Terms of Reference
Humanitarian Capacity Framework Consultant
1.
Background
The Shifting the Power project is a START Network project supported by a consortium of 6
humanitarian agencies (ActionAid, CAFOD, ChristianAid, Tearfund, Concern, Oxfam) led by
ActionAid and CAFOD. With support from the Department for International Development (DFID)
through the Disasters and Emergency Preparedness Programme (DEPP), the Shifting the Power
project is part of an ambitious suite of projects launched by the START Network designed to
develop decentralized initiatives to capacity building and to improve the quality and speed of
humanitarian response in countries at risk of natural disaster or conflict related emergencies.
The Shifting the Power project will work in 5 disaster-prone countries to strengthen the capacity of
approximately 50 national and local humanitarian organisations and provide an evidenced
transformational model covering different humanitarian contexts (e.g. fragile; rapid onset; slow
onset; urban). The vision of the project is to support local actors to take their place alongside
international actors to create a more balanced humanitarian system that is more responsive and
accountable to disaster affected communities.
The project will be implemented in Bangladesh,
Kenya, Pakistan, Ethiopia and DRC with leadership from different consortia members.
One of the critical first stages of the project will be to develop a humanitarian capacity framework
and self-assessment process for working with local organisations on humanitarian capacity
development. The project takes CAFOD’s Humanitarian Capacity Assessment framework and selfassessment process as a starting point. The project will conduct a consultation, review and
revision process of CAFOD’s framework in order to create a framework that is adapted to and
owned by the Shifting the Power consortium. We are actively seeking to engage a wider set of
actors and perspectives through the consultation process to ensure that the framework has wider
relevance and uptake by START Network agencies and across the humanitarian sector.
2.
Purpose
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a jointly owned START Shifting the Power
humanitarian capacity framework in line with the project’s theory of change.
The humanitarian capacity framework is a tool to support local organisations taking part in the
Shifting the Power project to assess their capacity to manage humanitarian programmes. The
framework is designed to be flexible in order to be appropriate to a diverse range of organisations
and emergency contexts.
The framework and self-assessment process must enable the project to:

Define what the Shifting the Power project understands by humanitarian capacity based on
the project’s theory of change.

Identify key attributes of good practice in humanitarian preparedness and response.

Support local organisations to conduct self-assessments to analyse their humanitarian
capacity in order to identify and prioritise their capacity development requirements.

Foster local commitment and ownership.

Provide baseline information of local organisations’ humanitarian capacity which will be
reviewed to analyse progress.

Provide an overview of local capacity needs across countries and globally for project
management, prioritisation of resources and evidence to advocate for resources.

3.
Respond to sector-wide standards, frameworks and principles for quality and accountability.
Outcomes
1.
A robust, transparent, inclusive and participatory consultation process.
2.
Clear documentation of the key findings of the consultation process.
3.
A clear, simply structured humanitarian capacity framework aligned with the project’s theory
of change and relevant to the wider humanitarian sector.
4.
A clear guide to undertaking participatory self-assessment processes using the framework.
3.
Key Stakeholder Engagement
The Consultant will consult with key stakeholders and experts including:

Representatives from the 6 consortia agencies in the UK and participating countries.

Experts in the fields of capacity development that have a particular focus on working with
local humanitarian organisations.

Representatives from the START Network and DFID DEPP.

Representatives from CHS and DEC with respect to their approaches to assessing quality and
accountability

Local organisations and key local stakeholders in participating countries.
4.
Key Responsibilities
The consultant will:

Design a thorough yet realistic consultation process.

Review initial feedback from consortium agencies on the framework (collected Nov 14).

Review a shortlist of other capacity assessment tools and processes which could be learnt
from.

Map CAFOD’s humanitarian capacity framework against the Core Humanitarian Standard.

Facilitate an online consultation through the ALNAP Partnerships and Local Capacity in
Emergencies Community of Practice.

Consult with humanitarian, local partnership and capacity development experts.

Develop consultation workshop facilitation materials.

Support the 5 country project managers to design country workshops.

Co-facilitate at least one in-country workshops.

Design and facilitate a consultation workshop in the UK.

Consolidate key findings from the various consultation processes.

Facilitate working sessions with key people to draft the framework.

Develop a draft framework.

Facilitate a 1-day final workshop session at project’s International Inception Workshop to
finalise the framework and self assessment process.

5.
Develop a facilitation guide for self assessment.
Key working relationships
The consultant will work with the Shifting the Power Project Managers in the UK and the 5 project
countries. They will be supported by the Shifting the Power Technical Group and CAFOD’s
Humanitarian Capacity Development Coordinator based in London who will act as the focal-point
for the consultancy. The consultant will be accountable to CAFOD as Chair of the Shifting the
Power International Committee.
6.
Timeframe
The consultant will provide the services agreed in the TOR from January to March 2015. The
planning and design will be carried out by the end of January 2015, consultation workshops in
February 2015 and the draft framework will be produced by 10 March 2015. It is envisioned that
the consultancy will require in the region of 30 days work.
7.
Person Specification
Essential

Be committed to the vision of the START network and the Shifting the Power project.

Have proven experience of successfully managing consultation processes.

Have experience of designing and facilitating high profile workshops.

Have experience of working with local organisations in capacity building particularly in
emergency preparedness and response.

Have a solid understanding of humanitarian and partnership best practice and policy
debates.

Have experience of organisational capacity assessments and other capacity development
tools and approaches.

Have connections with experts within the humanitarian and capacity development sector.

Be highly organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks to tight deadlines.

Be able to take initiative, work autonomously, creatively and innovatively.

Be able to establish effective relationships to achieve results in short-time frames.

Be able to share complex information simply and clearly.

Be fluent in written and spoken English.
Desirable

Have experience of facilitating internal change and participatory learning processes.

Be fluent in written and spoken French.

Have experience of working with consortia.

Have a background in organisational development, management, leadership or HR.
To Apply:
Please send: (1) Your CV, (2) a brief statement of interest (highlighting relevant skills/experience)
and (3) An outline plan for the design of the humanitarian capacity framework including your
process (including deadlines for key deliverables), approach, critical risks and assumptions and a
budget (max 3 pages).
Please send your application to applications@cafod.org.uk
The deadline for expressions of interest is close of business Tuesday 13th January 2015.
The successful candidate(s) should be available to start this project from week beginning 19th
January 2015.