Institutional Strengthening Partner (ISP)

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING PARTNER (ISP) – FAWE LIBERIA

1.0 About FAWE:

Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a pan-African Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1992, dedicated to promoting girls’ and women’s education in sub-Saharan Africa in alignment with the Education for All goals. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, FAWE operates through a network of 34 National Chapters in 33 countries. FAWE’s mission is to advance gender equity and equality in education by fostering positive policies, practices, and attitudes toward girls’ education.

FAWE Liberia is one of FAWE’s National Chapters and contributes to the achievement of FAWE’s strategic objectives through the implementation of programmes aimed at advancing girls’ and women’s access to, retention in and completion of quality education, while promoting gender-responsive education systems.

2.0: Context of the Assignment:

In 2025, an independent institutional review was conducted across FAWE Regional Secretariate and 9 National Chapters that highlighted strengths and areas for focused attention. These included: policy standardization, risk management practices, internal audit functions, financial controls, procedures and compliance, and governance effectiveness. An action plan was developed for each entity which is guiding FAWE in its operational approach to overall programs implementation including several programs with the Mastercard Foundation. FAWE Regional Secretariat (FAWERS) seeks to engage an Institutional Strengthening Partner (ISP) in Liberia to support the organization at to enhance its effectiveness, sustainability, and regional impact with the priority focus on governance and leadership, compliance and accountability, financial and operational systems, risk management, internal controls and audit readiness, MEAL, programme quality and safeguarding, and staff and leadership capacity strengthening.

3.0 Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen FAWE Liberia institutional capacity to effectively deliver its strategic objectives, improve program outcomes, and ensure long-term sustainability in the Chapter.

4.0 Objectives

The objectives of the assignment are to support FAWE Liberia Chapter to:

• Strengthen governance, leadership, compliance and accountability systems, including coordination and alignment between FAWE Liberia and the FAWE Regional Secretariat.
• Improve financial, human resources, procurement, risk management, internal control and audit readiness systems to enhance operational effectiveness and sustainability.
• Enhance programme quality, safeguarding, MEAL systems, and staff and leadership capacities to support effective delivery, learning, and continuous improvement.

5.0. Scope of Work

The Institutional Strengthening Partner (ISP) will support the implementation of the capacity strengthening plan developed for the FAWE Liberia Chapter by undertaking sufficient and appropriate activities to address identified institutional capacity gaps and strengthen organizational systems and practices. In carrying out this assignment, the ISP will build on FAWE’s existing institutional strengthening efforts, review relevant policies, procedures, and organizational processes, and develop a detailed workplan aligned with the recommendations and action plan arising from the institutional assessment. The ISP will also conduct the necessary tests, verifications, document reviews, and field visits, where appropriate, to validate findings, support implementation of the workplan, and facilitate achievement of the capacity strengthening objectives.

5.1 Institutional Capacity Assessment

• Identify capacity gaps and priority areas for strengthening through the previously completed assessment (Rana Report), the consultant’s assessment, and a recognized organizational capacity assessment framework, covering governance, leadership, systems, financial management, program quality, and partnerships.
• Provide recommendations to address the identified capacity gaps for stronger sustainable institutional systems.

5.2 Institutional Strengthening Strategy

• Develop a comprehensive Institutional Strengthening Plan aligned with FAWE’s Strategic Plan, with clear priorities, timelines, measurable indicators, and an implementation workplan.
• Review and update key institutional policies, procedures, and governance instruments, including HR, finance, procurement, safeguarding, whistleblowing, gender strategy, and the delegation of authority matrix for FAWE Liberia Chapter, leveraging FAWE Regional Secretariat guidelines.
• Strengthen internal controls, compliance mechanisms, operational efficiency, and documentation systems to support effective implementation and accountability.

5.3 Governance and Leadership Strengthening

• Review and strengthen governance structures, frameworks, and processes to enhance accountability, transparency, compliance, and effective decision-making at the Chapter level.
• Strengthen Board effectiveness by clarifying governance roles and responsibilities, enhancing oversight and strategic stewardship functions, and supporting Board capacity development where required.
• Enhance organizational leadership and management practices by strengthening strategic planning, performance management, decision-making, risk management, and leadership capabilities to improve institutional effectiveness and sustainability.

5.4 MEAL Systems, Enhancement

• Review and strengthen MEAL systems, frameworks, policies, and processes to ensure effective monitoring of program performance, measurement of results, accountability to stakeholders, and continuous learning.
• Strengthen results-based management and foster a culture of learning and adaptation by supporting the use of evidence, reflection, knowledge management, and learning practices to inform strategic and programmatic decision-making.

5.6 Program Quality Improvement

• Strengthen gender-responsive programming approaches across program design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Enhance program design, delivery, and reporting standards to improve quality, consistency, and effectiveness.

5.7 Capacity Building and Mentorship

• Design and deliver tailored capacity-building programs for staff, leadership, and Board members based on identified organizational needs.
• Develop sustainable internal capacity and knowledge-sharing mechanisms to support continuous learning and long-term organizational growth.

5.8 Compliance Assessment

• Conduct a comprehensive compliance assessment of the FAWE Liberia Chapter.
• Assess compliance with donor requirements, applicable national laws, and internal policies and procedures.
• Identify compliance gaps, risks, and priority areas for improvement, and recommend corrective actions.

5.9 Risk Management Framework

• Develop or strengthen an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework aligned with organizational objectives.
• Identify and assess strategic, operational, financial, legal, and reputational risks.
• Develop and maintain a risk register, including risk ratings, mitigation measures, and monitoring mechanisms.
• Support the definition of risk appetite and tolerance levels to guide risk-informed decision-making.
• Strengthen risk monitoring and reporting processes to enhance organizational resilience and accountability

6.0 Deliverables

The Institutional Strengthening Partner will deliver:

• Inception Report with detailed methodology and work plan.
• Institutional Capacity Assessment Report.
• Reviewed and updated Institutional Strategy and Action Plan.
• Reviewed and updated policies, procedures, tools, and systems.
• Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework and Risk Management Policy.
• Comprehensive Risk Assessment Report.
• Risk Register with mitigation and monitoring measures.
• Risk Appetite and Tolerance Statement.
• Training materials and capacity-building reports.
• Training of staff, management, and Board members as applicable.
• Periodic progress reports (monthly).
• Final report documenting achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations.

7.0 Duration

• Duration: 6 months starting in October 2026 to March 2027

8.0 Reporting and Coordination

• Overall,