focus This section describes the what, how, where and who of Plan International’s programme and influence objectives. It should identify a clear focus at the strategic (rather than operational) level, which provides the basis for developing expertise in focus areas and implementing all projects. It includes:

Plan International’s position at the national levelThis section should briefly identify Plan International’s current position at the national level then provides a high-level statement of the role that Plan International aspires to play as an independent NGO at a national level. This should provide the basis for how Plan International wants to be known by other significant actors in the country, including civil society and government. It should also determine Plan’s distinctive focus or niche in relation to other actors and how we will be influential where most needed.

What Plan International will do

This section should be presented using the results framework table below.

Country Goal:

State the overall goal of the Country Strategy across the programmes. The country goal is formulated as a results/impact statement. The existing impact statements from our areas of global distinctiveness are a good place to start for this purpose. The goal should be clearly defined and focused.

Programme 1:

Theory of Change: (A short description of how the key interventions are expected to lead to the outcomes and the programme objective. This should be aligned with Plan International’s Theory of Change, the AoGD Frameworks and other global guidance.)

Primary Impact Group(s):

Target groups and Estimated Reach:

Sub impact areas covered:

Implications: (Any specific changes or investment needed in terms of internal capabilities methodologies, partners, structures in order to successfully implement this programme)

Programme & Influence Objective:

Key Outcomes for each actor

Key interventions

Core AOGD Indicators

A Country Strategy will have a maximum of four programmes. These are the main programming areas that Plan International will work on to contribute to positive changes in children’s rights and equality for girls. The programmes should reflect the Areas of Global Distinctiveness as far as possible within the particular context. Programmes should be integrated across thematic areas as appropriate. The consultant should apply Plan International’s global approach to Programme and Influence.

Plan International’s Delivery Approach encompasses the determination of the implementation modality, whether through partnerships or direct delivery. It outlines objectives for developing partnerships, specifying their purpose and identifying key collaborators from civil society, government, private sector, academic institutions, and research bodies. This section also outlines the approach to influencing, detailing how Plan International’s work will impact or be executed in collaboration with children, families, communities, civil society organizations, and government. It addresses the contribution of Plan International’s programming to regional/global initiatives for promoting children’s rights, informed by earlier partnership mapping. Additionally, it highlights the assurance of meeting sponsorship commitments and the involvement of sponsored children in programming and influencing work. The section on where Plan International will work justifies the selected areas through a map and explains the alignment of program and sponsorship implementation areas, including any planned presence changes. Finally, it describes the target groups Plan International aims to support, considering potential inclusion issues and key stakeholder groups involved in achieving outcomes.

– Organisational Objectives

This section provides an overview of the current organisational capacity and the specific areas that will be strengthened in order to implement the Country Strategy.

It describes major changes such as:

1. changes to the organisational set-up in Plan International over the strategic period (including issues of local registration, if appropriate)
2. changes in the formal organisation including structure, systems, processes and policies that are required to achieve the programme objectives in a cost-efficient way
3. changes to Plan International’s human resource requirements including skills, capabilities and behaviours, as well as structure, over the strategic period, including particular areas of expertise and competency both programmatic, partnership and operational (this may include new approaches to rewards, learning and development)
4. changes to the informal organization including leadership and culture
5. changes to other operational areas, such as finance, logistics and security, which are required to achieve the programme and influence objectives

A maximum of four organisational objectives should be identified for the Country Strategy period, such as changes in structures, systems, processes or capacities. Specific outcomes and activities should be identified for each one, along with at least one key achievement per objective over the five years.

• Partnership objectives

1. In this section Plan staff and the consultant will work together to create a structured plan for partnership objectives that aligns with the Country Strategy. The goal is to identify areas for improvement in strategy implementation and develop specific, measurable objectives that align with the partnership’s approach and practices. The consultant will ensure that the plan serves as a roadmap to guide the partnership’s efforts in alignment with the Country Strategy.

Ethics, Child Protection, and Safeguarding

Plan International is committed to ensuring that the rights of those participating in data collection or analysis are respected and protected, in accordance with Ethical MERL Framework and our Global Policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People. All applicants should include details in their proposal on how they will ensure ethics and child protection in the data collection process. Specifically, the consultant(s) shall explain how appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation of all stakeholders will be ensured and how special attention will be paid to the needs of children and other vulnerable groups. The consultant(s) shall also explain how confidentiality and anonymity of participants will be guaranteed.

The consultant shall read and sign Plan’s code of conduct as fully understood and in agreement to in all respects and shall follow this in all and every aspect during the term of this employment. The consultant must follow Ethical Principles in a research and obtain written/verbal consent from the targeted populations.

Key Deliverables

At a minimum, deliverables and services should include:

• Inception Report including:
  • An updated timeline;
  • General understanding and approach for this assignment;
  • Assessment/Evaluation matrix, including detailed methodology;
  • Data analysis approach
  • Data collection tools (where applicable);
  • Ethical considerations;
  • Consent forms for any primary data collection (where applicable);
  • Brief justification of the methods and techniques used (including relevant underlying values and assumptions/ theories) with a justification of the selections made
• Draft Assessment/ Lessons Learned Report
• Final Assessment with recommendations (including Executive Summary)
• CS Design Workshops with Plan International’s core team
• Draft CS document
• Validation workshop with the Country Management Team
• Final CS document and PPT

Timeline

The work should commence immediately after signing the contract agreement between Plan International Jordan and the Consulting Firm/Individual and will be completed within 70 days. Detailed implementation plan and submission of reports is indicated below (A detailed breakdown of proposed activities should be provided by the consultant.).

Table of Timeline

Activity

Time

Days of Work

Responsible

Individuals Involved

What is the specific activity?

When will this activity begin?

How many days of work are required?

Who is responsible for the delivery of this activity?

Who needs to be involved?

Expected Qualifications

The consulting firm/ Individual should have minimum of five years’ experience and needs to have proven experience and delivery of undertaking similar assignments.

The consultant will assign qualified persons with strategic thinking skills, data collection, analysis and interpretation techniques, preferably persons with proven experiences in managing similar assignments. The team leader and team members should have considerable experience on Mid-term/final surveys in general. The team should meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrated experience in coordinating and administering Mid-term/end line studies, including gender-sensitive data collection and entry, data management and storage.
• Demonstrate experience in developing strategies for international organisations/ NGOs.
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Knowledge and experience in Child safeguarding issues, policies and services systems in Jordan.
• Knowledge of and experience in gender equality issues is highly preferred.
• Ability to produce high quality work under tight timeframes.
• Proven experience in carrying out evaluations
• Proficiency in qualitative methods of data collection
• Proficiency in quantitative methods of data collection
• Proven experience with data analysis
• Excellent writing skills in Arabic and English