REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) – INDIVIDUAL Consultancy

For

Leadership Curriculum Development Consultants

Background

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is a Regional Economic Community (REC) comprised of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda for the purpose of regional economic integration and joint efforts toward peace, security, and prosperity. IGAD seeks to achieve this through the promotion of regional cooperation and programmes that add value to Member States’ efforts for peace and sustainable development. Contributing toward the fulfillment of its mandate and mission, IGAD is committed to promoting gender equality, non-discrimination, and equal opportunity across its work streams. The IGAD 2021-2025 Strategy sets the strategic framework for priority interventions for the first five years of the implementation of IGAD Vision 2050 and builds on several on-going programs established to develop resilient ecosystems and economic growth in the region and the natural resource basis that support their livelihood in the long run.

While democratic governance, rule of law, human rights and environmental conservation are critical components of sustainable development and lasting peace, these critical pillars remain elusive in Africa. This deficiency has perpetuated leadership maladies resulting in protracted conflict and displacement, high rates of poverty, economic uncertainty and unemployment, state-citizen detachment and socio-ecological vulnerability and gender inequality.

Whereas these conditions are relatively generic worldwide, the factors driving them in Africa are unique to its circumstances and as a result, call for tailor-made solutions that are efficient, effective, gender responsive and relevant to this setting. The ‘center of gravity’ in which these stipulations converge is to be found in the realm of leadership. Addressing the root causes, triggers and drivers of the region’s leadership challenges is therefore a paramount intervention necessary to while democratic governance, rule of law, human rights and environmental conservation are critical components of sustainable development and lasting peace, these critical pillars remain elusive in Africa. This deficiency has perpetuated leadership maladies resulting in protracted conflict and displacement, high rates of poverty, economic uncertainty and unemployment, state-citizen detachment and socio-ecological vulnerability and gender inequality.

Whereas these conditions are relatively generic worldwide, the factors driving them in Africa are unique to its circumstances and as a result, call for tailor-made solutions that are efficient, effective, gender responsive and relevant to this setting. The ‘center of gravity’ in which these stipulations converge is to be found in the realm of leadership. Addressing the root causes, triggers and drivers of the region’s leadership challenges is therefore a paramount intervention necessary to anticipate, avert and mitigate the existential threats arising from anemic leadership.

African leaders, where a vast majority traditionally have been men, have frequently come to their position with limited experience.  In some cases, also women come to leadership, and without the required training through quota due to limited access to education and other opportunities. Though most of them have battled on, confronting their immense problems of development and nation-building essentially not only unprepared but unaided, their efforts have been at best only a qualified success. There are no institutions in Africa devoted to preparing potential leaders with a global outlook, leaders who will be able to cooperate within and across regional, national, and institutional boundaries, in combination with a focus on their potential role and impact as drivers for gender equality.

Promotion of gender equality and women empowerment (GEWE) is underscored as a critical imperative for IGAD’s mission in fostering resilience, regional integration, and peace for sustainable development in the IGAD Region and is enshrined as one of the key institutional and programmatic priorities under the IGAD Strategy 2021-2025  among other institutional frameworks including Vision 2050, Institutional Gender Policy 2018, Gender Strategy 2016-2020 and the new Draft Regional Gender Strategy, the Gender Management System Handbook 2017, the Customized Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for IGAD Divisions and Gender Policy Framework. At a regional level, IGAD is currently reviewing its Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions on Women, Peace and Security.

The establishment of the IGAD Leadership Academy (ILA) seeks to facilitate the mentorship and provisioning of future men and women leaders with the critical skill sets necessary to both chart and steer the course of a rapidly developing multi-cultural African society in the 21st century and beyond. The ILA was endorsed and approved by the IGAD Head of States and Governments Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya on 5th July 2022. The Government of Kenya has provided offices where ILA will be located.

Scope of Work
Objectives
The IGAD Leadership Academy in collaboration with the IGAD Gender Affairs is seeking to hire three (3) qualified consultants to develop a comprehensive leadership curriculum that is gender mainstreamed.

The objective of this assignment is to develop a curriculum that will be based on curriculum as a process and education as development approach, meaning to first consider the purposes and values driving the initiative, and then select content and methods to fit these, as well as emphasizing real life experiences and case studies as the main approach to effective learning and development.

It will be a comprehensive curriculum that will nurture visionary, responsive next generation leaders that appreciate gender equality and that apply leadership qualities to effectively deal with challenges marring Africa. The curriculum is to be developed in line with relevant strategies, policies and guidelines that will be provided by IGAD.

The consultant is expected to:

• Develop a comprehensive and gender mainstreamed curriculum for the IGAD Leadership Academy.
• Develop the criteria for admission into the IGAD Leadership Academy
• Develop the costing and duration to undertake the leadership course at the IGAD Leadership Academy

Number of Experts needed   Three (3)
 
The Key Deliverables:
The following deliverables are expected from the consultant:

1. Comprehensive ILA Curriculum
2. That integrates elements of integrity in leadership.

The ILA curriculum is expected to include aspects on how the select candidates can develop their integrity by:

• Knowing their values and their followers’ values. What they stand for and having a keen understanding of their followers’ values, perceptions, and expectations.
• Acting with integrity- enhances their understanding of the values that augment their integrity, gender responsiveness status such as leading by example, being disciplined values driven and incorruptible among others.
• Building their reputation- the curriculum should articulate how candidates build trust and can make amends where they have erred and damaged the trust their followers had in them.
• Promote gender responsive leadership by enabling equal opportunity to men and women for leadership.
• That recognizes the value of democracy, good governance, and human rights:
• The ILA curriculum will be developed with an emphasis on:
• Best practices that the select candidates can adopt to push for democracy and good governance systems.
• Enhancing the candidate’s appreciation of the importance of strengthening the rule of law and upholding human rights by advocating for tolerance and respect.

1. That is Gender Mainstreamed

To ensure that the ILA curriculum is gender mainstreamed, emphasis will be laid out on:

• Individual steps the candidates can take to actively promote gender equality, including countering gender stereotypes, integrating gender sensitive language, all with an aim of pushing for social norms change.
• Institutional steps to take to push for gender equality including establishing the right conditions to enable others to successfully deliver their duties.
• National obligations towards achieving gender equality include auditing legislations and policies in place and pushing for necessary amends towards achieving gender equality.

1. That is Articulative

The ILA curriculum is expected to clearly articulate:

• The criteria for admission into the IGAD Leadership Academy
• The costing and duration to undertake the leadership course at the IGAD Leadership Academy

The duration of the assignment: Consultancy will commence in November 2023.

The Required Qualifications:
Educational Qualification

• PhD in Social Studies and/or other relevant fields from reputable universities
• Proven experience in:
• Curriculum development at both university and executive education levels.
• Have substantive experience as a leadership development practitioner and advisor at a senior level.
• Have served in a senior leadership position with a continental exposure with evidence of interest and contribution in Africa leadership, governance, and management.
• Have served in government panels and task forces to promote governance, innovation or gender and inclusion mainstreaming.
• Demonstrated ability to lobby senior Africa leadership to support governance initiatives.
• In-depth knowledge of and experience of applying relevant research, methodologies and approaches related to leadership development.
• Experience from gender equality work/gender mainstreaming and working with ensuring inclusion and diversity in processes .
• Experience in change management initiatives and supporting/leading cultural changes.
• Excellent interpersonal, teaming and communication skills, with the ability to establish and nurture effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, and complex environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication, editing, and reporting skills in English.

For further information see attached the Terms of Reference (TORs).

• NO TECHNICAL OR FINANCIAL PROPOSALS REQUIRED IN THIS STAGE

 How To Apply
The consultants should submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) to:
procurement@igad.int not later than Sunday 15 October 2023
Please note that only shortlisted consultants will be contacted.
Procurement Unit
Administration and Finance
IGAD Secretariat
Avenue Georges Clemenceau
E-mail: procurement@igad.int
P.O. Box 2653,
Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti

Download attached ToR document in PDF below 
ToR-ILA Curriculum Development Consultants