Terms of Reference for hiring Senior Program Development Consultant

Request for Proposal | Senior Program Development Consultant for HFHB

Context:

Habitat for Humanity is the world’s largest affordable housing civil society organization. With programs in more than 70 countries and thousands of communities, our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat works collaboratively with communities, governments, and the private sector to find housing solutions. We are recognized for the meaningful changes our programs bring to communities. However, we understand that the housing deficit is far greater than what any one organization can address on its own. Therefore, we are enhancing our capability to influence broader systems that affect access to housing, aiming to ensure greater access to affordable, resilient housing for all.

Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh, a branch of Habitat for Humanity International, began its journey in 1999 as an affordable housing organization and has since operated in 24 districts across Bangladesh. Currently, we are active in six locations: Khulna, Dhaka, Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, Kurigram, and Noakhali, with an average annual budget of around $2 million USD.

Objectives:

Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh (HFHB) seeks an experienced Senior Program Development Consultant who will support the country program team by responding to current program design, proposal development, and fundraising gaps. The consultant shall lead and advise on the program and proposal development needs of the country office. Support will include all phases of the program design and proposal development process and work in collaboration with different teams from opportunity identification and assessment to contract signatures. The successful candidate will have a strong track record of program development and augmentation including working on new and existing funding opportunities in humanitarian and international development with a range of multilateral and bilateral donors, preferably with a housing focus, and a strong familiarity with the OECD-DAC framework and other relevant program effectiveness frameworks. 

Major responsibilities include:

  • Lead the facilitation of technical brainstorming, partner, and competitor landscape analysis, and opportunity development with technical and program implementation staff.  
  • Lead program/project design meetings and coordinate concept note development, including sharing initial assessment of new opportunities, preparing timelines, ensuring the assigned staff adhere to deadlines, coordinating context and stakeholder analyses, supporting results chain and logical framework development, assisting in budget development, ensuring document completion, organising team meetings, drafting and proofreading coherent concept note and proposal sections. 
  • Collaborate with different departments and technical units from the country and regional offices to support the conceptualization of high-quality programs and concept note designs for new project activities and/or augmentation and refining current projects. 
  • Coordinate and communicate with implementing and consortium partners as needed, especially in the co-development of program/project design.  
  • Assist and contribute to the country team in the identification, tracking, and updating of new business opportunities across the housing technical sectors. 
  • Provide quality assurance and quality compliance support on proposals, especially in ensuring that different program components/interventions are integrated and that cross-cutting themes are considered throughout the design.
  • Create concept note and proposal development systems, tools, and process improvement initiatives and orientate current staff on their use. 
  • In coordination with Resource Development facilitate internal post-submission debrief sessions with country teams, departments and technical teams, area office colleagues and other relevant collaborators to collect and disseminate lessons learned. 

Scope of work:
This position will be based in Dhaka with frequent travel to field office locations (Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Noakhali, Satkhira) as required. This position works closely with the National Director and heads of Program and Resource Development departments. They will report to the head of programs department and receive guidance through close coordination with the HFHI Asia Pacific Regional Program and Resource Development focal point.

Contract Duration: The consultancy will be carried out for 6 months with possible extension from date of signing, expected to begin during April 2025.

Confidentiality Clause:
All data/materials and information with respect to the consultancy and findings will be the sole property of HFH Bangladesh which should not be disclosed to third parties. On completion of the assignment, all soft copies of the assignment should be deleted from your records after completing the whole process/project, deletion confirmation to be sent to HFH Bangladesh. Any violation of this obligation to maintain confidentiality shall make you liable to payment of damages or indemnification of losses that HFH Bangladesh shall suffer as a consequence of the same.

Transparency and Code of conduct:
You will be governed by the code of conduct and expectations of HFH Bangladesh, while representing the organization in coordination.

Safeguarding:
The consultant and the field staff engaged in the project must adhere to the safeguarding code of conduct in both their professional and personal lives, which includes doing "NO HARM" to vulnerable children and adults, whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly. Each employee must take proactive steps to prevent, respond to, and report safeguarding- related risks and concerns by extending support and encouraging a "Speak Up" culture using the established reporting system. Any breaches would invite immediate disciplinary action, including the termination of the contract.

The following steps are part of safe-guarding related screening:

  • Undergo orientation to have a comprehensive understanding of Habitat Bangladesh (including its values), its safeguarding obligations and the personal responsibility to maintain the same, the available reporting system and the consequences of non-adherence to the safeguarding code of conduct.
  • Submission of the signed code of conduct and acknowledgement of Safeguarding.
  • A self-declaration stating that they have no involvement, past or present, in any case of any form of abuse against any child or adult.

Relationship:
During the term of your association with HFHB, you shall perform your services in the capacity as an independent consultant and shall have no claims/benefits or entitlements that an employee of HFHB shall be entitled to.

Working Relationship: The Consultant will work closely with the National Director, Associate Director – Programs, Associate Director – Resource Dev. of Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh, HFHI Asia Pacific Regional Program focal point, as well as Resource Development focal.

Pre-Closure or Termination:
The consultancy can be pre-closed or terminated mutually by providing written notice of 15 days by either party, without assigning any reasons in writing for such Pre-closure or termination. On Pre-closure or termination of the agreement all the materials, documents in your possession will be returned to Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh. Subsequent to termination, you shall refrain from holding yourself out as a representative of HFHB, in any manner whatsoever.

As acceptance of the terms and conditions stipulated, please sign the duplicate copy of this letter for our
Records.

Required Qualifications of the Consultant

  • 10+ years of substantial experience and a successful track record in creating development programs, leading proposal development teams on complex subjects, preferably with a housing component 
  • Experience in leading and developing multi-year, multi-partner programs and proposals. 
  • Proficiency in developing and supporting humanitarian and development proposals for NGOs. 
  • Knowledge of OEC-DAC Evaluation Criteria or other similar program quality standards for development practice. Possesses country-level networks/contacts related to housing. Regional-level networks is a plus.  
  • Familiarity with strategies and proposal processes of key government/statutory donors – US Government (USAID etc.), FCDO, EU institutions (ECHO etc.), and other donors (GAC, Sida, SDC, etc.). 
  • Demonstrated experience in building relationships with external stakeholders and other NGOs, including collaborating with and supporting national and community-based partners. 
  • Demonstrated experience in research methodologies and use of the same .

Skills required:

  • Experience in program development and implementation.
  • Proposal budgeting and cost recovery skills is mandatory.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively collaborate across a variety of relationships in a multicultural environment. 
  • Proven ability to collaborate equally effectively with colleagues in remote and diverse teams.
  • Clear, compelling writing skills, with extensive previous experience in proposal writing.
  • Ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively.

Selection Criteria:
Evaluation criteria will include but may not be limited to:

  • Proven track-record of success with similar development framework
  • Subject matter expertise & experience in developing program
  • Strong analytical skills and the ability to articulate the high-quality proposal

Applications should include:

  • A brief overview of relevant working experience
  • Proposed overall approach of work with brief plan of action
  • A copy of CV for key personnel and a breakdown of estimated time for completing the relevant task
  • Estimated total costs for proposed consultancy and expected deliverables

The technical proposal must include:

  • An expression of interest letter that clearly states their interest in and suitability for the role (1-2 pages),
  • Scope of work.
  • The proposed methodology 
  • Outputs/deliverables.
  • Sample of Proposal and program (if any)
  • Any other relevant documents

Financial Proposal
The financial proposal will include an indicative budget including taxes, if applicable, with detail appropriate breakdown for fees and administrative expenses including applicable taxes.

Terms of Payment  

This assignment is deliverable-based and payment will be made as follows:

  • Upon submission and acceptance of Inception Report – 20%
  • Upon submission and acceptance of the first draft (along with power point presentation) – 30%
  • Upon completion and approval of the Final work (along with policy brief and power point presentation) – 50%.

The Consultant shall submit both the “Technical” and “Financial” Proposal in PDF format by email mentioning the subject - “Development of Program & Proposal for HFHB."

Application deadline:  April 16, 2025

Please submit applications to:

e-mail: hr@habitatbangladesh.org