Consultant at Palladium Group

Ref.: req10338
Location: Nigeria

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• We are recruiting to fill the position of Consultant for training on group dynamics and leadership for Gum Arabic Association
• Name of project/programme: Propcom Mai-karfi

Terms of reference for:  

• Individual/firm consultant on group dynamics and leadership trainer for state chapters of National Association of Gum Arabic Producers Processors Exporter of Nigeria (NAGAPPEN)

Number of consultant required: 1

Background:

• Propcom Mai-karfi(PM) is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) programme aimed at increasing incomes for the poor in Northern Nigeria through enhanced employment opportunities and improved productivity in selected agricultural markets in Northern Nigeria. Propcom Mai-karfi was awarded a 3-year extension (2018-2021) with particular focus on the North East (NE) states and 3 North West states – Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa. The aim is to influence INGOs in the NE states to shift from humanitarian to development and to implement market recovery and systems development programmes across the targeted states. Propcom Mai-karfi is working in the agricultural inputs market to increase access to inputs and promote efficient and safe usage amongst rural farmers.  
• PM, in the course of promoting Agroforestry, identified key approach to combating the effect of climate change, especially as it relates to land degradation and soil nutrient depletion in North-East states of Nigeria. Leveraging GIS information and study by an agroforestry consultant engaged by PM, Gum Arabic was identified as an economic tree with market potential for this intervention. PM is working with a private sector partner leveraging his network of farmers and suppliers under the aegis of National Association of Gum Arabic Producers Processors Exporter of Nigeria (NAGAPPEN), which has a key role to play in the value chain. PM’s agroforestry team in 2020, conducted initial capacity assessment for NAGAPPEN state-level associations in Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states. The information below highlights key business incentives and constraints affecting the growth and competitiveness of these associations.

Incentives:

• Association benefits from income gotten from member registration fees annually.
• Better structure for advocating on benefits of the organisation to increase registration of new members and income to the association.
• Improved communication with members and establish linkages seeds and input companies.
• Better coordination of the value chain activities of members to fully revive the dwindling sector and boost sustainable agroforestry
• Increase in the overall volumes of aggregated Gum Arabic across the value chain through producers, processors, and exporters.

Constraints and Gaps:

• Absence of strategic vision, mission, focus and plan for the organisation.
• Weak leadership, coordination and governance structure.
• Lack of cohesion between group members.
• Lack of advocacy skills.
• Poor business management skills.
• Lack of financial documentation and poor record keeping.
• Weak conflict resolution skills; and
• Low networking and collaboration capacity.

Purpose

• The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen the organisational capacity of NAGGAPEN in 4 North East states of Nigeria(Borno, Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe).
• This will involve building and validating information already gathered by PM.
• Based on identified gaps, build the capacity of the organisation’s structure to perform effectively and play key role in reviving the dwindling gum Arabic sector and promote sustainable agroforestry. Two trainings are proposed to address the constraints and gaps.
• The consultant will conduct capacity assessments and deliver group strengthening trainings. The consultant will also provide post-training mentoring support to help the organisation properly apply skills from trainings to the benefits of its members.

Scope of Work:

The organisation/Individual consultant will be engaged to:

• Validate PM’s initial findings on the Association’s capacity assessment
• Provide group dynamics and leadership training (GDLT)
• Provide financial literacy training (FLT).
• Provide post-training mentoring in Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states.
• Post-training mentoring support will be based on outcomes of the trainings and the assessment.
• Post-training mentoring support will include working with the association to review or develop target manuals such as strategic plans, terms of reference for sub-committees or review of enabling policies of the Association.

During this post-training mentoring stage, the consultant will also explore opportunities to reinforce aspects of the training which focuses on the last four constraints and gaps.

Activities:
The activities of this project will include:

• Validating and updating the initial findings of the Association’s capacity assessment earlier conducted by PM
• Conduct group dynamics and leadership training (GDLT)
• Conduct financial literacy training (FLT)
• Conduct target and strategic post-training mentoring to implement actions from the trainings, including development and review of Association’s code of conduct manuals, policies, financial and accounting procedures, etc.

Deliverables:

• Validated and updated Association’s capacity assessment report for Borno, Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe States.
• Training agenda/timetable.
• Content review of GDLS and FLT training materials based on feedback from PM.
• GDLS and FLT training reports monthly or as demanded.
• Post-training mentoring report on activities conducted.
• Documents reviewed/developed.

Duration:

• Duration for this task is 60 days, spread across 6 months to allow for proper post training support of the Association with a timeline projection from December 2020 to May 2021.

Reporting:

• The organisation/Individual consultant will report to PM Tier Lead (Agroforestry Intervention)and work closely with other assigned team member.
• Primary medium of communication and reporting on progress of planned activities, including submission of report documents shall be via email.

Required Qualifications
Qualification and Competencies:

• Relevant academic qualification and or related discipline
• Extensive experience in market systems development and value chain development and analysis
• Extensive expertise with facilitating and training of capacity strengthening and financial literacy .
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
• Good report writing skills.
• Ability to pull a team together to work effectively and to work within the specified time frame.
• Must be fluent and able to deliver trainings in Hausa language.  

Method of Assessment:

• Individual/firm will be assessed based on understanding of the subject matter, quality of CV/proposal, detailed presentation and understanding of task.

Selection Criteria:

• Criteria Weights (%)
• Detailed Presentation and Understanding of Assignment - 40
• Technical Expertise, Qualification and previous experience - 40
• Daily rate and Tax Identification Number - 20

Interested and qualified candidates should send all documents in Microsoft Word or PDF formats to: info@propcommaikarfi.org using “GDLT AND FLT’’ as the subject of the mail.

Qualified individual/firm should send a proposal containing the following:

• CV/profile of the firm with services offered, including:
  • Full legal name, jurisdiction of incorporation and address of the company
  • Copies of CAC/legal registration, tax identification number and proposed daily rate(sent separately on attached excel   sheet)
  • Proposed plan and methodology indicating how the task will be implemented.
  • Evidence of similar work done
  • Contact details of relevant references.

Note

• For a firm, the CV of Lead Consultant is required.
• Applications should not exceed 6 pages. CVs should be submitted as appendices.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.