Consultancy to develop a risk mitigation plan

Over the last years, an overall growing number of humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in the line of duty. There is increasing understanding of the impact of work in high-risk areas on the physical and psychological wellbeing of humanitarian workers, and a growing awareness that national aid workers bear the brunt.

A consortium project led by ACF along with Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) and Global International Security Forum (GISF) as implementing partners, intends to develop a protection mechanism for humanitarian workers (called “Project” below), with a specific focus on national organizations and national staff. Funded by DG ECHO, the Project aims to provide assistance to aid workers and their immediate families who have experienced security incidents, are under immediate threat of harm, or have been arrested/are facing legal charges due to their work as a humanitarian.

The Project will achieve this through the provision of grants to humanitarian NGOs, to cover the costs of protection measures, post incident support to the staff and legal support. The ultimate aim is to protect staff from further harm, support their recovery and improve their well-being. The mechanism will contract the grants to DG ECHO Certified Partners, and through them also their downstream national partners (not necessarily only those funded with ECHO funding).The Project will establish a hotline, grant application procedures, clear criteria for funding, a vetting approach for funding and contracting templates. The Project will function under an advisory board consisting of key stakeholders, which will include national NGO representatives, donors and others. A vetting committee will regularly vet cases funded and rejected, against agreed criteria. In due course, it is the intention for the mechanism to function under its own legal registration.

This first phase of the Project will be open to cases from anywhere in the Middle East & North Africa region.

As part of the establishment of the Project, a risk assessment will support the consortium to anticipate future threats and risks, be better prepared to take action to reduce and/or avoid those threats, and optimize Project development. An in-depth risk management plan will be developed for the Project to ensure that risks to participants, the Project and the hosting organizations are adequately managed.

Overall scope of work expected from the Consultant:

The overall objective of the work is to conduct a multi-sectorial risk assessment related to the Project’s implementation and to develop appropriate measures and overall management plan to reduce risks for the participants to the Project.

Data protection is out of the scope of these Terms of Reference, as this issue is handled in a separate and complementary assessment, with the aim to develop a data management and confidentiality protocol.

The work shall be conducted in a participatory manner with the consortium partners and other relevant stakeholders at HQ and field levels. It will employ relevant tools to capture the different dimensions of risks at institutional and operational contexts. The assessment will include desk reviews, organizational self-assessments, key informant interviews, virtual meetings. The consultant(s) will review existing documents related to the Project (partnership agreements, sub-contracting contracts, ToR Avisory Board, ToR vetting committee…).

The Consultant(s) will be under the overall guidance of the ACF Program Coordinator, with the support of consortium partners. Travel is not required to perform the consultancy.

Key priorities and deliverables

The consultant(s) is expected to:

1. Develop and present, at an early stage, an action plan for conducting the risk assessment that includes updated work plan and detailed methodology.
2. Develop a consolidated risk analysis which shall:

• identify potential barriers to the smooth implementation of the Project
• identify the different types of risks associated to the Project (compliance, legal, reputational and operational)
• map and clarify the potential risks associated to each party of the Project, e.g. consortium partners, DG ECHO certified partners, national organizations as implementing partners, aid workers, third parties
• Analyse organizational capacities of consortium partners to address the potential risks

1. Present risk mitigation plan to consortium partners for validation. The proposed measures shall be realistic and feasible, in accordance with the partners’ capacities.
2. Edit and finalize the risk mitigation plan.

CONSULTANT’S PROFILE

Training, experience, references and categories requested for the consultant(s)

Education:

• Degree in Humanitarian Affairs, Development Studies, Risk Management or a related social science field from an accredited academic institution with ten years of relevant professional experience;

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years professional experience in the fields of humanitarian affairs at international level;
• Experience undertaking risk assessments and demonstrated knowledge of risk management ;
• Ability to organize work, work independently and, coordinate multiple tasks,

Skills:

• Strong planning skills coupled with strong writing skills and excellent communication skills
• Ability to work with and maintain strict confidentiality, when necessary.

TIMELINE:

The assignment is expected to take 2 months from the time of signing of the contract, with possible extension based on identified additional needs and potential longer term advisory services as necessary and if required.

We are seeking a consultant (or a firm) who is available to start to work shortly after the deadline for submission of tenders.