Strategic Planning Consultant

Duration: 3 months (short-term consultancy)

Level: Senior Consultant

Type of Contract: Consultancy (short-term)

Reports to: Executive Director

Application Deadline: July 26,2026

Payment: 214,000 ETB gross payment for the whole period

Background

Nexus 4 Empowerment and Development (N4ED) is a grassroots Ethiopian Civil Society Organization committed to building resilient communities by connecting people, knowledge and opportunities. Through our three interconnected pillars—Early Childhood Development & Family Well-being, Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Social Empowerment & Protection—we strengthen the foundations of human development, empowerment and rights.

As N4ED approaches its tenth anniversary, the organization has experienced significant institutional growth, expanded its programmatic portfolio, strengthened its governance systems and developed comprehensive organizational policies and procedures. To guide the organization’s next phase of development, N4ED seeks the services of an experienced consultant to facilitate the development of a 10-year Strategic Plan (2027–2036) that will provide a clear long-term vision, strategic priorities and implementation framework.

N4ED seeks a consultant who will facilitate a participatory strategic planning process involving the Board of Directors, management, staff, volunteers, partners and selected stakeholders to ensure that the resulting strategy reflects the organization’s values, ambitions and operational realities.

Assignment Objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to facilitate the development of N4ED’s Ten-Year Strategic Plan (2027–2036), including a strategic planning process that strengthens organizational ownership and provides a practical roadmap for institutional growth, program development and long-term sustainability.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be expected to:

Organizational Assessment

• Review N4ED’s existing strategic plan and key organizational documents.
  • Review relevant organizational policies and systems.
    • Visit N4ED’s programs in Addis Ababa, and potentially in Dire Dawa.
    • Interview N4ED’s staff, volunteers and partners.
    • Analyze organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
    • Assess internal capacities and institutional readiness for future growth.
    • Review the external operating environment affecting Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations.

Stakeholder Consultation

• Design and facilitate a participatory strategic planning process.
  • Conduct consultations with Board members, management, staff, selected partners and other key stakeholders.
    • Facilitate strategic planning workshops.

Strategic Plan Development

Prepare a comprehensive Strategic Plan including, but not limited to:

• Organizational vision, mission and values.
  • Strategic priorities and objectives.
    • Theory of Change.
    • Strategic results framework.
    • Cross-cutting priorities.
    • Institutional strengthening priorities.
    • Human resource and organizational development priorities.
    • Resource mobilization and sustainability strategy.
    • Monitoring, evaluation and learning framework.
    • Risk analysis and mitigation measures.
    • Implementation roadmap.

Validation

• Present the draft Strategic Plan to N4ED management and Board.
  • Facilitate validation workshops.
    • Incorporate comments and finalize the document.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant shall deliver:

• An inception report outlining the proposed methodology and work plan.
• Stakeholder consultation report.
• Facilitation of strategic planning workshops.
• Draft Ten-Year Strategic Plan.
• Final Ten-Year Strategic Plan incorporating comments from N4ED.
• Executive summary and PowerPoint presentation of the strategy.

Duration

The consultancy is expected to be completed within three to four months from contract signature.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s Degree or higher in Strategic Management, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Public Administration, Development Studies or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in strategic planning and organizational development.
  • Proven experience developing strategic plans for NGOs, civil society organizations or development agencies.
    • Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
    • Excellent analytical and report writing skills.
    • Good understanding of the Ethiopian civil society context.
    • Experience working with donor-funded organizations is an advantage.

Technical Competencies

• Strategic planning and facilitation.
  • Organizational assessment.
    • Institutional development.
    • Results-based management.
    • Theory of Change development.
    • Excellent report writing skills.
    • Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Language

• Excellent written and spoken English.
  • Excellent spoken Amharic.