National Expert in Strategic Planning

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, consequent movement restrictions imposed and  the aim of maximising the number of high-quality offers we receive, the PCPM has decided to grant a one-week deadline extension to the proposal submission.

Kindly note that the deadline for proposals submission is therefore changed to 26 April 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Beirut Local Time.

Polish Center for International AID (PCPM) is seeking a National Expert in Strategic Planning

Location of the Assignment: Akkar, Dreib Area (3 Unions of Municipalities – UoMs).

Activity name  

Spatial planning is designed and provides concrete logic for sustainable municipal service delivery and municipal investment

Project background      

MASAR for Local Governments is a programme funded by the EU MADAD Trust Fund. The overall aim of the programme is to strengthen the long-term resilience of targeted subnational governments and their host, refugee and IDP populations to deal with displacement.

Background specific to the assignment:

MASAR for Local Governments is a programme funded by the EU MADAD trust fund and implemented in Lebanon and Iraq. The overall aim of the programme is to strengthen the long-term resilience of targeted subnational governments and their host, refugee and IDP populations to deal with displacement.

MASAR has three objectives:

• To improve the capacities of subnational governments to engage in holistic, area-based planning and consider different scenarios that respond to the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations.
• To improve service delivery to generate greater social stability outcomes based on the needs of host, refugee and IDP populations.
• To empower subnational governments and service providers to facilitate local economic development and to have better access to municipal investment that benefit the extension of safe public services and create economic opportunities for host, refugee and IDP populations.

In Akkar, Lebanon, MASAR supports three Unions of Municipalities: Dreib el Gharby, Dreib el Awsat, and Akkar El Chemali.  

Key responsibilities 

The Strategic Planning Expert will:

1)         assess training and organisational (systems/structures) needs related to strategic planning and decision making among local governments representatives and local leaders of Dreib; 

2)         align his/her assignment with complementary activities in the area through consultations with the relevant experts (especially in GIS implementation, local economic development, and road safety) and a review of relevant materials (e.g. studies related to planning, public services and local economic development conducted in the area);

3)         build local governments’ and local leaders’ capacities in strategic planning and decision making through: 

• preparatory trainings (if necessary);
• the strategic planning process itself;
• three kinds of workshops (as specified in Activities and Outputs);
• recommendations of resources for further study for the activities’ participants.

4)         moderate the strategic planning process:

• lead the elaboration of the strategy for the Dreib Unions based on the participatory formulation of the strategic orientation and choices integrating also the MASAR priorities;
• prepare an action plan of a multi-stakeholder strategic planning process suitable for the use by the Dreib Unions; 
• set up the governance model and implementation structure;
• summarize  and validate the achievements of the planning process;
• elaborate M&E modalities for the implementation of the action plan;     
• provide recommendations for the implementation phase, including recommendations for hiring capacity building experts for the needs of local governments.

5) Report the consultancy as specified in reporting requirements.

Outputs/deliverables

The SP Expert will provide to the Front Officer the following outputs/deliverables:

1)         Training and organizational needs assessment; 

2)         Consultations with experts conducting complementary interventions (particularly GIS experts) and review of relevant materials related to the interventions;

3)         Training curricula and materials for: 

-           strategic planning and decision making as well as 

-           urban scenario planning for longer-term strategic vision; 

4)         Structural setup and supervision of the strategic planning process;

5)         Workshops in:

-           mapping out resources, liabilities, risks and opportunities – at least one training session in each of the thee Dreib Unions should be conducted (at least 3 sessions); 

-           urban scenario planning for longer-term strategic vision – at least one training session in each of the three Dreib Unions should be conducted (at least 3 sessions);

-           workshops devoted to the elaboration of the draft strategy and action plan for its implementation – at least one training session in each of the three Dreib Unions should be conducted (at least 3 sessions); 

6)         Draft map of resources, liabilities, opportunities and risks elaborated as a result of workshops with the Union’s representatives and staff;

7)         Strategy and action plan for its implementation for each of the Unions of Municipalities, feasible for immediate implementation, and ready for publication;

8)         Report on the consultancy.

Period of the assignment          

90 days (person-days) over the period of 5 months from the signature of the contract, whereby:

• The following preparatory activities: desk research, capacity building needs assessment, and elaboration of training curricula and resources, will not take more than 10 days;
• Activities not involving participation of local governments’ representatives or community leaders (assessment report, report from consultancy, or assistance in hiring supporting local experts) will not take more than 15 days. 
• Stages of the strategic planning process will be carefully timed by the Expert bearing in mind that the process should be concluded within the indicated timeframe.