Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.
Job Position: Consultancy – Technical Assistance to Women Entrepreneurs (WEACT)
Background
The Women’s Economic Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT) project sits under the Economic Justice programmatic portfolio at Oxfam in Ghana. Among other themes, the portfolio works to maximize Oxfam’s impact on rights to sustainable and inclusive livelihoods through women economic leadership and engaging with the private sector, civil society actors and government at local, national, regional and global levels.
The WEACT project is funded by Global Affairs Canada under the Innovation for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ghana (IWEEG) programme with the overall aim of enhancing economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive growth for women in Ghana. The initiative is in line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance policy.
Oxfam plays a facilitating, supporting and convening role to ensure the success of this initiative, bringing together seven key partners in a spirit of co-creation: SEND Ghana, Friends of the Nation (FoN), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Tungteiya Women’s Association, Shea Network Ghana, Norsaac and Viamo.
Objective of the WEACT Project
The broader objective of the project is to enhance women’s economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth for women in the shea and cocoa value chains. The project will address the gender-specific barriers for women, including female youth, working in agriculture and in the informal economy of the shea and cocoa sectors in Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Savanna, Western and Western North Regions. The project will increase the ability of women and young women to individually and collectively overcome legal and social barriers; improve capacity for household members to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid work; increase access to innovative and viable gender-responsive business models; and enhance equal access to productive resources for women, including gender-responsive financial products and land ownership and use.
The project will also increase women’s agency and leadership to become economically empowered through multiple entry points. It will bring together many stakeholders working collaboratively and banking on their strengths and areas of influence to shift gender-related attitudes and behaviours across the agricultural sector. More than 5400 women (ages 18 to 60) will benefit directly from the project by receiving technical and financial support to empower them economically. 1,200 women will participate in dialogue spaces with traditional and religious leaders. 900 women will receive gender-responsive skills-development training, and 60% (540) of them will receive direct technical and financial assistance over a 2-year period (270 per year) for the development of alternative or additional livelihoods.
In line with the project objectives, we are seeking an expert to provide technical assistance including reviewing business plans, coaching and mentoring to women in the shea and cocoa value chains to successfully launch additional or alternative livelihoods.
Geographic scope
The geographic scope of the project includes 18 communities in 9 districts and across 6 regions. See table for the details.
| Region | District | Community | |
|
1. Northern Region: |
1. Savelugu | 1. Diare
2. Bunglung |
|
| 2. Mion | 3. Salankpang
4. Kpulgine |
||
| 2. Savanna Region: | 3. West Gonja | 5. Kananto
6. Larabanga |
|
| 3. Upper East Region: | 4. Garu | 7. Gbelinginvuusu
8. Kpatia |
|
| 4. Upper West Region: | 5. Sissala West | 9. Sorbelle
10. Jawiah |
|
| 5. Western Region: | 6. Amenfi West | 11. Ananekrom
12. Kwabeng |
|
| 6. Western North: | 7. Aowin | 13. Asuaklo
14. Nyankamam |
|
| 8. Suaman | 15. Kwasuo
16. Dadieso |
||
| 9. Sefwi-Wiawso | 17. Sui
18. Ahokwa |
||
Objective of the assignment:
To provide technical assistance including business plans review, coaching and mentoring to 270 women in the shea and cocoa value chains across the 18 project communities. (15 per community).
Specific Objectives
- Engage women entrepreneurs to understand and assess the feasibility/profitability of their choice of businesses or businesses already engaged in.
- Support women entrepreneurs to review their business plans.
- Recommend markets to link the women entrepreneurs.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to the women entrepreneurs to transition from entrepreneurial skills training to launch their businesses.
The ultimate outcome of this assignment is to support women in the shea and cocoa value chains to engage in profitable livelihood ventures within or outside the shea and cocoa value chains as additional or alternative livelihoods to strengthen their economic positions.
Scope of work and Deliverables:
| Main Activity | Specific Activities | Output / Deliverables |
| Inception Activities |
|
Inception Report |
| Provide technical assistance including business plans review, coaching and mentoring to selected women beneficiaries in the project communities.
|
|
Assessment and coaching/mentoring templates
Detailed report on the assignment; indicating the form of technical assistance rendered, the businesses of the women and the existing and emerging markets
|
Additional Assignment Requirements
The consultant will be expected to undertake the following:
- Submit draft report
- Convene periodic meetings with the project team to update them on progress.
- Abide by Oxfam policies for research and protecting data.
- Work in collaboration with the WEACT Project team at Oxfam and partners.
- Submit final report
Duration
The assignment is expected to be completed within 36 consultancy days. Kindly develop your work plan into weekly deliverables.
Eligibility
- The assignment seeks a candidate with experience and skills in providing technical assistance for women entrepreneurs in rural communities
- The candidate must have experience working with women in agricultural value chains (having worked with women in the cocoa and shea value chains will be a plus) and at the community level.
- Must be willing to collaborate with the WEACT Project team and Partners in delivering the work.
- Must be willing incorporate useful comments from the WEACT Project team and other reviewers
- Be available and willing to undertake field trips to the project site to conduct face to face engagements to access and provide technical assistance to rural women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Selection
Selection will be based on:
- Technical evaluation of the proposal elaborating approach/methodology, work plan, and budget.
- Establishing your credibility in undertaking assignments of a similar kind.
Our values and commitment to safeguarding
Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.
We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Submission of Proposal
Kindly send your technical proposals with detailed budget (Consultant’s fees, Travel costs and other direct costs) to ghadverts@oxfam.org.uk by 25th January 2022 at 5:00pm (GMT).
Submissions should include a cover letter, understanding of the scope of work, past work experience on the subject, gender-sensitive methodology and CVs of the consultant.
Your e-mail should have the subject line – ‘Technical assistance to women entrepreneurs’.
About us
Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.
Oxfam GB is a member of international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.
A thriving diverse Oxfam:
It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.
To do that:
- We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
- We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
- We want and need everyone, and that means we need you.
In response to Covid-19 if you are offered a role where you are required to travel between countries please ensure you have been briefed by the Hiring Manager about any changes to working or precautions you should take as part of your role.
