AFF’s mandate and business operations

The African Forest Forum (AFF) is a pan-African non-governmental organization with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. It is an association of individuals with a commitment to the sustainable management, wise use and conservation of Africa’s forest and tree resources for the socio-economic well-being of its peoples and for the stability and improvement of its environment. AFF is involved in voicing the concerns of African forestry stakeholders; and using science, indigenous knowledge, and experience to advocate for the importance of forests and trees outside forests to peoples’ livelihoods, national economies and the stability of the environment.

AFF provides a platform for independent and objective analyses, as well as  technical and policy advice to national, regional and international institutions and actors, on how economic, food security and environmental issues can be addressed through the sustainable management, use and conservation of forests and trees outside forests.

To be able to deliver on this mandate, AFF depends on resources from donors worldwide. In this regard AFF’s main donors are the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). AFF also collaborates from time to time with other institutions on themes that are aligned to its mandate. Such include the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on research projects that relate to value addition to forest related products. AFF continually pursues other funding opportunities.

Background

Strategic financial management refers to the art of managing an institution’s resources with the intention of attaining its set goals and objectives while maximizing impact in the most Efficient and Effective way. Aspects of strategic financial management include strategic planning and implementation, managing stakeholder processes and relationships, integrating programmatic work and financial management, and financial risk analysis. In a highly competitive NGO funding environment, donors are looking out to partner with the most efficient, effective and innovative institutions. AFF continually identifies itself with these attributes during its project planning and implementation, and also by having them as key areas to guide evaluation of its projects during their external reviews.

AFF operates in the following ways:

• Generating knowledge through research implemented in partnership with strategic expert teams and postgraduate students on some key areas identified in its programmatic approach to its work. These researches are expected to generate solutions to some of the challenges in the forestry sector related to the improvement of livelihoods, national economies and the environment we live in.
• Sharing generated knowledge and scientific evidence with AFF members and appropriate stakeholders at the international, continental, sub regional and national levels using knowledge sharing platforms like workshops, conferences, and through electronic and social media.
• Building capacity within the continent related to key and emerging issues in forestry, such as on climate change, green and circular economy, and forest certification.
• Participatory development of contextualized training materials in form of compendiums to target academic stakeholders’ niches.
• Facilitating the translation and editing of knowledge products in both English and French, which are the main languages spoken in African countries, for a wider distribution online and/or in print mode.
• Collaboration with other institutions on key continental and global forestry initiatives in Africa.
• Monitoring uptake and impact of the information and knowledge products shared with stakeholders.

Objective

To improve on efficiency and effectiveness in the AFF’s business process, mode of delivery and utilization of resources.

 Specific tasks

Under the supervision of the Executive Secretary, the expert is required to:

1. Assess AFF’s operations and its business process (planning, implementation and reporting).
2. Identify and document opportunities for improving efficiency and effectiveness within the business process and delivery mode of AFF in relation to its strategy including the long-term scenario in AFF’s growth

• Based on (i) and (ii), conduct a 2 days training within the AFF Secretariat on how to improve effective and efficient planning, implementation, and utilization of available resources.

Deliverables and output

1. Provide a report of the assignment undertaken.
2. Provide training materials that could be updated at regular intervals for continuous training of AFF staff on strategic resource management;
3. In collaboration with the Secretariat, develop an action plan on how to enhance effective and efficient planning, implementation and utilization of AFF’s resources.

Qualification and expertise

Corporates’ (work force) or individuals with the following qualifications are eligible.

• Master’s degree or higher in finance and monitoring and evaluation, project planning and management, or equivalent post graduate degree in these subject’ areas;
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible, professional-level experience in organizational (including NGO) planning, monitoring and evaluation including financial management and financial analysis.
• Proven expertise in planning, monitoring and evaluation, financial management and financial analysis.
• High level of research competence and abreast of current research and best practice in planning, monitoring and evaluation, financial management and financial analysis.
• Proven training skills in efficiency and effectiveness.
• Excellent oral and written communication, analytical and presentation skills.

Duration of assignment

This assignment should not take more than ten days spread over a period of one month

HOW TO APPLY

Share a proposal on how to conduct this assignment based on the objective and  specific tasks, and including your qualifications and experience in these areas. Also include the methodology to be applied and topics to be tackled during the two days training.

Attach all the supporting documents, including CV, letter of application, and submit by e-mail with subject line: EXPRESSION OF  INTEREST FOR AFF EFFICIENCY & EFFECTIVENESS TRAINING CONSULTANT  addressed to: g.kowero@cgiar.org and copied to c.kajuju@cgiar.org