Consultancy to facilitate the design of a Knowledge and Learning Framework for Oxfam in Kenya

About Oxfam

Oxfam is an international confederation of 21 organizations working in over 60 countries worldwide seeking to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice around the world. Oxfam is determined to change that world by mobilizing the power of people against poverty. Around the world, Oxfam works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive. We save lives and help rebuild livelihoods when crisis strikes. And we campaign so that the voices of the poor influence the local and global decisions that affect them. In all we do, Oxfam works with partners, public and private sector institutions alongside vulnerable women and men to end the injustices that cause poverty. Read more about Oxfam from https://kenya.oxfam.org/

Country Context – Background and Current status

Over the last years, Oxfam as an organization has been undergoing a myriad of change processes both at global and country level. Globally, Oxfam launched the Global Strategic Framework GSF( 2020-2030) and the Global Knowledge and Learning Framework aimed at ensuring that Knowledge and learning become a core part of Oxfam’s business and that Oxfam adds value in the world. The ambition is for knowledge and learning practice to be continuous and incorporated in the daily practice of what we do to improve our ways of working to realize the transformational change we desire, especially in change areas of accountability, improvement, learning, and social change.

Oxfam in Kenya Country Strategy ( 2021-2024) strategic focus is on influencing, advocacy and campaign programming. Since shifting our way of delivering programmes in 2015, our work has been well defined by influencing for policy and practise, systems strengthening and complimentary partnerships to positively impact lives of disenfranchised and poor people in Kenya. Oxfam is committed to increase the number of Southern affiliates as part of its ‘Oxfam 2020’ vision for global balance in 2013. In March 2020, this vision evolved leading to a decision to develop Oxfam as a diversified network (with parity between ‘northern’ and ‘southern’ affiliates by 2025. In May 2020, it was agreed to pursue ‘affiliation’ as Oxfam’s future model of presence in the pacific, Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya and Senegal. As a result, Oxfam in Kenya is currently in the process of becoming an affiliate and various processes are on course.

Current status

Despite the current ambition to make knowledge work (cause the transformational change) , Oxfam in Kenya recognizes that the operational terrain is complex, measuring change is difficult due to the nature of programming that is sometimes non-linear. In addition, the complexity is further compounded by the various systems we work with, multiple information needs , variety of MEAL guidelines we work with (CAMSA(Common Approaches for MEL and Social Accountability) , Feminist MEAL, Programme Quality Standards etc) , the inadequacy in capacities to advance knowledge and learning , limitations in resourcing Knowledge and Learning Initiatives ( K&L) and the ever evolving K&L fields that calls for flexibility to match the changing operational environmental/ context.

Oxfam in Kenya also recognises that programme quality and learning are incomplete without reference to knowledge management that is underpinned by tenets of data generation, data/information processing and storage, and information use in learning and improvement. In order to generate evidence to inform learning for better quality programmes and effective programme delivery, there is need to invest in generation of credible data (through studies, reviews, monitoring, etc), data systems that capture, process/analyse and retrieve information for use, as well as enhance technical capacity of information users to ably synthesise the data and generate knowledge products that can inform learning, programme improvement, accountability and demonstrate the expected social change among the people we work with.

Recognizing the value of knowledge and learning in improving the quality of programmes, Oxfam in Kenya is committed to move beyond the usual ways of MEAL where we measure outcomes, generate best practices and lessons learned but hardly apply the knowledge to improve the way we deliver our programmes. The K&L framework will guide the institution on how to systematically engage in processes for generating credible data/information critical for realization of the change areas (accountability, improvement, learning and social change) that Oxfam, partners, funders, and the people we work with aspire for. To realize our ambition of being a thought leader and a knowledge broker in the areas we work in, the framework is ideal since it provides guidance on processes critical for generation of credible evidence needed to realize the change we want. It also enlists responsibilities and commitment of its leadership to drive this process to the desired destiny of making knowledge work: applying what we learn into what we plan to do and sharing our working models to cause change at scale. The desire is to provide a linkage between knowledge generation and learning guided by our knowledge products.

Purpose and Objective

The main objective of the assignment is to develop a country Knowledge and Learning Framework. The purpose of the K&L framework is to guide and ensure systematic institutional knowledge management, learning and improvement. The main objective will be achieved through focusing on the following result areas.

• To develop, standardize and harmonise data collection and reporting across the programmes.
• . To develop mechanisms to enhance utilization of knowledge products.
• To develop learning questions for each programme
• To develop a functional Organizational Accountability mechanism

Methodology

Oxfam in Kenya will engage a consultant to facilitate the development of a Knowledge and Learning Framework ( K&L) . The consultant will be expected to review relevant literature materials within the country programme. This will include: 1) Oxfam Country Strategy 2. Country Operational Plan( COP) 3. One Programme Reports 4) Oxfam Output Report 5. Global Strategic Framework 6. GSF-Knowledge and Learning Framework etc. The write shop will involve participatory approaches for gathering information underpinned by feminist principles. The participants of the write shop will be carefully selected across the organization’s programme and Business support units. These will include thematic leads, Director of Programmes, Communications and MEAL teams. The following approaches can be employed during the write shop:

• Presentations on several topics i.e., global strategic framework, CSF, theories of change of the different thematic areas.
• Group discussions: to get the teams’ perspective on several aspects such as feedback on thematic strategies, components of K&L framework and generate learning question etc.
• Brainstorming sessions to engage the different participants and enable understanding of the linkage between the thematic strategies, current Country Strategy, and the Global Strategic Framework.

Key activities and Deliverables

The assignment will start upon signing of the contract between Oxfam and the successful consultant(s) or an otherwise agreed upon date. The exact due dates for all deliverables will be finalized with Oxfam prior to submitting the inception report, so long as the dates continue to fall within the broad start and finish dates of the consultancy.

Oxfam envisions the review as a collaborative undertaking between itself, Country staff in Kenya and the successful consultant(s). We expect that the selected consultant(s) will engage with and provide feedback on a continual basis. On our part, we commit to collaborating with the selected individual/team and to providing sufficient time for a back-and-forth approach.

Timelines

Deliverable Days

Advertisement of the consultancy 14

Recruitment of consultant/Facilitator 1

Inception Meeting 1

Desk/Secondary review, Inception report 7

Facilitate a design workshop 3

Report Writing

( Knowledge and Learning Framework) 8

Draft report 1

Review of Draft report by Oxfam 8

Feedback addressed by consultant 3

Final Framework Sign off 3

Total number of assignment day 23 days (excluding review of report by Oxfam, advertisement and recruitment days)

Profile of the review team

The consultancy can include different team members. Key competencies of the team include:

• Proficiency in Monitoring and Evaluation is a must.
• Proficiency in design of knowledge and learning frameworks methodologies for effective learning.
• Strong facilitation skills for delivering training programs and workshops.
• Experience in assessing the effectiveness of training programs through evaluation and feedback mechanisms.
• Experience in implementing feminist principles and approaches into the design and facilitation of workshops.
• Ability to identify challenges related to knowledge gaps and create effective solutions to address them.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills in English
• Strong analytical, communication and report writing skills.

Tax and VAT arrangements

Oxfam will deduct withholding tax from the professional fees which will be in conformity with the prevailing government rates and submit the same to the Government of Kenya.

Bid Requirements

Consultant(s) who meet the above requirements should submit bids, which at minimum include the following:

• Suitability statement, including commitment to availability for the entire assignment.
• Brief statement of the proposed methodology including a detailed work plan.
• Detailed financial proposal, including daily costs.
• Information on the team composition and level of effort of each team member – include updated curriculum vitae that clearly spell out qualifications and experience.
• Contacts of three organizations that have recently contracted the consultant to carry out relevant assignment.
• Samples of similar and/or related work done previously

Budget financial proposal must indicate all-inclusive costs for conducting the assignment.

N/B: The entire bid should be a MAXIMUM OF fifteen (15) PAGES inclusive of CVs and Budgets. Bids not meeting this requirement will not be considered.

The budget will only accommodate a maximum of 2 people for this assignment.

Reporting lines

The consultant shall work under the supervision of the Oxfam’s MEAL Advisor

Ethical considerations

The consultant will put in place measures to ensure data collection adheres to all necessary ethics and guidelines provided by local laws on data protection and ‘Do no Harm’ standards, Oxfam safe programming and feminist principles.