Consultant Services (TOR): Branding, Marketing, Communication, and Digital Presence Support for Green Innovation Lab Entrepreneurs 2025

Background

Reach for Change (RFC) is a nonprofit, non-governmental international organization headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. RFC operates in 11 countries globally, with three of those countries located in Africa. Reach for Change was registered in Ethiopia as a foreign organization in 2015 under registration number 3419. Our mission is to positively impact the lives of young women and children in Ethiopia by building the capacity of local social entrepreneurs.

Currently, Reach for Change envisions a green and sustainable economy in Ethiopia, where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a decent quality of life and reach their full potential. As part of this vision, we are implementing a project titled “Building Waste and Circular Enterprises in Ethiopia.” Over the next three years, we aim to deliver an evidence-based, high-impact intervention reaching 75 high-potential green enterprises in Addis Ababa through our Green Innovation Lab. Additionally, we will continue the Green Business Incubator, focusing on entrepreneurs who have participated in the Innovation Lab or those at a more advanced stage. This support will help accelerate job creation and foster green growth in early-stage enterprises.

The ultimate goal of these interventions is to contribute to the national effort and support Reach for Change Ethiopia’s country strategy by creating decent employment for youth and women, while also addressing environmental challenges through sustainable, green solutions.

Through its Innovation Lab Program, Reach for Change Ethiopia, in collaboration with IKEA, provides capacity-building support and financial grants to 34 selected social entrepreneurs. The goal is to help these entrepreneurs develop scalable businesses that can sustain their social impact, positively affecting the lives of women, children, and youth in Ethiopia. To achieve this, a comprehensive capacity-building initiative focused on branding, marketing, communication, and digital presence has been planned.

Purpose

The purpose of this call is for the consultant to provide tailored coaching and advisory support to 34 social entrepreneurs participating in our Green Innovation Lab Program in Addis Ababa, focusing specifically on enhancing their branding, marketing, communication strategies, and digital presence. The consultant will support the participants in building a strong brand identity, effective marketing strategies, clear communication plans, and a robust digital presence that can increase visibility and reach for their products and services.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the branding, marketing, communication, and digital presence of the 34 social entrepreneurs participating in the Green Innovation Lab (GIL) Program. The consultant will provide tailored coaching and advisory support to help entrepreneurs

build strong brand identities, develop effective marketing and communication strategies, and enhance their visibility through digital platforms.
The overall goal is to enable participating entrepreneurs to effectively position their green and circular businesses in the market, attract customers and partners, and communicate their social and environmental impact clearly. This will contribute to Reach for Change’s broader mission of promoting green growth, job creation, and sustainable social impact in Ethiopia.

Scope of Work

The consultant firm is expected to provide the following services:

• Branding Strategy Development: Assist participants in defining their brand identity, including brand values, vision, mission, and positioning. Support in creating brand guidelines for consistent representation.
• Marketing Strategy and Execution: Provide coaching on developing a comprehensive
• marketing strategy, including market research, target audience identification, product positioning, and promotional tactics.
• Communication Strategy: Guide participants in crafting clear and effective messaging for their products/services. Assist in developing communication plans that articulate their unique value proposition to different stakeholders.
• Digital Presence Enhancement: Support participants in building and strengthening their online presence, including website optimization, social media strategy, and content creation. Provide training on using digital marketing tools and analytics for improved outreach.
• Sales and Customer Engagement: Advise on customer engagement tactics, sales
• strategies, and customer retention practices to help entrepreneurs increase their sales and build lasting relationships with customers.
• Stakeholder and media mapping missing.

Work Location The consultancy will be conducted in Addis Ababa.

Duration

The total duration of the consultancy is three months, from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026.

Deliverables

Initial Group Meeting: Conduct an initial meeting with the RFC team and GIL program participants to discuss the scope, detailed work plan, and methodology for the consultancy.

• Detailed Work Plan: Submit a comprehensive work plan outlining the timeline and the specific services to be delivered.
• Brand and Marketing Strategy: Provide a tailored branding and marketing strategy document for each participant, including practical action steps for implementation.
• Logo, the main symbol or mark used to identify the brand.
• Color palette: A defined set of colors used across all communication materials so the look always feels consistent
• Typography (font choices) Specific fonts chosen for headings, body text, and captions so all materials look aligned.
• Tagline or key message line: A short, memorable sentence that captures the essence of what the brand stands for.
• Brand voice and tone guide: How the organization speaks in writing. For example, warm, youthful, confident, and informative.
• Social media templates, ready-to-use design layouts for Instagram posts, LinkedIn banners, Facebook announcements, etc.
• Business cards and letterhead, Stationery that reflects the brand identity in a formal communication setting.
• Pitch deck or company profile: A structured visual presentation used to introduce the organization to partners, donors, clients, or investors.
• Photography and imagery style, Guidance on what kind of photos represent the brand. For example, real people, natural light, community focus, studio style, product focus, etc.
• Communication Plan: Submit a communication strategy for each participant, including key messaging, target audience, and communication channels.
• Digital Presence Report: Provide a report on the current digital presence of each participant, including recommendations for improvement and strategies for enhancing online visibility.
• Coaching Report: Submit a final report detailing the coaching and advisory services provided for each participant, with feedback and recommendations for next steps.

Additional Requirements

• To ensure sustainability, clarity, and ethical implementation of the consultancy, the following requirements shall apply:
• Brand Governance and Intellectual Property (IP) Rights
• All brand assets, materials, templates, and content developed during the coaching and advisory process shall remain the property of Reach for Change (RFC) and/or the respective entrepreneurs, as agreed in writing. The consultant must clearly define ownership, usage rights, and branding guidelines (including templates, logo lockups, and visual identity elements) to avoid any future disputes.

Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability

• Beyond coaching and advisory sessions, the consultant is required to develop reusable toolkits that ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability of learning after the consultancy ends. These should include:
• Checklists and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Three short “how-to” videos summarizing key practical steps for participants
• Basic templates for ongoing use by entrepreneurs and the RFC team

Consent and Ethical Documentation

• The consultant shall ensure that all participants sign consent forms for the use of visuals, testimonials, and other communication materials developed during the engagement. This process should comply with ethical standards for data protection, privacy, and representation.

About the social entrepreneur, you will work within the Innovation Lab Program:

The Green Innovation Lab Program supports Ideas and early-stage entrepreneurs focused on green businesses, specifically in the Waste Management and Circular Economy sectors. Below is a brief overview of the current participants and their specific areas of focus in waste management:

1. Agriculture and Animal Waste

• Developing products using different organic waste in the agriculture sector, both in plant and animal wastes, as raw materials.

2. Plastic Waste

• Recycle, Upcycle, or reuse any plastic materials that are thrown out as waste into the environment.

3. Paper Waste

• Recycling paper waste to be used again into different paper materials or items.

4. Garment Waste

• Various business ideas are working on transforming textile waste into different products within the sector.

5. Food Waste

• Converting certain food waste into different nutritious food items to supplement the food industry.

6. Municipal Solid Waste

• Managing and/or supporting municipal solid waste segregation, collection, and recycling/ disposal processes.

7. Medical Waste

• These businesses are working on the proper disposal of medical waste from collection to disposal.

8. Construction and Furniture Waste

• Supporting the construction business by reusing and recycling construction and furniture waste into other construction materials or furniture items.

9. Liquid and Water Waste

• Refining, cleaning, and recycling water and other liquid waste for reuse in similar or different applications, thereby reducing costs.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, Digital Marketing, or related fields
• Proven experience in coaching/advisory services with a focus on branding, marketing, communication, and digital presence for early-stage startups.
• Demonstrated success in helping early-stage businesses develop strong brand identities and effective marketing strategies.
• Experience in digital marketing, including social media management, content creation, SEO, and analytics.
• High-level analytical skills and a track record of successfully supporting businesses in building a strong market presence.
• A renewed consultancy service license and TIN registration certificate.
• Sector-specific knowledge related to waste management and the circular economy is an advantage.
• Fluency in English and Amharic (written and spoken).