Summary of ToR
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is seeking a consultant to develop a communication strategy for Taita Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA).
Background
IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together with a presence in 40 countries worldwide. The IFAW Eastern Africa office is based in Nairobi.
IFAW addresses the needs of animals and people across many critical habitats by protecting wildlife from poachers, landscape conservation, and rehabilitating rescued animals. IFAW partners with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations, and businesses to achieve its mission.
IFAW is implementing a United States Agency for International Development project, Sustainable Management of Amboseli and Tsavo landscapes, in collaboration with TTWCA, AET, Big Life and Tsavo Trust. The project aims to enhance local organizations’ capacity to provide leadership and implement conservation actions for community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in their jurisdictions. In Tsavo, IFAW is strengthening TTWCA’s capacity to lead conservation interventions and support conservancies within the region.
TTWCA is a landscape community-based organization established in 2013 with the mandate to support the development of wildlife conservancies and other related economic activities among its members for improved livelihoods and coordinate sustainable management of the Tsavo ecosystem. TTWCA also serves as a landscape umbrella body for the 33 conservancies/ranches covering approximately 1 million acres within the larger Tsavo landscape. The conservancies/ranches form a migratory corridor for the Tsavo National Park which is 5.8 million acres.
The Terms of Reference outline the development of a strategy to improve the awareness of TTWCA’s conservation initiatives through all TTWCA communication channels and avenues.
Purpose of the Communication Strategy
The communication strategy will support activities under implementation as guided by the TTWCA Strategic Plan.
Objectives of the Communications Strategy
The strategy objectives:
- Build and create awareness of the TTWCA brand.
- Increasing awareness of TTWCA activities to target audiences
- Communicate TTWCA’s sustainable development policies.
- Partnership building with supporters.
- Support TTWCA advocacy initiatives.
- Introduce communication tactics that embrace existing technology in the region and in particular telecommunications and ICT in the delivery of conservation objectives.
- Promote knowledge management and sharing among staff within TTWCA
Scope of Work
In line with the above-mentioned objectives for the communication strategy development, the main tasks of the consultant shall be as follows:
- Undertake a comprehensive SWOT exercise and analysis of TTWCA.
- Carry out consultations with key TTWCA conservation partners and make an inventory of communications tools developed by these partners to inform the customization of communication tools for TTWCA relevant to her mandate and landscape.
- Develop a communication strategy for TTWCA, making sure to:
- Identify target audiences;
- Identify key messages for each target audience;
- Identify specific needs in terms of communication: active or passive;
- Identify available communication tactics/strategies, methods, and means and those that ought to be used by the organization;
- Link the target audiences to each of the communication channels/tools;
- Identify marketing and partnership strategies to be employed by TTWCA and how communications will support their delivery;
- Identify individual elements of information within the organization, to improve its access (distribution) and usability for audiences;
- Identify key organizational communication capacity needs.
- Put forward a priority communication action plan to be implemented at the program/project/local level;
Methodology.
The consultant will be expected to develop a detailed methodology within the proposal, that clearly outlines how the task will be undertaken.
Deliverables
Deliverables must contribute to the attainment of the aforementioned communication objectives and include in particular:
- A communication strategy, which recommends a set of key messages to be promoted among target audiences at the local, county, national and international levels on programs and projects; define the means necessary for implementation (media and communication tools), indirect and direct target groups; the strategy’s monitoring and evaluation mechanism; the tactics to be employed to effectively carry out fundraising, proposed actions, and systems for knowledge management, a financing plan as well as a strategy for ensuring the sustainability and institutionalization of the actions carried out (including a proposed setup of the communications unit).
- A communication plan comprising the principal communication activities in line with the TTWCA strategic plan period.
- A communication work plan to define how to engage identified partners while specifying communication roles.
- Reports and minutes of preparatory meetings and training workshops with TTWCA staff and membership.
- A final report presenting the principal stages of the process, the work done, the lessons learned as well as recommendations towards future replication of the planning and drafting process.
Competencies
This work should be done by an experienced consultant or consultancy firm (with the lead consultant taking full responsibility for the work and delivery of products). The consultant must have strong competencies in Communications, Public Relations, Media Relations, and organizational development. The consultant must have excellent knowledge of Communications Strategy development and demonstrated experience in performing similar assignments. Additionally, they should understand branding, building strategic partnerships, and fundraising communications.
Required Skills and Experience
The Lead Consultant should:
- Have at least 10 years of experience in the development of communication or branding strategies and or similar products. Should possess strong working knowledge of international development, the NGO sector, and government institutions;
- Have a Bachelor’s degree or above in Communications, Public Relations, Media Relations, or other related fields; A Master’s degree in the same fields will be an added advantage.
- A good understanding of the realities of public relations and communications for promoting conservation issues;
- Proven experience in strategic planning and organizational development;
- Demonstrate analytical and research skills.
Requirements for submission
- A technical proposal detailing the methodology and work plan to be followed to perform the task.
- A financial proposal detailing your professional fees
- Demonstrate your capacity to undertake the task and provide references as appropriate.
- Support documentation e.g, registration, tax compliance certificates
- Any other information that may be useful for reference may be cited and later provided if requested.
Timeframe
This activity should be conducted and completed within one month (30 working days) from signing the contract with TTWCA.
How to apply
Interested candidates should send their technical and financial proposals (not exceeding 15 pages minus annexes), CVs (demonstrating their qualification, competency, and experience in undertaking similar assignments), company profile, two recent references, and their availability to supplierea@ifaw.org and jobs@ttwcakenya.com CC: info@ttwcakenya.com with the subject as ‘COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY’ not later than CoB 15th MAY 2023.