Consultant - External trends analysis - Feminist perspective

Deepening our Understanding of the External Context

A TOR for an Analysis of Key Global Trends and Implications for

ActionAid’s next International Strategy

Prepared by the AAI Strategy Development Group

1.     Introduction

ActionAid International is a global federation comprising 26 members and 21 country programmes and offices spread all over the world in the Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. In its various identities in a rich history, the organization, first established in 1972 as Action in Distress with its headquarters in the UK and two country programmes in India and Kenya, has since evolved and expanded. Its head office is now in Johannesburg South Africa with important Regional Hubs in Brussels for Europe and the Americas, in Nairobi for Africa and in Thailand for Asia.

ActionAid has embarked on developing a new global strategy that is expected to take effect in January 2017, replacing its current strategy - People’s Actions to End Poverty! A robust process has been put in place to enable the organization learn from its past and present programming and ways of organizing, as well as from its peers. A Taking Stock Review of the current process and several consultations internally are ongoing to get as much learning as possible from within the organization.

To complement the multitude of efforts and ensure that the new strategy is informed by a critical appreciation of the current and future global trends, an external context analysis is being commissioned for which this TOR is developed. Having undertaken a fairly extensive context analysis in 2014, ActionAid would like to build on that and update to reflect recent developments and likely global trends with a strong feminist perspective in the analysis.

1.     Scope of the External Context Analysis

Building on the Trends Paper done by ActionAid in 2014, but not necessarily constrained by it, and using a strong feminist framing, we would like to undertake a sharp external context analysis that anticipates future trends to which our international strategy needs to respond or at least be cognizant of, as they impact on ActionAid’s work or the choices we make in developing and rolling out our new strategy.

The overall objective of the external context analysis is therefore to review our 2014 Trends Paper and produce an updated analysis of no more than 12 pages analyzing the key global trends likely to shape global power shifts especially as it relates to social, economic and political development.

Key questions we expect will guide this analysis include:

·         Where is the world going? What are the emerging trends? Where are we in this picture?

·         What are the key drivers of change and how do they connect to our mission?

·         Who are likely to be key actors at global, regional and national levels?

·         Which arenas and spaces will likely be critical for change to happen?

·         What is our niche as a global federation present in 47 countries?

2.     Methodology and Expected Deliverable (s)

Given the rather limited time and the existence of a trends paper developed in 2014, the major focus of the analysis will be qualitative, although the consultant is at liberty, within the set timeline below, to consult a few internal (but focus must be on external trends analysis) and external informants to inform the global trends analysis.

Critical documents for review to inform the context analysis are the current ActionAid International Strategy - People’s Actions to end Poverty and the 2014 Global Trends Paper.

In terms of deliverables, we expect a 12 Page Paper and a 10 Slide PowerPoint Presentation inEnglish to be delivered at a Strategy Conference in the third week of June 2016. The Paper and Presentation should parcel the ‘ongoing trends’ into ‘key issues’ that will inform strategic choices that ActionAid will consider in developing its global strategy.

Intermittent deliverables and updates may be required from time to time, including, a short approach note, initial framing of the context analysis paper and an annotated outline of the final paper 2-3 weeks into the exercise.

3.     Timeline

The final product (s) from this external context analysis must be completed in no more than 20 days effective from the date of signing a contract. For avoidance of doubt, the final deliverables must be submitted to ActionAid no later than the 17th of June 2016.

4.     Person Qualities

The person being sought should have as a minimum, the following:

·         Excellent writing skills

·         Strong Feminist Analysis

·         Excellent Political Economy Analysis

·         Excellent understanding of global dynamics

·         Extensive experience & understanding of international development

·         Some knowledge of AAI and its history will be a major plus

5.     Reporting and Other Matters

·         The identified consultant will report to the CEO but the day-to-day coordination and support to his/her this work will be from the International Director for Programmes, who is also in charge of strategy development.

Applications send to: Galia.Buxbaum@actionaid.org; by no later than 27th May 2016

 The applications should include:

• Consultant/s names and short cv/s
• Full budget estimate, (do not include air fares in your Maputo   costs etc).
• A short synopsis of how you would approach this assignment; one A4 size page

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