Proposal Development Training & Facilitation Consultant

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine since its escalation in February 2022. In the wake of this crisis, the IFRC has witnessed an unparalleled surge in multilateral funding, enabling it to address the urgent humanitarian, public health, social service, and developmental needs arising from the conflict. Despite the generous initial influx of funds, the protracted nature of the conflict has led to a gradual decline in humanitarian funding.

This emerging challenge necessitates a shift towards a more proactive and strategic approach to sustain and enhance the IFRC’s work. A key component of this strategy is the strengthening of proposal and concept note development capabilities at both delegation and regional levels. Recognising the critical need to bolster these skills among its staff, the IFRC’s Regional Office for Europe is actively seeking a consultant that will be tasked with the development and delivery of a comprehensive training program. The programme aims to equip staff with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively navigate the increasingly complex landscape of humanitarian funding and ensure the continuation of the IFRC’s essential services amidst the ongoing emergency appeal for Ukraine and impacted countries.

Job Purpose

Objective:

The overarching goal of this consultancy is to strengthen the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Regional Office for Europe’s capacity in engaging with institutional donors and funding partners. This initiative is designed to enhance the competencies of key staff through a structured training program, ensuring they are well-equipped for proposal development in the context of the ongoing humanitarian efforts. To realize this objective, the following key actions have been outlined:

• Develop an online training programme to be able to reach ideally all IFRC offices in the region, optimising both reach and cost-effectiveness.
• Conduct a preparatory phase involving discussions with Programme Management, Quality Assurance and Resource Mobilization (PMER/SPRM) teams, as well as a webinar with potential participants to gather feedback to refine and enhance the consultant’s initial proposal based on the insights received. The initial proposal should include proposed timeline, methodology and approaches, recommended curriculum, expected outcomes and as well as financial proposal. The initial proposal should be presented and approved prior to commencement of the delivery of the training.
• Schedule and deliver the training over a span of 3-4 weeks, with sessions potentially spanning 2-3 half days each week, to accommodate various schedules.
• Incorporate a practical component within the training, such as working on a case study, to ensure the training provides practical knowledge and experience on proposal development.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Desired outputs:

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive on-line training curriculum that builds on the successful preparation and framing of proposals.
• Ensure quality control over all training materials and proposal drafts generating progress reports that detail the advancements, challenges, and results of the training efforts, providing expert advice and recommendations to enhance engagement strategies.
• Training evaluation to measure on the competency improvement post-training.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Competencies of the consultant:

The competencies required for the consultant in the context of the IFRC’s Proposal Development Training for the Regional Office for Europe would likely include:

• Extensive experience in proposal development and fundraising, with a focus on institutional donors in the humanitarian sector (particularly EU donors and USAID)
• Strong analytical skills to assess funding trends and donor priorities, and to develop compelling proposals that align with these insights.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct training programs, preferably with experience in online or remote learning platforms to reach a wide audience.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage and instruct diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams, such as PMER/SPRM, to tailor the training content to the organization’s needs.
• Flexibility and adaptability to adjust the training approach based on participant feedback and changing circumstances.

These competencies would ensure that the consultant is well-equipped to deliver a high-quality training program that meets the needs of the IFRC and its stakeholders.

Competencies, Values and Comments

Management of consultancy

The consultant will be contracted by the IFRC and will report to a joint task force including SPRM, Quality Assurance and Operations Management. The standard IFRC contractual terms will apply.

Timeframe and key deadlines of the consultancy

This consultancy will take place between June-September, 2024 over the course of 15 days in total

• Initial proposal prepared by end of June 2024
• Training carried out by end of August 2024
• Evaluation carried out by end of September 2024