Become a Child Rights and Governance Consultant at Save the Children (International), Apply!!!
Save the Children is seeking a consultant to advance our strategy for USG funding, working with our regional and country offices to support positioning and capture activities with USAID Missions and other relevant partners. This will include supporting our experts to engage with USG officials, demonstrate thought leadership through participating in events, deliver written thought pieces, and seeking other external engagement opportunities to build Save the Children’s brand in governance in the US context, building on our extensive global governance expertise. The consultant will also provide advisory services for two applications to DRL during the time period.
Closing Date: 01 December 2023
Project Title: Child Rights and Governance Consultant
Division: International Programs
Dates: January – June 2024
Contact: Laurel MacLaren, Head of Program Quality and Impact ([email protected])
Background
Save the Children (SC) has a growing portfolio of child rights and governance programming, and for the past year has been taking steps to pursue the significant untapped potential of funding from the US Government (USG) for governance programming. We are pursuing three main sources of USG funding: Democracy, Rights and Governance (DRG) funding from USAID Missions; funding from the State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL); and funding from USAID Bureau for Development, Democracy and Innovation (DDI).
Of the governance areas funded by USG, SC has the most technical capacity in demand-side governance programming, with a differentiator from others in our focus on children and youth. Our portfolio of relevant programming focuses on citizen engagement in governance and civil society strengthening, which showcase our strengths connecting children to public decision-making processes and supporting child-led and youth-led groups to mobilize their peers and communities in civic engagement. We are also planning to pursue USG funds for human rights and social inclusion projects, leveraging SC’s growing portfolio in gender equality, disability inclusion, climate change social justice.
Deliverables
The specific tasks include as follows:
- Referencing our DRG funding strategy, a mapping of current knowledge products conducted in November 2023, develop a high-level workplan for positioning Save the Children for governance funding opportunities in 10 countries. For each country, activities should include written materials (case study, two-pager and talking points) that reflect the donor’s in-country strategy and Save the Children’s experience and partnerships. Draft country list (to be finalized at commencement of consultancy): ; Nepal; Colombia; El Salvador; Guatemala; Somalia; South Sudan; Cote d’Ivoire; Niger; Nigeria; Sahel. (10 days)
- Work with country office and global technical counterparts to support implementation of the positioning plan, including drafting written materials and talking points, conducting desk research to identify strategic opportunities to engage with the donor and partners, supporting efforts to organize meetings, events and/or attendance at events. Focus on showcasing differentiators that include: children and youth’s participation in governance; civil society strengthening; public investment in children; gender; and social cohesion. Include messaging that advocates for recognizing children and adolescents as part of governance strategies that have traditionally focused on older youth. Emphasize Save the Children’s localization approach and achievements.(40 days)
- Organize materials and meetings for Save the Children’s DC-based “Spring Engagement Week”, when approximately 8 country office colleagues (countries TBD) will be in Washington DC to meet with donors and partners. Support outreach to USAID DRG and DDI counterparts to arrange meetings, identify key DC-based partners to meet with, develop talking points and other meeting preparations (8 days).
- Provide support for two Save the Children applications to Department of State DRL (countries/topics TBD, but likely in the area of youth civic participation, social cohesion/peacebuilding, or a related topic). Serve as focal point to help Country Office colleagues understand the DRL proposal calendar and requirements (using tools available from Save the Children), ensure timelines are met, provide writing and editing support as needed to finalized submission (15 days).
- Ensure all written resources are uploaded on to Save the Children’s Resource Centre, properly tagged and with relevant key words, in alignment with the child rights and governance knowledge management strategy. (2 days)
The consultant will work directly with the Save the Children Child Rights Governance team based in Washington DC, London, and elsewhere around the world to ensure that deliverables are reflective of Save the Children’s global priorities and build on prior discussions and work.
Deliverables and Timeline
The consultant will provide the following deliverables to Save the Children:
- Deliverable 1: High-level workplan for Save the Children positioning in 10 countries
- Deliverable 2: Positioning plan and associated materials for the first 3 countries.
- Deliverable 3: Positioning plan and associated materials for the second 4 countries.
- Deliverable 4: Positioning plan and associated materials for final 3 countries.
- Deliverable 5: Documentation of support for two DRL proposals including proposal calendar, draft
- technical narrative and annexes.
- Deliverable 6: Handover report detailing the status of all activities conducted.
Period of engagement:
The engagement will run from approximately January 8 – June 12, 2024, with a maximum of 75 days LOE. Start and end dates are negotiable within 1 week on either end.
Payment
Payment will be upon invoice with supporting documentation of timesheet and deliverables listed above, not to exceed six payments during the period of performance.
Management of Consultancy
The consultant’s main point of contact will be Laurel MacLaren, Head of Program, Quality and Impact
(PQI) at Save the Children US and will coordinate with Save the Children International’s global Child Right, Equality and Social Justice (CRESJ) team.
Consultant Qualifications
- Applications from a single consultant or consultant group are acceptable.
- Demonstrated understanding of child rights and/or governance programming/advocacy, in an international development or humanitarian setting.
- Preference for experience in one or more of the following areas: citizen engagement in budget transparency and accountability; civil society strengthening; connecting children and youth to public decision-making processes; supporting child- and youth-led groups in advocacy and civic engagement; human rights; social inclusion; gender equality; disability inclusion; and/or climate change social justice.
- Demonstrated knowledge of USG donors supporting child rights and governance programming, e.g., USAID DRG, USAID DDI and US Department of State.
- Track record leading positioning and capture for public sector funding opportunities.
- Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
- Preferred competency in French or Spanish.
- Excellent project management skills.
- Track record of working with diverse people across global organizations.
- Familiarity with SharePoint, Workplace and MS 365.
Save the Children’s values
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we
give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we
share. Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to
work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.
Save the Children provides opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color,
religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age,
handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all
applicable laws.
How to apply
Send an expression of interest to Laurel MacLaren ([email protected]) that includes:
- CV(s)
- One example of previous work/deliverables relevant to this scope of work
- Preliminary budget demonstrating all-inclusive daily rates
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