Consultant – Scoping the Added Value of IRC in Palestine

Job Description

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is one of the longest running conflicts in the Middle East and continues to drive acute humanitarian consequences amongst the Palestinian population. The IRC has a history of working in the oPt; having carried out education projects in the West Bank for three years between 2011 and 2014 and most recently supporting organizations working for women’s empowerment and protection from 2019 to January 2021. The oPt was also featured in the IRC’s Watchlist report for 2021, correctly predicting the potential for conflict escalation in Gaza that year. With needs in Palestine consistently high and an evolution of IRC programming across MENA, including flagship programs like Ahlan Simsim, to focus on issues like Early Childhood Development, the IRC is committing to assess its value proposition as an organization to positively contribute to the wellbeing of Palestinian families and communities.

We invite consultants to submit topline proposals for the following in line with that goal. Any engagement of the IRC in Palestine will depend on the ability to confirm a concrete and meaningful value add that will contribute to the wellbeing of Palestinian families and communities. Details as follows:

Key Deliverables

1. Value Proposition Strategy

Written strategy (set out in one or multiple simple documents) of the key value proposition of the IRC working in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The strategy should address things like:

- Critical unmet short, medium and long-term humanitarian and development needs of communities relevant to the mission of IRC. Critical questions could include: - Opportunities in key areas of unmet needs where the IRC has added value. - An overview and detailed assessment of families and communities the IRC could serve. - A proposal on different approaches the IRC should consider in its strategy of reaching families and communities, including and not limited to working in partnership with local organizations, digital means and provision of direct services. - Proposals should include some detail on format and anticipated length of deliverable

2. Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

Written strategy (set out in one or multiple simple documents) of the key stakeholders that would facilitate and enhance the work of the IRC in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The strategy should address things like:

- Recommendations for government ministries, local organizations, private sector and humanitarian and development actors the IRC should engage with and for what specific goal - Advice on the approach, sequencing, and strategy for engaging with those actors - Thorough assessment of donors and donor strategies including funding envelopes that the IRC can tap into as it considers its programmatic approach in Palestine.

3. Workplan

Develop a plan for and ways of meaningfully responding to the above points to assess any potential added value of the IRC working inside Palestine. The elements of the workplan should be included in the consultant’s proposal.

The above is framed within the goal of the IRC’s assessment of potential value add to begin working inside Palestine. Consultants should use the above as a frame and submit with their application a proposal and timeline of ways forward for the work. We invite creative approaches and suggestions in line with, as well as outside of, the above that will lead to the best product and ways forward for this work. Consultant teams that account for the need for multiple skills sets (e.g. administrative and project support) are welcome. Please include in the proposal milestones that include joint analysis of findings with the IRC team as well as staged sharing of written outputs. Where needed description of methodology should be included.

Qualifications

- Demonstrated experience in high-level engagement, representation and negotiations with senior government and humanitarian actors in Palestine - Strong understanding of the INGO, UN and humanitarian/development landscape in Palestine - Demonstrated strategic planning capacity - Able to travel regularly to Amman legally - English and Arabic fluency essential - Well-developed oral and written communication skills - Strict adherence to confidentiality