Terms of Reference

Oxfam Country Strategy and Country Operational Model Review

  1. BACKGROUND

The Oxfam Country Strategy (OCS) paper covers the period 2015- 2020 and is based on the foundation of Oxfam global strategy paper 2013- 2019. It summarizes critical challenges faced by Cambodia and subsequently attempts to draw a broad framework of how Oxfam will position itself in the changing realities of the country and the world. The overarching objective of OCS is to set out priorities for Oxfam's work, corresponding aims and objectives, and how we aim to achieve the desired goal of realizing 'The power of people against poverty.’

Oxfam’s vision 2020 is about being more impactful; more efficient and aligned as one Oxfam. Our programmes in countries and the region therefore are expected to:

  • Adopt the One Programme Approach and have demonstrable influencing strategies based on a relevant programme footprint in development and in humanitarian contexts.
  • Be agile and adaptable and ‘fit for purpose’ in terms of organization and ways of working and embrace innovation.
  • Strengthen our partnerships and ‘working with others’ and invest in developing new partnerships that are able to add greater value to others in a diversity of contexts, approaches and purposes.
  • Add value in terms of learning and knowledge

For the period of this strategic plan,Oxfam in Cambodia (OiC) will focus on three programs: Voices for Change (VfC), including (stand-alone) programs on women’s leadership, Gender Based Violence, support to democracy building, youth as actors of change, the rights of workers, and CS space; Resilience, focusing on vulnerable small-scale (female) farmers in selected areas, to better prepare and enable them to cope with climate change and natural disasters, especially floods and droughts; and Natural Resource Governance (NRG), supporting women and men to realize their rights to take control of and gain benefits from Cambodia’s natural resources (land, water, extractives, forest and fishery) and secure sustainable livelihoods. In all its programs OiC will keep Gender Justice at the center as this is considered crucial to achieve its desired impact.

  1. Rationale

FY 2017 - 2018 is a remarkable year for OiC as it is in the mid-way ofimplementing its five-year strategic plan in the face of sensitive political situation. To make sure that Oxfam is on the right track of self-development and implementation toward its five-year country strategic goals 2015-2020, OiC will review its OCS and country operating model (COM).This review will help to guide the organization through making sure if its theory of change stays relevant and understanding the strengths and weaknesses in order toadjust the way of work for the years ahead.

  1. OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW

The main objective of the review is to make sure that Oxfam country strategy and its country operating model stay relevant to the new emerging context.

The specific objectives of the review are:

-To review and adjust Oxfam Country Strategy 2015-2020 to make sure that it stays relevant both at the country and regional context.

-To assess the practical ways for all the three programs (Voices for Change, Resilience and Natural Resource Governance) to work effectivelyunder the current CSOs’ space.

-To review andadjust Country Operating Modelto fit with both the newly adjusted Oxfam Country Strategy and to contribute support Asia Regional Strategy.

  1. KEY QUESTIONS OF THE REVIEW

The key questions for the review both OCS and COM lay down under 3 areas—Oxfam best value, working differently and better with others, and knowledge driven organization.

4.1.Key Questions for OCS Review

  • Is our strategy still relevant in Cambodia in line with Regional context?
  • How has the context evolved?
  • Is OCS still relevant in current context?
  • Are the TOCs still relevant?
  • Is the current OCS in alignment with regional strategic ambition?
  • Are we doing the right things?
  • Are our projects in line with the OCS objectives?
  • Are we having the impact we intend to with our work?
  • Are we working with the right partners?
  • Are we focused at the right geographic areas; picking right priorities and / or ‘need’ of the most marginalized people with right approaches through our partners?
  • Reflecting our ways of working, what do we need to ‘more’ in future? What do we need to ‘less’ or stop doing? (monitoring, efficiency, effectiveness)
  • How is the capacity of the partners and their strengths and weaknesses, how have they taken on the ‘influencing’ challenges at their own level? What was done to support them? Are we working with the right partners?
  • Are we sufficiently connected with the region? Is this needed?
  • Are we innovative?

4.2. Key Questions for COM Review

  • Do we have the means to do so?

oWhat are the operational capacities and resources (people, system and ways of working) we need to plan to effectively deliver on the revised OCS?

  • Are we having the means of our ambitions?
  • Are our resourcing strategies adequate?
  • Are we making the best use of our resources?
  • Are we having the right people on board (skill sets and capacity)?
  • Are people able to deliver the ambition of the work?

oWhat do we need to change/adapt in our COM to identify and mobilize resources (such as funding, system, ways of working) to have the relevant resources to deliver the revised OCS and to contribute to Oxfam in Asia Regional Strategy?

oHow can we work with the different Oxfam stakeholders (other countries, partners and

executive affiliates, OI) to enable delivering on the revised OCS?

  1. METHODOLOGY

The participatory method is used for this assignment. This method need the participation of every Oxfam’s divisions and key relevant partners and stakeholders. The main roles of the participants are not only informing but also influencing and taking part of decision making. This assignment will serve as the mid-term review of Oxfam country strategy 2015-2020 and country operating model. Oxfam’s divisions that will involve in this assignment are both the program teams and supporting teams.

-Program divisions (Resilience program, VfC program and NRG program)

-Support divisions (Human Resource, Finance, Business Development, Communication, Monitoring Evaluation Learning and Admin Office)

The main processesof the assignment should cover the analysis of external environment, internal environment and the revision of OCS and COM.

-External Analysis:It will focus on the assessment of the external environment related to the Oxfam’s 3 programs in the complex context.

-Internal Analysis: It will focus on the assessment of the current organizational performances (both implementing teams and supporting teams).

-OCS/COM Revision:The external and internal analysis will guide the revisionof OCS and COM

The tools and approaches to be used for collecting and analysing data and project’s strategies should include but not limit to:

-Oxfam Program Quality Review

-Context Analysis (include gender, stakeholder and power analysis)

-System Thinking

-Donor Mapping

-FGD/Workshop

-Key Informant Interview

-TOC reflection

Documents to be reviewed should be but not limit to:

-PQ support pack

-CAMSA

-Oxfam Program Standard

-Oxfam Country Strategy

-Oxfam Asia Strategy

-Oxfam Partnership Principles

-Program and Support Unit Annual Workplan and Budget

-Country Operating Plan (COP) and Country Operating Report (COR)

-BSC/Quarterly Report (Oxfam)

-Output Report

-Advocacy Strategy Framework

-Right to Be Heard Outcomes Hierarchy

-Finance report (Oxfam)

-HR document/report (Oxfam)

  1. TEAMQUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

The review should be led by an individualconsultant or a consulting team with competency and sound understanding of the context of all the Oxfam programs (VfC, Resilience and NRG),influencing work, partnership, knowledge-driven organization and civil society space. S/he should have strong experiencein the development oftheory of changeand strategy in the complex programs.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Credible NGO experiences on organizational review process is a must.
  • Strong experience in strategy development for organizations and programs that work related to influencing, advocacy, civil society space, and economic development in the areas of agriculture, extractive industry, water governance, natural resource governance and improved citizens’ voice.
  • Strong analytical skills in complex context in the areas of influencing, advocacy, and civil society space
  • Strong monitoring, evaluation, and learning experiences
  • Good understanding of the development of TOC in complex context
  • Strong experience with partnership and Organizational Development
  • Knowledge of fundraising strategy
  • Demonstrated high level of report and strategy writing skill
  • Fluency in English
  1. SCHEDULE, DELIVERABLES, AND BUDGET

Step / Activity / Timeline / Participants / Responsibility
Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun
Step 0-Program Quality Review / Program quality review / x / x / (1)-Oxfam achievements aginst its program quality, (2)-Consultant recruited, (3)-Finalized OCS and COM method / Oxfam
Recruit consultant / x / x
Finalize the OCS and COM review method / x / x
Step 1-External analysis / Review on current OCS/TOC and Asia Regional strategy / x / (1)-Context analysis (stakehoders, gender, power and partnership analysis), (2)-Better ways of work with partners, (3)-SWOT/PMI of the current OCS, (4)-Decision whether the current OCS stay relevant or should be revised on what / Consultant
Context/situation analysis / x
Partner consultation workshop (Reviewing ways of working with partners) / x
Workshop to seek the feedback, ideas about what should be next for OCS / x
Step 2-OCS revision / Revise OCS to be relevant with the country current situation and regional context / x / Updated OCS that best fit with the country current situation and regional context / Consultant
Step 3-Internal analysis / Review COM / x / x / (1)-SWOT/PMI of each division, (2)-Decision whether the current COM stay relevant or should be revised on what / Consultant
Internal staff workshop to seek the feedback, ideas about what should be next for COM / x / x
Step 4-COM revision / Revise COM to align with the updated OCS and Oxfam in Asia Regional Strategy / x / x / Updated COM that best support the updated OCS and ARS / Consultant
Step 5-OCS & COM dissemination workshop / Organize workshop to update stakeholders on the revised OCS and COM / x / x / All Oxfam's staff and partners understand the revised strategies and ways of work to achieve OCS's goals, / Oxfam

Key Deliverables:

  1. OCS and COM reviewprocessoutlining key methods
  2. Draft revised OCS covering OCS reflection and context analysis
  3. Finalised OCS
  4. Finalised COM aligning with the revised OCS
  5. Revised OCS and COM dissemination workshop for Oxfam, partners and key relevant stakeholders

Consultancy Budget:

Consultancy time frame will be between 15 to 20 days

  1. SELECTION PROCESS

The EOI from consultant should contain the following methodological topics as a minimum:

  • Addressing the recruitment qualifications above
  • The consultant’s understanding of the assignment questions
  • Sources of information for primary data collection
  • Instruments/toolsto be used for data collection
  • Different types of data analysis that will be carried out
  • Assignment budget indicating a professional daily rate
  • Including an example of report that is written by the applicant and that is relevant to the ToR
  • Attach the applicant’s CV

Please send your EOI no later than March 27, 2018 at 5 pm Cambodia time. Only shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview.

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