Terms of Reference – Organizational Development and Governance Consultant

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (IJAV) from Serbia is looking for a consultant to facilitate the next phase of organizational development in alignment with the IJAV’s strategy 2020-2025.

About IJAV, its mission and program directions

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (IJAV) is an organization that has been operating for thirty years in a very turbulent transition period which Serbian society has been going through. Established as a professional association of journalists with an aim to improve the profession of journalism and protect journalists from the repressive regime, IJAV has always been an uncompromising advocate for democratic values of civic society, which has sided IJAV with those out of favor with those in power.

IJAV is today strongly involved in improvement of the media legislative and media system in Serbia and in the networking and supporting of community media in Serbia, besides its permanent work in the field of rights and protection of journalists. IJAV owns the investigative web site VOICE (Voice.org.rs) which deals with corruption on the level of local communities and the daily news portal Autonomija (Autonomija.info), which provides content with different points of view and opinions of prominent Serbian journalists and intellectuals. IJAV runs its Media Hub which is a multifunctional place for debates, trainings, and experiments with traditional and new media. As a support to creativity IJAV has launched a co-working place for freelance journalists and media workers. With more than 600 members, IJAV is one of the leaders in the professional support and protection of journalists in Serbia and the Western Balkans.

IJAV’s mission is: By cherishing and improving the professional standards of journalism, IJAV empowers journalists to act as bearers of democratic changes and advocates institutional and regulatory systems that would enable journalists to do their job professionally.

The activities of IJAV in 2020-2025 are divided into two key directions. The program direction defines three main clusters (support to democratic values, support and promotion of professional journalism, and protection of journalists and media freedoms), while the organizational direction encompasses selfsustainability, capacity development of the organization and its employees, and work with the members. You can read our new strategy 2020-2025 here [PDF] and learn more about our structure and internal bodies here.

Background to the consultancy

An organization that has been active for over 30 years and has recently seen a generational change in its leadership, IJAV is intensely engaged in organizational renewal and development. Assisted by the PeaceNexus Foundation, IJAV has developed its new Strategic plan for 2020-2025 and adopted it at the beginning of 2020 . In order to make the organization internally stronger and able to deliver on its strategic commitments, IJAV is looking to revisit its internal structure and processes, to better align them with key strategic objectives and enable further organizational development, efficient decision-making and internal functioning. As a membership-based organization, IJAV needs to balance its structure in a way that facilitates smooth functioning of the governing bodies, including by clearly defining the roles and scope of responsibilities of each governance element, as well as systems of internal accountability, while enabling regular and meaningful engagement of members in the organization’s work.

Statement of needs and scope of the Consultancy

This mandate is expected to result in clear and effective distribution of roles and responsibilities internally, it needs to be conducive to inclusive and timely decision-making, and needs to provide a strong system of internal accountability. As such, it is meant to strengthen IJAV’s ability to deliver on its strategy and be a role model in terms of governance.

In order for IJAV to improve its internal structure and enable organizational development, growth and the ability to effectively deliver on its strategic objectives, the consultant should contribute to identifying, devising, adopting and implementing targeted changes to the structure and internal organizational processes. We expect this to require an iterative process of developing recommendations, facilitating consensus around them, and providing guidance regarding implementation.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to:

• Familiarise herself/himself with the organization, its current structure and processes, and key documents (such as the Strategy and Statute). On this basis, the consultant should deliver an inception report outlining preliminary findings and his/her detailed workplan (including draft questions for the targeted review ) for the rest of the assignment [deliverable: inception report]
• Conduct a targeted internal review, including through consultations with IJAV’s bodies and key staff, to identify areas for improvement and options for changes regarding IJAV’s structure, governance, and internal organisation
• Provide evidence-based findings regarding changes to be made regarding the organisation’s structure, roles and responsibilities, and internal organisation [deliverable: report on the findings of the internal review, including draft recommendations/options on how to address identified issues]
• Facilitate participatory workshop(s) between IJAV’s key bodies to discuss the recommendations and agree on changes and next steps [deliverable: Agenda of the workshop(s) and summary of its conclusions]
• Accompany IJAV in the implementation of the agreed first steps [deliverable: feedback and/or mentoring]
• Provide a final report, outlining detailed short-term and long-term recommendations for IJAV’s further organisational development, including in relation to (a) IJAV’s governance and structure, (b) internal roles and responsibilities, (c) decision-making and coordination. The report should provide advice regarding the implementation of the recommendations (sequencing, steps, change indicators) [deliverable: final report]

Deliverables should be provided in English.

Project duration and timeframe

This assignment is expected to be carried out in a period of up to 25-30 consultancy days and needs to be completed in the period from July 2020 to January 2021. This assignment will need to include both face to-face work (as soon as travel becomes possible) with IJAV staff as well as remote support (feedback, mentoring).

Qualifications

IJAV is looking for a qualified consultant or a team of consultants, company or an organization with experience in the context of civil society, media and journalism, with a proven advisory track record in the areas of organizational governance and organisational development . The applicant(s) should also have solid understanding of, or prior experience of working in, the Western Balkans.

Applicants need to be able to demonstrate relevant experience and results, including through references and/or testimonials, in the aforementioned areas. In addition, they are expected to:

1. Have a strong track record of accompanying organizational development through
   participatory and consultative approaches that build the capacities of those involved,
2. Have extensive experience in governance consulting, including in improving governance effectiveness and accountability,
3. Have excellent analytical and writing skills,
4. Have strong facilitation and communication skills,
5. Have excellent written and spoken English skills, BCS languages are an asset,
6. Media and journalism context knowledge, including experience of working with media organizations will be considered an asset.
7. Given that not all stakeholders in IJAV are fluent in English, the consultant should be ready to work with local translators (during interviews and facilitated workshops) and should account the time required for translations of documents developed as part of this consultancy.

Content of the Application

Applications need to include the following documents:

1. CVs of the consultant(s) which should include full descriptions of relevant responsibilities carried out (not just job title) including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration, consultant months provided (if different from duration), main activities, objectives.
2. A letter of intent (not exceeding 3 pages) explaining how your background and experience(s) qualify you for this mandate and describing your proposed approach and methodology for the assignment.
3. Financial proposal comprising a detailed quotation for the assignment, breakdown of consultancy days and expected fee [CHF], availability as well as travel costs from place of residence and back.
4. List of references and two references from organizations previously worked with on the similar tasks (name and contacts); Please note that references might be contacted only after successful interviews.

Application process

Applications have to be submitted via E-mail: office@ndnv.flywheelsites.com. Subject of the E-mail should be: “Application Documents – IJAV Governance”.

The applications must be submitted by 19 June 2020. CET 17:00.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. IJAV strives to do so by the end of June 2020.

Incomplete proposals shall not be considered for further process. Proposals received after the time specified for receipts of offer shall be considered late and shall not be evaluated.

Interviews

Following the evaluation of applications received, shorlisted applicants will be interviewed.

IJAV will consult with the consultant regarding the format and date of the interview at the time of the invitation.