Call for Consultancy Terms of Reference (TOR) Consultant for Strategic Planning and Management (SPM) _at Northwood African Education Foundation, Ethiopia

Background

St George’s School was established in 2013. It operates as a charity school under the support of the Northwood African Education Foundation, a UK-registered charity, with additional registration in Ethiopia. The school is located in Gondar, Ethiopia, specifically in Azezo Kebele 20, with its head office also based in Gondar.

The school serves orphaned and vulnerable children between the ages of 5 and 18, currently supporting 643 beneficiaries. Its mission is to provide an independent, co-educational learning environment that offers high-quality education free of charge.

With 75 permanent staff members, the school is committed to ensuring that at least 80% of its students pass their exams in key curriculum subjects. Beyond academics, it aims to train young people to be self- disciplined, confident, and responsible citizens who contribute positively to their communities. The

school also works to expand children’s future income-generation opportunities, thereby improving the prosperity of their families and the wider community, while offering learning opportunities to community members.

St. George School is committed to enhancing its educational impact and institutional sustainability. To achieve this, the school seeks to develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan that will guide its operations, resource allocation, and development priorities over the next 5 years. The school is therefore seeking a qualified consultant to facilitate the Strategic Planning and Management (SPM) process.

Objectives of the Assignment

The main objective of this consultancy is to lead the development of a Strategic Plan for St. George School through a participatory and evidence-based process. Specific objectives include:

• Assessing the current institutional context and performance.
• Facilitating stakeholder consultations and workshops.
• Developing a strategic framework including vision, mission, goals, and strategic priorities.
• Producing a detailed Strategic Plan document with implementation and monitoring mechanisms.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be expected to:

1. Conduct a situational analysis (SWOT, PESTLE, stakeholder mapping).
2. Facilitate strategic planning workshops with school leadership /Local and UK based board of trustees/, staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders.
3. Draft the strategic framework (vision, mission, core values, strategic objectives).
4. Develop an implementation plan including timelines, responsibilities, and resource needs.
5. Design a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework with key performance indicators (KPIs).
6. Finalize and submit the Strategic Plan document.

Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Workshop facilitation materials and summary reports.
• Draft Strategic Plan for review.
• Final Strategic Plan document (English and Amharic versions if needed).
• Presentation of the Strategic Plan to school stakeholders.

Timeline and Milestones

The assignment is expected to take 8-10 weeks, starting from the date of contract signing. A detailed timeline will be agreed upon during the inception phase.

Milestone	Timeline (from start date)	Deliverable
Inception report andwork plan	Week 1-2	Inception report
Stakeholder consultations & data gathering	Weeks 3-5	Summary of consultations andfindings
Strategic planning workshops	Week 5-6	Workshop materials and session reports
Draft Strategic Plan	Week 6-7	Draft document for review
Risk Management &M&E framework	Week 7-8	Integrated riskand M&E sections
Final Strategic Plan	Week 9-10	Final document (English & Amharic)
Presentation to stakeholders	Week 10	Presentation slides and feedback summary

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in strategic planning, preferably in the education sector.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Familiarity with the Ethiopian education context is an asset.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of Amharic is desirable.

Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the School Director and work closely with a designated Strategic Planning Committee. Regular updates and feedback sessions will be scheduled throughout the assignment.

Risk Management Plan

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Identifying internal and external risks that may affect the implementation of the Strategic Plan (e.g., financial constraints, staff turnover, policy changes, community engagement challenges).
• Assessing the likelihood and impact of each risk.
• Proposing mitigation strategies and contingency actions.
• Embedding risk monitoring mechanisms within the M&E framework.
• Ensuring that the Strategic Plan remains adaptable and resilient to changing circumstances.