Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of the assignment is to assess how conflict dynamics, fragility, social tensions, political economy factors and governance issues may affect implementation of BRIDGE+ and Horti-LIFE Green Growth, and how project interventions may interact with these dynamics. The exercise shall generate practical, prioritised measures that can be integrated into project management, implementation, monitoring, risk management and adaptive management processes to ensure that project interventions Do No Harm and contribute more effectively to social cohesion, inclusion, trust, and equitable access to benefits.

5. Objectives

1. Identify and analyse conflict drivers, grievances, actors, power relations, dividers, connectors and local capacities for cooperation relevant to the operating environments of both projects.
2. Assess how project design and implementation interact with conflict dynamics and political economy factors.
3. Identify actual and perceived risks associated with project activities, targeting, partnerships, procurement, staffing, stakeholder engagement, service delivery and resource allocation.
4. Assess risks of exclusion, unequal access, perceived bias and unintended harm, including implications for women, youth, marginalised groups and persons with disabilities.
5. Identify practical opportunities to strengthen conflict sensitivity, inclusion, trust, social cohesion, safeguarding and Do No Harm practices.
6. Provide programme-specific, prioritised recommendations and action planning frameworks for conflict-sensitive project adaptation, monitoring, and decision-making.
7. Provide a 1-day orientation for the project teams on conflict sensitivity next to closely working together with the project teams during the assessment.

6. Scope o11f work

The consultant is expected to propose and justify an appropriate methodology, analytical framework, stakeholder engagement approach, sampling strategy, workplan and level of effort. The proposed approach shall be proportionate to the assignment objectives, operating context, access constraints and indicative level of effort.

For the details, please refer the ToR.

This assignment aims to assess the quality and decency of jobs created for LIWAY’s target groups—women and youth. The findings and recommendations will guide programme improvements and support learning with donors and other relevant stakeholders.

Advisor – Gender Equality and Inclusion

Cluster or office: Economic Transformation Cluster (ETC)

Project name: Jobs&Skills4Climate – Ethiopia / STEP IV – Sustainable Training and Education Programme

Duty station: Based in Addis Ababa with regular travel within Ethiopia as required.

End date of contract -6/30/2028

Brief and attractive description of the project/ unit

The special initiative Jobs and Skills 4 Climate, under the Ethio-German Sustainable Training and Education Programme (STEP IV), strengthens the role of green jobs and skills in partner countries’ transitions towards low-carbon, climate-resilient economies. The project links investments in green skills with climate and socio-economic benefits, integrates national climate and labour policies with local training programmes, and enables international knowledge exchange. It places particular emphasis on ensuring that women, youth and other relevant target groups participate in and benefit from emerging employment and skills opportunities.

The Gender Equality and Inclusion Advisor provides technical advice and coordination support to strengthen gender equality, social inclusion and equal access to skills development and employment opportunities across relevant policies, TVET programmes and labour market interventions. The position supports the integration of gender-responsive, inclusive and gender-transformative approaches into policies, programmes and institutional processes, with particular attention to groups that face structural barriers to participation and advancement.

The Advisor works closely with government institutions, TVET authorities and institutions, private sector actors, employers, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders to identify and address barriers to inclusive participation in skills development and the labour market. The position contributes to evidence generation, monitoring, learning and knowledge management on gender equality and inclusion and supports the documentation and scaling of effective approaches.

Responsibilities and Duties

Key Functions

• Provide technical advice to MoPD, MoLS and relevant TVET institutions on integrating gender equality and social inclusion into skills development, TVET, labour market and employment measures.
• Support the design and implementation of gender-responsive and inclusive approaches within green skills and employment interventions.
• Identify structural, institutional and socio-economic barriers affecting women, youth and other underrepresented groups in access to skills development, training and employment.
• Advise partners on strengthening equal participation and representation in TVET institutions, training programmes and decision-making structures.
• Coordinate multi-stakeholder processes involving government, TVET institutions, private sector, employers, CSOs and development partners to advance inclusive skills and employment measures.
• Generate and use gender- and inclusion-disaggregated evidence to inform programme design, implementation, monitoring and decision-making.
• Strengthen the integration of gender and inclusion indicators and targets into planning, monitoring, reporting and learning processes.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and document good practices, lessons learned and scalable approaches related to gender equality and inclusion.
• Contribute to work planning, activity budgeting, procurement inputs and compliance with GIZ processes.
• Maintain cooperation and communication with implementing partners, private sector, TVET institutions and relevant development initiatives.
• Ensure quality assurance and gender responsiveness and inclusiveness of technical outputs.

Gender equality and inclusion policy and strategy advisory

• Review relevant national policies, strategies and programmes to identify entry points for strengthening gender equality and inclusion in skills development, TVET and labour market measures.
• Draft and review policy notes, action plans and implementation guidelines that integrate gender equality and inclusion objectives.
• Identify gender- and inclusion-related barriers and support partners in developing practical measures to address them.
• Advise on approaches to strengthen participation and opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups in training and employment.
• Support the development and application of gender-responsive and inclusive institutional and programme strategies.

Inclusive skills development and labour market linkage

• Conduct gender and inclusion analyses of TVET systems, training programmes, occupational areas and labour market pathways.
• Support TVET providers in integrating gender-responsive and inclusive approaches into curricula, training delivery, institutional management and student support systems.
• Promote measures that improve access, retention, completion and transition to employment for women, youth and other underrepresented groups.
• Advise on inclusive career guidance, employment services, apprenticeships and job placement mechanisms.
• Facilitate partnerships with employers and private sector actors to expand inclusive employment opportunities.

Institutional transformation and capacity development

• Support initiatives that strengthen women’s leadership and representation within TVET institutions and relevant decision-making structures.
• Assess institutional practices and organizational cultures that may create barriers to equal participation and advancement.
• Develop and facilitate capacity-building activities on gender equality, social inclusion and gender-transformative approaches.
• Support institutions in developing more inclusive, safe and supportive learning and working environments.

Evidence, M&E, and learning

• Establish gender- and inclusion-responsive baselines, indicators and targets to monitor programme results.
• Ensure systematic collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated and relevant inclusion data.
• Lead or commission gender and inclusion analyses, assessments, tracer studies and case studies.
• Synthesize evidence and lessons learned for decision-makers and contribute to technical briefs, reports and learning products.

Coordination and Operational contributions

• Convene and facilitate technical working groups, stakeholder consultations, workshops and trainings on gender equality and inclusion.
• Coordinate with MoPD, MoLS, TVET agencies, private sector actors, employers, CSOs and development partners.
• Draft terms of reference, review consultant deliverables and ensure compliance with GIZ quality standards.
• Provide inputs to annual and quarterly operational plans, budgets and activity implementation.
• Track progress and risks and contribute to reporting to commissioning parties and internal GIZ systems.
• Ensure adherence to GIZ procedures on procurement, data protection and compliance.

Love In Action Ethiopia (LIAE) has over 24 years of experience implementing development programs across Ethiopia, reaching 497 woredas across all regions of the country. Its work spans health, education, economic empowerment, good governance, and other development sectors, with extensive experience partnering with government institutions, communities, and development partners. In Gambella Region, LIAE has supported the HIV and broader health response for more than 15 years, building strong partnerships with government, communities, and health facilities while developing a deep understanding of the region’s unique challenges.

PROJECT 1 - FOCUS-2030 PROJECT

Building on this experience, LIAE is implementing the U.S. Government (USG)-funded FOCUS-2030 Project, which aims to address the region’s HIV epidemic challenges and accelerate progress toward HIV epidemic control and the 95-95-95 targets by 2030. The project delivers client-centered and family-focused HIV prevention, testing, treatment, viral-load suppression, and community-based services, while strengthening health systems and promoting sustainable, locally led HIV responses.

To achieve this transformation, LIAE recognizes the importance of a skilled, motivated, accountable, and forward-looking team with the right technical expertise, leadership, and commitment to results. The organization is therefore seeking highly qualified professionals who share this vision and are ready to contribute to a stronger, sustainable, and locally led HIV response in Gambella.

Love In Action Ethiopia (LIAE) has over 24 years of experience implementing development programs across Ethiopia, reaching 497 woredas across all regions of the country. Its work spans health, education, economic empowerment, good governance, and other development sectors, with extensive experience partnering with government institutions, communities, and development partners. In Gambella Region, LIAE has supported the HIV and broader health response for more than 15 years, building strong partnerships with government, communities, and health facilities while developing a deep understanding of the region’s unique challenges.

PROJECT 1 - FOCUS-2030 PROJECT

Building on this experience, LIAE is implementing the U.S. Government (USG)-funded FOCUS-2030 Project, which aims to address the region’s HIV epidemic challenges and accelerate progress toward HIV epidemic control and the 95-95-95 targets by 2030. The project delivers client-centered and family-focused HIV prevention, testing, treatment, viral-load suppression, and community-based services, while strengthening health systems and promoting sustainable, locally led HIV responses.

To achieve this transformation, LIAE recognizes the importance of a skilled, motivated, accountable, and forward-looking team with the right technical expertise, leadership, and commitment to results. The organization is therefore seeking highly qualified professionals who share this vision and are ready to contribute to a stronger, sustainable, and locally led HIV response in Gambella.

Description of program location and context

 SOS Children’s Village Program Gode as one of the eight children’s village programs in Ethiopia was established in 2004 and formally inaugurated on 03 October 2005. The program in Gode has 5 units namely: the Alternative Childcare in which disadvantaged and orphaned children and youth are nurtured until they become self-reliant; the Family and Community Empowerment Program Unit where families are enabled to provide adequate care to their children; Herman Gmeiner School with primary and preparatory levels; SOS kindergarten; and SOS Medical Centre with both inpatient and outpatient care.

Since February 2015, the SOS Children Villages Gode Program has been carrying out the Kelafo Family and Community Development Program. After completing the phased project successfully, the program started its second phase, which was larger than the first. In addition, the program began implementing its third phase, which is significantly larger than the second phase. In February 2023, SOS Children Villages envisaged upgrading the Kelafo family and community empowerment project to the program, which commenced in January 2024 in its Fourth Phase.

 This program aims to contribute towards the improved well-being of children and the empowerment of families and communities in the Kelafo district of the Somali region, Ethiopia. This program has six specific Objectives namely; School-age children are educated and skilled, Children are cared for and protected, Families and youth have sustainable economic capacities; Children and youth are growing up healthy, Improved DRRM capacity of the community, and improved capacity KIPs in responding to the situation of children at risk and their families.

The project, titled "KELAFO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROJECT": Improving the social skill development, economic empowerment, and child wellbeing among Communities in Kelafo District Funded by the Switzerland PSA, the project is implemented by SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia Gode program Location.

The project targets Five Kebeles of Kelafo woredas Somali regional states. It is designed to contribute towards the improved well-being of children and the empowerment of families and communities in the Kelafo district of the Somali region by fostering social stability and family cohesiveness. The project aims to reach a total of 9,598 direct participants (beneficiaries) and 53,674 indirect participants (beneficiaries) within the target communities.

Objectives of the Final Evaluation

 General Objective

The primary objective of this terminal evaluation is to analyze the most significant changes of Kelafo family and community empowerment program responses and the benefits it had on families in terms of social skill development, economic empowerment, and child wellbeing on its intended impact and outcomes, and provide actionable recommendations to it sustainability after the project phase out.

The FS project aims to ensure children’s and young people’s rights are fully realized within their families of origin by supporting those at risk of family separation through:

•  Family strengthening towards Self-reliant: “strengthening parents’ ability to guide childdevelopment, manage their households, and coach children on education and career opportunities to empowering women through socioeconomic activities and asset ownership.
• Community Empowerment (SACCOs & Cooperative Farmers): Building the technical and financial capacity of the SACCOs and Farmer cooperatives for career opportunities, and at empowering girls and women to lead change in their families and communities”. 
• Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC): Utilizing targeted awareness campaigns to address normative barriers that community practices such as traditional harmful practices (FGM, gender inequalities and early marriage) that hinder socioeconomic activities.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives are:

• Document significant changes experienced by participants due to project interventions.
• Identify the most valued project outcomes from the perspective of participants and stakeholders.
• To assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the project’s interventions and integrated approaches in improving the overall well-being of target communities.
• Generate evidence on changes related to child wellbeing, family resilience, education, livelihoods, and community empowerment.
• Understand factors contributing to successful outcomes and sustainability.
• Capture lessons learned and good practices for future programming.

Most Significant Changes Domains

Stories shall be collected under the following domains:

Domain 1: Child Care and Protection

• Improved parenting skills.
• Reduced child neglect, abuse, and harmful practices.
• Enhanced child protection mechanisms.
• Increased community responsibility for child wellbeing.

Domain 2: Education and Life Skills

• Improved school attendance and academic performance.
• Increased retention and transition rates.
• Enhanced life skills and aspirations among children and youth.

Domain 3: Economic Empowerment and Family Strengthening

• Improved household income.
• Increased livelihood diversification.
• Strengthened financial management.
• Women's economic empowerment.
• Improved food security.

Domain 4: SACCO and Cooperative Development

• Access to financial services.
• Increased savings culture.
• Improved cooperative governance and management.
• Enhanced agricultural productivity.

Domain 5: Health, Nutrition, and Resilience

• Improved health-seeking behavior.
• Better child nutrition.
• Enhanced disaster preparedness and response capacity.

Domain 6: Gender and Social Behavior Change

• Reduction of harmful traditional practices.
• Improved gender equality.
• Positive attitude and behavior changes regarding child rights and protection.

 Project Outcomes and Outputs

The overall goal of the project is “To Contribute towards the improved wellbeing of children and empowerment of families and communities in Kelafo district of Somali region by 2026.”.

Outcomes and outputs:

Outcome 1: Children are cared and protected.

Output 1.1         Families have improved parental skills to care for and protect their children    

Output 1.2         Caregivers have improved awareness of child protection

Output 1.3         Community and school’s establish initiatives to strengthen child protection.

Output 2:           Children are educated and skilled.

Output 2.1         Children have improved educational outcomes and developed essential life skills.    

Output 2.2         Partner schools strengthened to provide quality education for children       

Output 3:          Families and youth people have self-reliance when exiting from the project. 

Output 3.1          Families have improved agricultural practices

Output 3.2         Families have improved livestock farming and management practice

Output 3.3         Families and youth have improved and diversified off-farm income

Output 3.4         SACCOs are capacitated to respond to the financial needs of families

Output 3.5     Farmers' cooperatives are capacitated to respond to the agricultural input need of        the families

Output 4:          Children and youth are growing up healthy

Output 4.1         Caregivers and children have access to preventive health services

Output 4.2         Children are well nourished

Output 4.3         Communities are strengthened to protect themselves from disasters

 Major Final Evaluation Questions

Before the Project

• What was your situation before participating in the project?
• What challenges were you facing?

Changes Experienced

• What specific changes have occurred?
• Who benefited from these changes?
• How did the project contribute to these changes?
• Which interventions were the most important?

Significance of Change

• Why is this change important to you?
• Why do you consider it the most significant change?
• How has this change affected your children and family?

Sustainability

• How do you see the continuity of the project benefits after the project is phased out?
• What factors will help sustain these changes?
• What challenges might threaten sustainability?

Child Wellbeing

• What changes have you seen in children regarding:
• Education
• Protection
• Health and Nutrition
• Psychosocial Wellbeing

Economic Empowerment

• What changes have occurred in your income, savings, assets, or livelihood?
• How has the SACCO/cooperative support affected your household?

Behavioral Change

• Have your attitudes or practices changed regarding:
• Child protection
• Early marriage
• Gender equality
• FGM
• Shared parenting
• Education for girls
• Please explain.
• Lessons and Recommendations
• What worked well in the project?
• What should be improved in future projects?
• What lessons should SOS Children's Villages apply in future programs?
• Is there anything else you would like to share?

The commissioned consultant should further list relevant and possible evaluation questions and most significant change questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the terminal evaluation questions during the inception report presentation.

Scope of the Final Evaluation

This evaluation will cover the project's implementation from its commencement in January 2015 through the midyear period of 2026 (the first 66 months of the 4-year cycle). The evaluation covers all implementation areas across the Kelafo Woreda, specifically focusing on Niri, Musadon, Dabakatur and Boholo-Aweys and Hilo-ba’ad, Addis Ketema, Bur-gabo and Bargun respectively the previous intervention Kebeles of the woredas.

 The summary of project participants (beneficiaries) is stated below:

Evaluation Methodology

The consultancy firm to be recruited is expected to develop appropriate standard quantitative and qualitative methodologies that can generate the highest quality and most significant changes evidence. The commissioned consultant should use mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative methods) to answer the Final evaluation questions. Most importantly the consultant should use qualitative methods like the most significant change methods. As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age while collecting and analyzing data. The consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. Data collection methods proposed by the consultant should be linked to the specific target group question(s). In addition to the data collection methodology, the consultant should refer to the relevant desk review of the project agreement documents. Moreover, the consultant is expected to explain the design and process of data collection tools including KAP survey questionnaires, data collection plans and data analysis instruments. The consultant is also expected to test data collection tools before the actual utilization.

Sample

The Commissioned consultant is expected to use appropriate sampling techniques and set acceptable sample size for both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Based on the project objectives, results, the market and livelihood assessment equations and the Edu Care project result framework, the consultant should produce best sampling methods and ensure representativeness of the sampled households or respondents, and the sampling frame is from target youth of the project.

 Work plan, consultant’s responsibility and deliverables

Work plan

The winner consultancy firm is expected to finalize the task within 40 days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Responsibility of the consultant:

• The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal
• Refer to the project document, result framework and indicators and develop Evaluation questions and detailed tools for both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods.
• Recruit and train data collectors/ enumerators
• Covers transport and per diem costs for data collectors
• Develop inception report with data collection tools, data collection plans and present for SOS CVE team and data collection plans
• Compiled draft and final evaluation report based on scheduled time

Expected Deliverables

The evaluation team is expected to deliver the following products, all of which must be submitted in English:

• Inception Report: A detailed document outlining the proposed methodology, sampling frame, final data collection tools, and a comprehensive work plan. This must be approved by the SOS CVE MEAL Department before field mobilization.
• Draft Final Evaluation report: A preliminary report presenting the initial findings, data analysis, and responses to the mid-term evaluation questions for review and feedback by the consortium partners.
• Final Evaluation Report: A high-quality, comprehensive report (maximum 30–40 pages, excluding annexes) that incorporates feedback from the draft stage. The report must include an executive summary and a dedicated section for strategic recommendations.
• Presentation of Findings: A validation workshop or slide presentation delivered to the SOS CVE NO Team and key stakeholders to discuss results.
• Cleaned Datasets: All raw and cleaned quantitative data (in Excel/SPSS/STATA) and qualitative transcripts or field notes.
• Success Stories/Case Studies: A minimum of three (3) narrative-based success stories that highlight the project's impact on individual or community efforts.

 Report Criteria

The reporting criteria for the final evaluation report shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia result-based management (RBM) toolkit, and SOS Children’s Villages will share the result framework, the project document and the reporting template with the winning consultant

Ethical Standards and Safeguarding

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluations and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure. The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carried out or is involved in as a partner. Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances: 

• Any research, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children's Villages programs and participants.

Hence, the relevant project coordinator and location MEAL coordinator of the program location will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant's dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

 Logistical arrangements

The awarded consultant shall present feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOS CVE) will be available to help organize the interviews, including contacting SOS, announcing and local preparation of the evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

 Duration of contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages' acceptance of the work performed under the above-described deliverables. Financial proposals should include proposed stage payments. Payment will be transferred by bank transfer in birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultant will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia as follows:

Payment will be made in instalments based on the successful delivery and approval of the following milestones:

• First Instalment (40%): Upon submission and approval of the Inception Report, including finalized data collection tools.
• Second Instalment (20%): Upon submission of the Draft Evaluation Report and presentation of preliminary findings to the consortium.
• Final Instalment (40%): Upon approval of the Final Evaluation Report, submission of cleaned datasets, and delivery of at least three narrative success stories.

Notice of Delay

Should the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract, which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances, the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay. After receipt of the Contractor's notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyse the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when, in its judgment, the facts justify such an extension. 

Copyright and other proprietary rights

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, about products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages. All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages' authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

 Termination

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement's actual signing.

Short-Term Consultancy Opportunity

Digital Economy and ICT Skills Specialist

BCaD Consulting Management PLC is seeking an experienced Digital Economy and ICT Skills Specialist for inclusion in a proposal to undertake a Labour Market Assessment covering Arba Minch, Yirgalem, Dessie, and Dire Dawa and their surrounding economic catchments.

The assignment will assess employment, self-employment and enterprise opportunities associated with the digital economy and recommend relevant skills-development and training interventions for young people.

Areas of Assessment

• Digital marketing, e-commerce and e-entrepreneurship;
• Graphic design, video editing and digital-content services;
• Web and mobile application development;
• Practical applications of artificial intelligence;
• Cybersecurity, systems and network services;
• Computer, mobile-phone and digital-equipment repair;
• Online and freelance work opportunities;
• ICT employer demand and occupational skills gaps;
• Public and private ICT training and TVET provision; and
• Digital employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and persons with disabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Map digital-sector employers, startups, freelancers, service providers and training institutions;
• Identify current and emerging digital occupations and enterprise opportunities;
• Assess employer demand, occupational tasks, competency requirements and entry conditions;
• Review relevant TVET, university and short-course training provision;
• Support employer interviews, institutional assessments and stakeholder consultations;
• Recommend practical and modular digital-skills training pathways; and
• Contribute to analysis, validation and preparation of the labour-market assessment report.

Context And Rationale

After years of technical, financial, and capacity-building support provided through the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia (SOS CVE) Family Strengthening Programme, there are indications that some Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) 3 in Jimma and 2 at Gode are not achieving the level of sustainability originally envisaged. Consequently, a comprehensive assessment is required to examine the factors affecting their performance, identify potential risks, and recommend appropriate corrective measures to improve their long-term viability.

The SACCOs were established and supported with the objective of strengthening household economic resilience, improving access to savings and credit services, promoting financial inclusion, and contributing to the long-term self-reliance of participating families and communities.

This assessment seeks to determine the underlying reasons why SACCOs that have benefited from sustained support over an extended period are showing signs of underperformance or potential failure. Particular attention will be given to key areas of concern, including governance and leadership weaknesses, inadequate financial management practices, high loan default rates, low levels of member participation and ownership, dependence on external support, socioeconomic and contextual challenges, weak institutional partnerships and linkages, as well as concerns related to sustainability and preparedness for programme exit.

The findings of the assessment will provide evidence-based recommendations to strengthen SACCO performance, enhance institutional sustainability, and inform future support and transition strategies.

Description of programme locations and context

Jimma, Agaro, Bedelle, and Kelafo represent diverse program contexts across Ethiopia, ranging from productive agricultural highlands to pastoral and post-conflict settings. In Jimma, Agaro, and Bedelle, where coffee production and smallholder agriculture are the primary sources of livelihood, economic empowerment interventions focus on enhancing agricultural productivity, strengthening value chains, promoting entrepreneurship, improving access to markets, and supporting savings and income diversification opportunities for vulnerable households. In Kelafo, where communities largely depend on pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods, programming emphasizes resilience building, livestock and livelihood development, climate adaptation, and financial inclusion initiatives that help households better withstand recurrent droughts, floods, and economic shocks.. Across all locations, programming integrates economic empowerment and financial inclusion approaches—including savings groups, financial literacy, access to credit, entrepreneurship development, and market linkages—with efforts to improve child well-being, strengthen family resilience, enhance access to education and health services, and promote sustainable community development.

Objective of the Assessment

Overall objective

To assess the institutional, financial, operational, and governance performance of the SACCOs to determine their sustainability, effectiveness, risks, and opportunities for growth and improved service delivery to members.

Specific objectives

• To analyze targeted SACCO’s financial health, profitability, and liquidity
• To assess their compliance with SACCO bylaws, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• To identify the challenges, opportunities, areas for improvement, operational strengths and inefficiencies affecting performance.
• To examine systems for identifying, mitigating, and monitoring financial and operational risks.
• To provide recommendations to strengthen governance, financial sustainability, member services, and institutional growth.

Scope of the Assessment

The assessment will examine the status, needs, gaps, and opportunities related to 5 SACCos across the two target locations—Jimma, and Gode—with consideration of their distinct socio-economic, cultural, and overall contexts. The stakeholders to be consulted should include representatives of SACCos’ members, executive committee members, representatives from the respective cooperative offices, and staff.

Methodology

The consultant shall employ a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques. The assignment will include a comprehensive review of financial records and related documentation dating from the establishment of each SACCO. The consultant shall conduct interviews with carefully selected key informants, facilitate focus group discussions, and undertake direct observations where appropriate. In addition, the consultant shall perform financial ratio analyses, assess governance structures and practices, and evaluate institutional capacity. The assessment process shall culminate in a stakeholder validation workshop to review, verify, and refine the findings and recommendations.

The commissioned consultant should further list relevant, tailored and possible assessment questions for both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. He/she is expected to refer to the documents of SACCos in programme locations. Sampling

A purposive sampling approach will be used for this assessment. The sample comprises five pre-selected SACCOs, including three from SOS Children’s Village Jimma PL and two from SOS Children’s Village Gode PL.

Major Assessment Questions

The following analytical framework guides the consultant in answering the questions below:

• Root Cause Analysis
• SWOT Analysis
• Institutional Capacity Assessment
• Governance Assessment
• Financial Ratio Analysis
• Risk Assessment Matrix
• Sustainability Assessment Framework

Financial Health, Profitability, and Liquidity

• What is the current financial position of SACCOs in terms of assets, liabilities, and equity?
• How profitable have the SACCOs been over the last three years?
• Is SACCO generating sufficient income to cover its operational and financial costs?
• What is the SACCOs’ liquidity position, and is it adequate to meet short-term obligations?
• How effective are the SACCOs in managing loans, savings, and investment portfolios?
• What trends can be observed in key financial performance indicators?

Compliance with Bylaws, Policies, and Regulatory Requirements

• To what extent does SACCO comply with its bylaws, operational policies, and procedures?
• Are governance practices aligned with applicable regulatory and cooperative requirements?
• Are statutory reports, audits, and filings completed accurately and on time?
• How well are board and management decisions documented and implemented?
• Are members adequately informed about their rights, responsibilities, and SACCO policies?
• How SACCOs partnership looks like (such as working with different stakeholders and execute actions timely such as audit, general assembly, planning (strategic, annual,M&E, etc),reporting,etc

Administrative Systems, Record Management, Internal Controls, and Service Delivery

• How effective are the SACCOs’ administrative and management systems?
• Are financial and operational records complete, accurate, and properly maintained?
• What internal control mechanisms are in place, and how effective are they?
• Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined and implemented?
• How efficient and member-responsive are SACCO’s service delivery processes?
• Does SACCO utilize appropriate technology and information management systems?

Operational Strengths and Inefficiencies

• What are the key operational strengths contributing to SACCOs’ performance?
• What operational bottlenecks or inefficiencies affect service delivery and growth?
• How effectively are human, financial, and physical resources utilized?
• Are processes streamlined and cost-effective?
• What factors limit productivity, member satisfaction, or outreach?

Challenges, Opportunities, and Areas for Improvement

• What are the major internal and external challenges facing SACCO?
• What opportunities exist for growth, diversification, and improved member services?
• Which areas require immediate improvement to enhance performance and sustainability?
• How do members and stakeholders perceive SACCO’s effectiveness?
• What emerging trends or market conditions could influence future performance?

Risk Management Systems

• What processes are in place to identify financial and operational risks?
• How effectively do SACCOs monitor and mitigate identified risks?
• Are there adequate controls to prevent fraud, errors, and financial losses?
• How are credit, liquidity, governance, and operational risks managed?
• Is there a documented risk management framework, and is it regularly reviewed?
• How are SACCO prepared to respond to unexpected financial or operational shocks?

Recommendations for Governance, Sustainability, and Growth

• What governance improvements are needed to strengthen accountability and transparency?
• How can the SACCOs enhance their financial sustainability and profitability?
• What measures can improve member satisfaction and service quality?
• What strategies can strengthen institutional capacity and operational efficiency?
• How can risk management practices be enhanced to ensure long-term resilience?
• What actions are required to support sustainable growth and increased membership participation?

Work Plan and Expected Deliverables

Work plan

The SACCo assessment task is expected to be finalized within 45 days after the contractual agreement is signed.

The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Deliverables

• Inception report which includes Objective, Assessment questions, Indicators, Data Sources, Data Collection method, Respondents, and analysis approaches.
• Assessment tools
• Data collection plan
• First draft report
• Presentation of the findings
• Validation workshop
• Final report
• Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village in Ethiopia.

Roles and responsibilities of the consultant

• The consultant/firm shall deploy a team for the gathering and analyses of data
• The consultant will prepare inception report within 5 days after the agreement is signed.
• Complete the task properly as per the agreement signed.
• The firm will submit the findings of SACCos assessment within the agreed timeframe.
• Facilitate the validation workshop on the findings of SACCos assessment.
• Finally, incorporate the comments, reflections and feedback, and submit the final market and livelihood assessment report.

Report criteria

The reporting criteria for the SACCos assessment shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages result based management (RBM) toolkit and Service description guideline. The assessment report shall follow the outline below:

• Executive Summary, Background, Methodology ,Findings ,Financial Analysis, Governance Assessment ,Operational Assessment, Risk Assessment ,Sustainability Analysis ,Conclusions Recommendations and Annexes

Child Safeguarding and ethical issues

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, assessment, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carried out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, assessments, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, assessment, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children's Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, relevant project coordinators and MEAL coordinators at the locations will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant's dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOSCV) will be available to help organize the interviews including contacting SOSCV, announcing and local preparation of evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages' acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Financial proposals should include proposed stage payments. Payment will be affected by bank transfer in the currency of birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultant will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages as follows:

• 30% on the submission and approval of the inception report.
• 30% on completion of the draft report.
• 40% on completion of the final report.

Duration of contract: the contract is effective from the moment it was signed until the acceptance of work by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia management team.

Notice of delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay.

After receipt of the Contractor's notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyze the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other proprietary rights

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages.

All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Termination

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement's actual signing.

Signing of the contract

The signing of the contract will follow the awarding of the assignment.

Rights of SOS Children’s Villages

SOS-CVE has the right to cancel the service contract if the consultant cannot comply with any standards articulated in the service agreement, SOS-CVE has the right to hold the impact assessment result as its own sole property.

Title: Project Director

Department: Delivery & Country Operations
Reports to: Director, Delivery & Country Operations
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

About the Position

Frontieri Consult PLC is seeking a Project Director to provide overall leadership for a portfolio of client projects and ensure effective delivery against agreed scope, budget, quality, and timelines.

The Project Director directly leads assigned project teams and is accountable for day-to-day delivery, contract administration, budget performance, and client relationships. The position reports to the Director, Delivery & Country Operations and works closely with Technical Practice Leads, Project Managers, Finance, and Country Office teams.

The role requires strong project management and commercial judgment, with the ability to coordinate technical and operational inputs while maintaining clear accountability for project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Project Mobilization and Start-Up

• Take responsibility for project mobilization and confirm that scope, budget, staffing, resources, and delivery plans are in place before implementation begins.
• Coordinate project start-up with the relevant technical, delivery, finance, and country teams.
• Establish clear communication and reporting arrangements with the client.
• Authorize the commencement of field activities and lead the assigned project team through start-up.

Project Delivery and Team Leadership

• Direct and support Project Manager(s) in the delivery of assigned projects.
• Define, baseline, and actively manage detailed project work plans, master timelines, and critical path activities to guarantee on-time milestone delivery.
• Implement formal schedule tracking mechanisms (e.g., baseline vs. actual variances, milestone burn-down rates) and enforce corrective action plans immediately upon detecting delays.
• Identify and address project-level risks and issues, escalating matters that require management intervention.
• Coordinate delivery priorities with Technical Practice Leads and ensure that technical requirements are appropriately reflected in project implementation.

Technical Coordination and Quality

• Work closely with the assigned Technical Practice Lead to ensure that agreed methodologies, analytical approaches, and technical plans are implemented appropriately.
• Confirm that technical deliverables and reports meet agreed requirements before submission to the client.
• Participate in technical review of major project deliverables in coordination with the Technical Practice Lead.
• Support appropriate data-quality controls and ensure significant quality issues are identified and addressed promptly.

Client Relationship and Change Management

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for assigned clients.
• Enforce rigorous scope management to eliminate unapproved scope creep and ensure all contractual deliverables strictly conform to client service level agreements.
• Manage client communications, progress reporting, and issue resolution in accordance with Frontieri's standards.
• Address client concerns promptly and escalate significant matters as appropriate.

Manage changes within delegated authority, with material scope changes subject to formal change control and written client approval before implementation.

Budget and Financial Management

• Monitor project contract requirements, deliverables, milestones, and invoicing points against agreed terms.
• Maintain oversight of project budgets and expenditure and identify material variances at an early stage.
• Work with Finance to assess financial issues and escalate significant budget or cost risks.
• Support timely invoicing and financial review at project closeout.

Field Operations and Data Oversight

• Coordinate with the relevant stakeholders on field operations, logistics, and local delivery matters.
• Oversee field deployment schedules and field team productivity to meet target delivery timelines without compromising data quality and cost discipline.
• Ensure that field activities are conducted in accordance with applicable safety, ethical, and data-quality requirements.
• Anticipate and resolve field-level bottlenecks, operational downtime and logistical risks before they affect implementation schedules.
• Work with the Technical Practice Lead to ensure that required data-quality verification is completed before analysis and reporting.

Reporting and Project Closure

• Provide regular updates to the Director, Delivery & Country Operations on project progress, financial performance, key risks, and client relationships.
• Confirm the release of project outputs following completion of the required technical quality reviews.
• Coordinate project sign-off and financial closeout within the agreed timeframe following final client acceptance.
• Document lessons learned and ensure relevant project records are completed and transferred to the firm's knowledge repository.