TOR for Consultants to Support the Governance and Leadership of WND-Lebanon

Background:

Women Now for Development defines itself as a feminist, women-led NGO dedicated to deepening and strengthening the role of women in Syrian and host communities by enhancing their political, social, and economic participation. Women Now for Development – Lebanon is a local non-governmental organization implementing programs in two Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) in Bekaa, Lebanon, reaching thousands of women and girls annually.

As part of the Capacity Strengthening Action Plan, WND aims to implement actions to enhance governance and leadership across the organization by adopting an effective governance structure, and developing clear communication lines.

In this scope of work, WND is seeking to hire an expert to support in enhancing its governance, and decision-making processes.

General Objective:

The general objective of this consultancy is to provide expert guidance in strengthening WND-Lebanon governance and decision-making processes.

The consultant will focus on advising the organization in adopting an effective governance structure and establishing clear communication channels, with the aim of enhancing organizational efficiency, accountability, and leadership capacity.

Specific objectives:

Conducting a comprehensive assessment of organizational governance at the operational level.

Providing recommendations for effective governance models. 

Establishing a clear chain of command and decision-making processes. 

Developing a clear organizational structure (organigram).

Assisting in task distribution and supporting the development or revision of job descriptions. 

Scope of Work:

Governance and Leadership Review & Model Validation:

Assess and review the current governance structure, including the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, Country Director, and other key stakeholders, with an emphasis on leadership effectiveness and strategic direction.Provide recommendation for updates, that foster a clear leadership pipeline.

Evaluate existing leadership practices within the organization, including decision-making, communication, and team dynamics. Identify opportunities to foster a culture of collaborative leadership and inclusion.

Review existing governance structure and propose necessary improvements.

Adopt a governance model on operational level.

Implement an operational-level governance model.

Establish a clear chain of command and decision-making processes that empower leaders at various levels of the organization ensuring efficiency and transparency.

Develop a clear and effective organizational structure (organigram).

Define a selection criterion for board members and setting up a governance model for the board.

Organize two meetings with the board members in order to present the recommended governance model/structure.

Finalize and validate the governance model to be adopted by the organization.  

Deliverables:

Governance and Leadership Assessment Report: Comprehensive analysis of the current governance structure identifying strengthens and areas for improvement. (5 Working Days)

Governance Improvement Recommendations: Action plan to enhance governance. ( 1 Working Day)

Proposed Governance Model and Organizational structure: a detailed governance model and organizational structure, including roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes. ( 5 Working Days)

Job Description Review and Recommendations: Revision of existing job description across key role. This will ensure alignment with the updated governance and organizational structure. (1 Working Day)

Board Member Selection criteria: Defined criteria for selecting board members, aligned with organizational needs. (3 Working Days)

Board Meetings Summaries: 2 MOM with board members summarizing feedback on the proposed governance model. (1 Working Day)

Final Governance Model: A validated and finalized governance model, ready for organizational model. (N/A)

Timeline:

Phase 1: Initial Assessment and Data Collection – [2 weeks]

Phase 2: Governance and Leadership Assessment– [2 weeks]

Phase 3: Review and Recommendation Phase – [1 week]

Phase 4: Validation and Feedback – [2 weeks]

Phase 5: Finalization and Validation (2 weeks)

Phase 6: Closing and Handover (1 week)

Total timeline: [10 weeks]

Qualifications of the Consultant/Team:

Proven experience in governance consulting, leadership development, for non-profit organizations, particularly local feminist NGOs.

Strong understanding of governance best practices, and leadership development frameworks.

 Expertise in developing organizational structures, leadership succession planning, task distribution, and job descriptions.

Excellent facilitation, coaching, and report-writing skills.

Knowledge of the local context and challenges facing NGOs.

Reporting and Supervision:

The consultant will report directly to the Country Director and work closely with the HR Manager, Programs Manager, and senior leadership team for governance and leadership-related issues.