Consultancy - Development of Knowledge Management Strategy and Learning and Adaptation Plan (2024-2026) at Child Fund International

Purpose of the assignment

• The objective of this assignment is to develop the ChildFund Kenya Knowledge Management Strategy & Learning and Adaptation Plan. In this regard, CFK wishes to engage a Knowledge Management consulting expert with adequate experience and expertise in developing strategies and learning plans on Knowledge Management for development and humanitarian, preferably with international NGOs with a focus on children and sponsorship. The Strategy will enable the organization to effectively identify, create, store, share and use its data, information and knowledge products for the benefit of the internal and external stakeholders. The strategy should articulate KML processes, methodologies and systems to support them and motivation of stakeholders to participate in KML.

Specific Objectives of the assignment

• To establish the existing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats regarding the existing KM processes, methodologies and systems in the organization.
• To conduct organizational capacity assessment of staff on effective knowledge management and learning practices.
• To support ChildFund Kenya to have an effective knowledge management strategy and action plan, tools and templates for the development of knowledge products.
• To develop learning and adaptation plan comprising of learning questions, activities, integrating finding, resources required in the organization.
• To strengthen the capacity of staff on the knowledge management strategy, learning and adaptation plan developed.

Scope of work

Knowledge Management Assessment and Benchmarking

• Familiarize with the purpose of ChildFund Kenya’s work by reading materials such as the Growing Connection Strategy, Programs Portfolio (Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Food Security & Livelihoods, Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE), Child Protection) documents, Life Stage Manual, Country Strategic Plan, Communications Strategy, ICT Policies and Procedures, MEL Plan, CSP review reports, position paper on KM and other relevant materials.
• The consultant should review the ChildFund Kenya strategic priorities and define accordingly the specific goals for the KM strategy and actions, which must be measurable.
• Given the above KM goals, the consultant shall undertake an assessment of ChildFund Kenya staff and implementing partners (who form the critical mass of people that the KM strategy and action plan should target to achieve the CFK goals), and their priority needs for KM support.
• The consultant shall assess current organizational practices, processes and tools, and as well review the quantity and quality of KM products, and make recommendations in the strategy, on how to improve quality control.
• The consultant should also benchmark the status of KM within ChildFund against KM best practices in similar organizations in Kenya and make recommendations in the proposed KM strategy and action plan.
• Interview select Programs & Partnership from USA International Office, M&E Advisor, Africa region, Kenya Senior Management Team, Focus Group Discussions with units (Programs, Sponsorship, Partnerships, Grants, Administration, Procurement and Logistics and Finance Support teams) and select implementing partners on their understanding on institutional knowledge management and capture strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis.
• Compile a comprehensive SWOT/ KM assessment report with recommended solutions from the analysis findings.

Knowledge Management Strategy

• Develop the knowledge management strategy and implementation plan.
• Develop learning and adaptation plan that will clarify on which learning approaches the program will use, the learning agenda or questions and how the program will use data to answer learning questions and adapt including how program will collaborate with external stakeholders.
• Develop templates/tools for capturing proposed knowledge products and learnings.
• Develop shared governance across the organization, including a shared language, information architecture, protocols, etc.
• Propose update & roll out of policies and procedures to support/drive desired behaviors, e.g. document management, data collection, storage and management, ICT use and adherence.
• Based on peer review of other similar organizations propose possible platforms to learn together with external experts in areas where we have gaps e.g. with academia who focus on child development issues.
• Presentation and sensitization of staff on the knowledge management strategy, learning and adaptation plan, tools and templates developed.

Methodology

• The consultant will undertake the assignment using various participatory approaches in the development of the Knowledge management strategy and learning and adaptation plan. In consultation with Monitoring Evaluation Knowledge Management and Learning (MEKML) Manager and the Programs and Sponsorship Director, the consultant will develop a suitable methodology and implementation plan clearly demonstrating how this assignment will be carried out.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will be expected provide the following deliverables:

Inception Report: 

• This will describe the approach to the assignment after preliminary discussions with the ChildFund Kenya team, and review of documentation. It should include introduction, methodology and workplan detailing tasks, key deliverables, timing. The annexes will include documents reviewed, data collection tools, consultant team and their specific roles and TOR.

KML SWOT Analysis and Capacity assessment report: 

• The report will detail the current organizational practices, processes and tools, review the quantity and quality of KM products, and make recommendations in the strategy, on how to improve quality control. It will benchmark the status of KM within ChildFund against KM best practices in similar organizations.

Knowledge Management Strategy & Implementation plan, Learning and Adaptation Plan, Tools & Templates

• This will be included 1) knowledge management strategy 2) learning plan and 3) tools & templates capturing knowledge products and learnings reflective of feedback from stakeholders at the validation meeting; and draft report reviewed by ChildFund Kenya.

Training of staff on Knowledge Management Strategy & Implementation plan, Learning and Adaptation Plan, Tools & Templates

• The consultant will undertake a two day training on Knowledge Management Strategy & Implementation plan, Learning and Adaptation Plan, Tools & Templates. The final reports and products will be reviewed by ChildFund before sign off.

Duration of the Assignment

The exercise is expected to take a maximum of 30 working days from the date of signing the contract. Target date for contract Award is 8th January 2024. The overall time and work plan will be specified in the agreement with 6th February 2024 as the target deadline for submission of the expected deliverables.

Deliverable/Outputs

Inception Report: detailing the approaches to be used, data collection tools, analysis and management, workplan showing when key activities will be undertaken, by whom and how, the composition of the consulting team and their qualifications - 5 Days

Development of the documents: - SWOT Analysis**/**Assessment report, Knowledge management strategy, Learning and adaptation plan and tools & templates capturing knowledge products and learnings - 15 days

Draft Final documents: Assessment report, Knowledge management strategy, Learning and adaptation plan and tools & templates capturing knowledge products and learnings - 5 Days

Training staff on the KM strategy, learning and adaptation plan - 2 days

Final documents- Assessment report, Knowledge management strategy, Learning and adaptation plan and Tools & templates capturing knowledge products and learnings – 3 Days

Total - 30 Days

Management and Coordination

The consultant will report to MEKML Manager and will work closely with departmental/ units/heads. The assignment will be carried out with logistical support and services of ChildFund Kenya.

The Consultant will

• Undertake the tasks leading to actualization of the deliverables in a high quality and timely manner.
• Proactively consult with the ChildFund team regularly to clarify on any grey areas and appraise the team on the progress of the assignment on a weekly basis.
• Consultants shall not disclose any confidential information of ChildFund Kenya to any person or other third party or make use of such confidential information for Consultant's own purposes at any time without ChildFund Kenya's prior written consent.
• The Consultant represents and warrants that all work created pursuant to this agreement shall be original work and that no third party shall hold any rights in or to such work.
• The Consultant further agrees that: (a) all rights, title, and interest in and to the work shall be vested in ChildFund Kenya;

ChildFund Kenya will

• Facilitate necessary contacts and provide necessary information;
• Consult with the ChildFund International Programs and Partnerships, KM working group;
• Monitor and supervise the assignment including (review, comment and approve the deliverables in a timely manner); and
• Pay the consultant as per agreed payment schedule.

Confidential Information.

• The Consultant may receive confidential information of ChildFund Kenya in connection with the performance of this agreement. Consultants shall not disclose any confidential information of ChildFund Kenya to any person or other third party or make use of such confidential information for Consultant's own purposes at any time without ChildFund Kenya's prior written consent. Confidential information of ChildFund Kenya shall mean any information (written, oral, or observed) relating to ChildFund Kenya’s: (a) donors and potential donors; (b) beneficiaries; (c) employees; (d) business and strategic plans; (e) finances; and (f) relationship with any governmental entity. Confidential information of ChildFund Kenya shall also include information specifically designated confidential by ChildFund Kenya or which Consultant knows or reasonably should know is not generally known to the public. Notwithstanding the forgoing, confidential information of ChildFund Kenya shall not include any information that is generally known to the public or readily ascertainable from publicly available sources.

Copyright

• The Consultant represents and warrants that all work created pursuant to this agreement shall be original work and that no third party shall hold any rights in or to such work. The Consultant further agrees that: (a) all rights, title, and interest in and to the work shall be vested in ChildFund Kenya; (b) The Consultant shall execute and deliver to ChildFund Kenya such instruments of transfer and take such other actions that ChildFund Kenya may reasonably request, including without limitation, executing and filing at ChildFund Kenya’s expense, copyright applications, assignments and other documents required for the protection of ChildFund Kenya’s right in the work; and (c) the Consultant shall, upon request of ChildFund Kenya, provide to ChildFund Kenya all originals, copies or other media containing or comprising the work.

Qualifications and competencies

The lead consultant should have at least the following qualifications:

• Postgraduate degree and/or certification in Knowledge Management, Information Management,Development Communication, Public Relations, Business Analysis, Instructional Design, Project Management, Human Centered Design, and International Development. Master’s degree on the same would be an advantage.
• A minimum 5 – 10 years’ experience in a similar role related to Knowledge Management.
• Thorough knowledge of technology solutions, tools and platforms needed in support of Knowledge Management.
• Proven ability to apply effective knowledge management, user experience and human-centered stakeholder engagement skills and processes.
• Experience using content management systems (e.g., SharePoint) and learning management systems (e.g., Dayforce LMS) for knowledge management.
• Supporting users to find the resources they are looking for through self-service or instruction.
• Developing tools to enable knowledge capture, translation, and exchange.
• Knowledge of human centered design techniques and skills in their application.
• Knowledge asset template design and maintenance using modern technology (e.g., PDFforms) and advanced techniques (e.g., branching logic).
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work within child focused organizations and grants.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 environment and apps especially SharePoint, Decisions, Bookings, Mentimeter, Planner, Survey Monkey, Absentify, OneNote, Engage, Forms, OneDrive, Sway, Stream, To Do, Visio, Viva Insights, Whiteboard, Learning.
• Modern SharePoint site building and content management with metadata.
• Translating technical procedures into user friendly instructional resources and job aids.
• Listening actively to understand needs and provide constructive/receive feedback.
• Aptitude for and keen interest in learning new information design and communication technology.
• Strong self-direction balanced with collaborative and creative approach.
• Meticulous detail-orientation and track record of delivering timely results under pressure.
• Service mindset for responsiveness to requests and striving towards becoming trusted business partners to drive common Foundation goals.
• Possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.

Application Process

• To apply the consultant(s) should submit an Expression of Interest comprised of both technical and itemised/costed financial proposal in Kenya Shillings denomination including taxes applicable (VAT and WTH). The technical proposal should contain: the consultant’s understanding of the assignment; how the consultant(s) meet the qualification and requirements of the assignment.
• A company profile should be submitted alongside statutory documents such as KRA Tax Compliance Certificate, Company Registration Certificate, VAT, Reference letters from previous reputable organisations where similar KML task was undertaken. If a team of experts, summarised Resume/CV of the lead consultant and other personnel to be involved in the assignment must be attached and highlighting only the relevant experience in KML consultancy. A review of the above will be done and only those who are shortlisted will be contacted.