Sustainable Livelihoods Consultant

1. Organizational Background

Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the youngest and fastest growing part of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI is comprised of nearly a dozen country offices implementing programs on a broad range of human rights issues globally, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries. HAI has significant expertise in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for survivors of rights abuses. It is also an industry leader in access to high-quality and stigma-free health care. Across all of its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protections and gender equality.

1. Overview

The consultant will be responsible for documenting and strengthening HAI’s sustainable livelihoods approach, integrating psychosocial support and climate-smart elements, drawing from existing HAI programming and from international, evidence-based best practice guidance. This model targets vulnerable community members affected by conflict and displacement and is designed to guide global programming, with adaptation for various settings in which HAI works, and unique groups in each setting (e.g., survivors of the armed conflict and adolescents vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups in Colombia; disempowered women and returnees in Iraq).

Key Responsibilities

Program Model Strengthening/Documentation

Desk review and stakeholder meetings

• Participate in a start-up meeting with HAI Director of Program Quality, Growth, and Innovation.
• Review international best practice guidance and research focused on sustainable livelihoods interventions in humanitarian and development settings, incorporating psychosocial support and climate-smart components.
• Review existing HAI program documents including grant proposals and reporting, program evaluations, training materials, and other guidance to understand HAI’s current approach to livelihoods.
• Review HAI program information and other agency reports and publications to understand unique livelihood needs in HAI program settings (e.g., Colombia, Dominican Republic, Iraq).
• Conduct key informant interviews (KII) and/or focus group discussions (FGDs) with HAI staff, participants, and other key stakeholders to collect additional information regarding HAI’s approach.

Inception Report: Model outline

• Based on desk review and stakeholder meetings, compose a plan/outline for model documentation and strengthening, which may include the following content areas:
• Brief overview of best practices in sustainable livelihoods sector with focus on HAI program settings.
• Outline of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for sustainable livelihoods program model, including integration of psychosocial support and climate-smart components.
  • This community-based, participatory model should include vocational and entrepreneurship support promoting gender transformative and climate conscious work opportunities, paired with psychosocial support during job search and early employment. It should also include intervention for employers to destigmatize hiring of target groups, promote creation of trauma-informed workplaces to support staff retention, and marketing tactics to recognize participating employers.
• Summary of recommended adaptations for key HAI program sites and populations
• Training outline for sustainable livelihoods service providers
• Guidance for Program Development team outlining staffing and budgetary needs associated with the model.
• With MEAL team, identification of best practice indicators and tools for monitoring and evaluating outcomes associated with the model.
• Plan for presenting model to HAI team and providing intensive training for relevant staff
• Appendix consisting of supporting tools/forms (e.g., capacity assessment tool, workplan tool, monitoring and evaluation tools).
• Inception report and model outline should be approved by the Program Quality team prior to development of model draft.

Model documentation and integration of feedback

• Based on approved outline, document HAI’s sustainable livelihoods approach, with psychosocial support and climate smart elements, including sections described above.
  • Throughout document, link to best practice and research publications as relevant; provide reference list.
  • Provide draft for HAI review; integrate feedback
  • Create final version.

Training/Dissemination

• Conduct training and dissemination activities for HAI team as developed in the inception report. Activities may include in-person and remote (webinar) workshops.

Supporting HAI’s sustainable livelihoods global Community of Practice (COP)

• Lead and/or participate in monthly meetings of HAI’s livelihoods focal points from each country team; assess needs and interests develop associated presentations.
• Identify and share relevant best practice guidance and research studies.
• Identify relevant training, webinar, conference opportunities; contribute to monthly resource and training digest.
• Conduct interdisciplinary COP events to collect input from technical staff (livelihoods, MHPSS, gender, climate change adaptation/mitigation) related to program model development described above.

1. Deliverables

• Inception report due: October 10, 2022
• Model SOP draft (including sections detailed above): Due November 7, 2022 (to be reviewed by HAI with feedback provided by Nov 10)
• Model SOP final version (incorporating HAI feedback): Due Dec 12, 2022
• Dissemination activities and trainings: Due January 13, 2023
• Supporting HAI’s global community of practice: Ongoing Sept 8, 2022 – January 20, 2023.
• Final report of consultancy including objectives, deliverables achieved, successes, challenges, and suggestions for technical quality improvement, and action plans to address any program quality concerns: Due January 20, 2023

1. Qualifications/Bid Evaluation Criteria

Education and/or Experience:

• Advanced degree in social sciences, international development, or related field with a minimum of eight years of professional experience.
• At least five years of sustainable livelihoods experience in humanitarian and development settings, preferably in MENA and/or LAC regions.
• Experience with climate change adaptation and mitigation programming, especially integration with livelihoods, is strongly desired.
• Experience with mental health and psychosocial support programming, especially integration with livelihoods, is strongly desired.
• Experience developing or documenting intervention models, standard operating procedures (SOPs), curriculum manuals, and/or other program resources. Please be prepared to share examples of materials.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written English language skills required; Spanish or Arabic skills desirable.

1. Anticipated Timeline

HAI anticipates the Contractor beginning on September 8, 2022. All deliverables must be completed before January 20, 2022. There is potential for extension as additional activities are identified.

1. Management

The Contractor will report to the Director of Program Quality, Growth, and Innovation. HAI will provide overall logistical support and assistance to the Contractor, as needed and when possible.

The Contractor is responsible for arranging and completing all activities listed in the approved proposal, in coordination with HAI’s local project and logistics staff, if applicable. The Contractor will advise HAI prior to each of those activities. The Contractor will be responsible for completing and submitting to the Company the deliverables listed in Section D of this document. The Contractor will be responsible for procuring his/her own work/office space, computers, Internet access, printing, and photocopying throughout the consultancy. The Contractor will be required to make his/her own payments for such services. The Contractor will be responsible for any expenses beyond the fee provided by the Company as determined in this document.

1. Payment Schedule

Payment(s) will be made upon completion of deliverables.

• Project start: 25%
• Approval of inception report: 25%
• Completion of remaining deliverables: 50%

How to apply

To Apply: https://heartlandalliance.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=714

Please send CV and a cover letter explaining your interest and how your experience meets the qualifications required, as well as consultant rates. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear back from us within 4 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, or HIV infection, in accordance with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Human Resources and Administration Office at (312) 660-1431.