Terms of Reference (ToR) – Country Operations and Transition Consultant

Location: Burundi, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Mali, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Remote, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Switzlerand

Organization: Right to Play

Deadline: June 5, 2026

Job Description

1. Background and Current Context

Right To Play (RTP) is a global organization that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity using the power of play. We reach millions of children each year helping them to stay in school and learn, heal from trauma and develop the skills they need to thrive. Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through play-based programming in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. These programs are supported by our global offices in Toronto, Canada; London, UK; and seven national offices across Europe and North America.

Right To Play is currently navigating a period of significant organisational transition. We are finalising a new organisational strategy and North Star, whilst simultaneously managing a period of change within the global team responsible for country office oversight. From July 2026, the country operations support function will operate with a reduced team, with the VP of Impact and Quality taking on expanded responsibility for country office oversight alongside a Global Director of Country Operations (GDCO).

During this interim period, running initially from July to December 2026, we require the support of an experienced consultant to work alongside this team to ensure continuity of operational support to country offices, whilst also contributing to a structured review of how global and country teams work together. The findings from this interim period will directly inform the design of a new programs and country office support structure to be implemented from 2027.

Country offices are at different stages of their organisational lifecycle. Some are undergoing planned closure, others are in a period of stable operations, and some are welcoming new Country Directors during this period. This variety of contexts means the consultant will need to be both responsive to day-to-day operational needs and able to contribute to longer term strategic thinking.

2. Objectives

The consultant will work in close partnership with the VP of Impact and Quality and the GDCO to:

• Provide responsive operational support to country offices going through transition to closure and support the VP and GDCO in managing countries in crisis or conflict affected contexts without taking on formal line management of Country Directors;
• Support the onboarding of new Country Directors, helping them navigate RTP systems and processes and connect with relevant global teams;
• Contribute to a structured review of how responsibilities, decision rights, and accountabilities are currently divided between country offices and global teams, and help identify practical improvements to processes and ways of working;

• Ensure that country office perspectives, priorities, and expertise are meaningfully reflected as RTP finalises its new organisational strategy;
• Support the design of recommendations for how the new strategy will be operationalised across country offices from 2027 onwards, including systems, processes, and structural considerations;
• Contribute to improvements in knowledge and information management to ensure country offices have clear, accessible guidance on policies, approval processes, and escalation routes.

3. Scope of Work

Country Office Operational Support

Working alongside the VP of Impact and Quality and the GDCO, the consultant will provide advisory support to the VP and GDCO on some of the operational matters that arise during the interim period. This will include:

• Supporting the VP and GDCO to monitor program progress and track key operational tasks including budget monitoring, partner agreement management, and People & Culture approvals;
• Providing targeted support to countries undergoing closure including coordinating with relevant global teams on legal, financial, and communications requirements;
• Support the VP and GDCO in managing countries in crisis or conflict-affected contexts with operational continuity, including coordination with finance, People & Culture, and security teams as needed.

New Country Director Onboarding

New Country Directors will join RTP in the interim period.  The consultant will:

• Support the VP in facilitating a structured and well-connected onboarding experience for incoming Country Directors;
• Help new CDs navigate RTP systems, processes, and key relationships during their first months in post;
• Document learning from the onboarding process to inform improvements for future CD transitions.

Country-Global Operating Model Review

A key output of this consultancy will be a structured review of how the global team and country offices currently work together.

The consultant will:

• Map existing responsibilities, decision rights, approval thresholds, and accountabilities across the country-global interface;
• Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and gaps in current ways of working, drawing on the perspectives of Country Directors, the GDCO, and relevant global functions including Finance, People & Culture, and Global Program Partnerships;
• Review and make recommendations on specific process improvement areas identified as priorities, including procurement and financial approval thresholds, People & Culture approval processes, project design workflows, partner selection processes, and internal communications;

Strategy Operationalisation

As RTP finalises its new North Star and organisational strategy, the consultant will:

• Work with the VP and GDCO to ensure country office realities, expertise, and priorities are reflected in strategic decisions as they are finalised;
• Contribute to recommendations for how the new strategy will be operationalised across country offices from 2027, including systems, decision-making structures, operating models, and ways of working.

Knowledge and Information Management

The consultant will support improvements to how information is shared and accessed across global and country teams, including:

• Improving the accessibility and visibility of policies, approval processes, and escalation routes for Country Directors;
• Supporting the development of clearer internal communication processes to keep country offices informed of relevant organisational developments.
• Supporting the VP and GDCO in reviewing and compiling the yearly COs Compliance reports.
• Supporting the VP and GDCO in reviewing country monthly reports and preparing a quarterly update.

4. Deliverables

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables during the period July to December 2026:

a. Country Office Operational Support Log

An ongoing record of operational support provided to VP and GDCO during the interim period, capturing issues raised, actions taken, and any patterns or recurring challenges identified. This will serve as a useful evidence base for the operating model review.

b. New CD Onboarding Documentation

A set of documented reflections and recommendations on the onboarding experience of new Country Directors during the interim period, to inform improved onboarding processes in future.

c. Country-Global Operating Model Review Report

A comprehensive review of how responsibilities, decision rights, and accountabilities are currently structured between country offices and the global team, including analysis of key bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and concrete recommendations for improvement. This document will form a core input into the design of the new country support structure for 2027.

d. Process Improvement Recommendations

Specific, actionable recommendations on priority process improvements identified during the consultancy, including Procurement and Financial thresholds and procedures, People & Culture approvals, project design workflows, partner management, emergency response, and internal communications.

e. Recommendations for the 2027 Country Office Support Structure

A final recommendations document outlining proposed options for how country office oversight and support should be structured from 2027, including staffing, roles, decision making frameworks, and operating model considerations, to support the VP and senior leadership in designing the new structure.

5. Timeline

The consultancy will run initially from July 2026 to December 2026, a period of six months.
This consultancy requires full-time dedication (Monday to Friday, standard business hours) for the duration of the project.

6. Experience Required

• Significant experience in country operations management or country office support within an international NGO, ideally at a senior or regional level;
• Strong understanding of the operational realities facing country offices in complex, multi-context organisations, including financial management, procurement, People & Culture, and partner management;
• Experience supporting organisational reviews, operating model design, or structural transformation in an international development context;
• Demonstrated ability to provide advisory and practical support without taking on formal management responsibility, and to work effectively in a facilitative and collaborative role;
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with experience working across different country contexts and with senior stakeholders;
• Experience working in or supporting country offices in fragile, conflict-affected, or crisis contexts;
• Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, resource constrained environment

7. Application Process

We invite interested candidates to submit the following:

• Expression of interest including relevant expertise, previous relevant work and track record — max 2 pages;
• Budget including day rate;
• CV
• Send your submission to: careers@righttoplay.com

Deadline for submission: 5 June 2026

8. Confidentiality of Information

All documents and data collected will be treated as confidential and used solely to facilitate analysis of applications. All those contracted by Right To Play must agree to sign and abide by the Global Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct as well as property rights policies.