Regional Communications Training Consultant (Africa) – Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI)

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is an INGO, founded in 1976, devoted to building simple, decent, and affordable housing.

HFHI operates through a federated network of independent National Organizations and branches as well as partnerships in more than 70 countries around the world. HFHI hosts its international headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. HFHI has subdivided its global operation into four regions: Asia and the Pacific (supported from Manila); Europe and the Middle East (supported from Bratislava); Africa (supported from Nairobi), and Latin America and the Caribbean (supported from San Jose).

In Africa, HFHI works across 9 countries to support people to thrive through housing. The Africa region was launch as a separate region in the past year. The area office based out of Nairobi is striving to deliver affordable housing more effectively throughout the locations we work in.

PURPOSE

The area office plays a critical role in supporting capacity throughout the region. One of the areas that support is provided for is communications. The majority of our 9 country locations have a dedicated communications staff member who supports communications related interventions for all of the ongoing projects being implemented by the country office. A few countries do not have a dedicated communications person but typically have someone covering this responsibility on an ongoing basis. From the area office, the Communications Director provide support through regular meetings, content reviews, and country visits for capacity building.

The goal of this consultancy is to provide ongoing support to the capacity building the Africa area office is providing to countries in the region in the form of a one-week communications training with all of the regional communications points of contact. Upon completion of the training, participants will develop a clearer understanding of the process of developing and implementing communication strategies and an ability to apply appropriate communications approaches and tools in their various contexts. More specifically, they will know how to:

• Develop a communication strategy document – this will be an actual strategy for each of the countries:
  • Set communication goals and objectives.
  • Develop key messages that effectively speak to the target audience.
  • Identify effective communication techniques and tools.
  • Plan available communication resources.
• Implement and monitor the communications strategy

The planning on overall logistics for the event will be coordinated by the area office.

SCOPE OF CONSULTANCY

The aim of the consultancy would be to:

• Support AO communications team to diagnose capacity challenges at the National Organizations (3 days)
• Conduct an analysis / diagnosis on current communications systems in the region (3 days)
• Work with the area office to identify objectives and topics for the one-week training (3 days)
• Draft training materials and tools for the training – all done in coordination and planned with the area office (5 days)
• Coordinate the training agenda and communicate it – through the area office staff to National Organizations communications staff (2 days)
• Deliver the training – provide in person training from 13th – 17th March 2023 (5 days) – by the end of the training each country office should have an actual draft communications strategy
• Provide a post training report – that includes a summary of the event, annexes with the tools / training material and templates, lessons learned including current capacity development opportunities (5 days)

KEY DELIVERABLES

The deliverables will include:

• A simple inception report: outlining the timeline, proposed training topics developed in consultation with the area office this should also include the draft agenda and roles and responsibilities
• Training materials – a draft of these should be submitted prior to the training for review by the area office
• Draft communications strategy for each of the country office represented including the Area Office
• Provide a post training report – that includes a summary of the event, annexes with the materials / tools, lessons learned including current capacity development opportunities
• The successful applicant will work in coordination with the area office and will actively seek review and feedback from the area office. We anticipate this work to take no more than 30 days of work (spread across the time from procurement to the training). Training will take place March 13 – 17, 2023.

HFHI RESPONSIBILITIES

• HFHI shall provide the support towards travel expenses related to this work.

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

• The consultant will be expected to report to the Communications Director, Africa.