Transparency International (TI) is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced consultants to facilitate a two-day strategic planning retreat of its Africa and Middle East Department, scheduled to take place just outside Berlin, Germany, in mid-July 2008.

Background

Transparency International (TI) is the civil society organisation leading the global fight against corruption. TI currently has more than 90 National Chapters around the world. Its International Secretariat is based in Berlin, Germany.

The Africa and Middle East Department (AFME) is one of the four regional departments at the TI (TI-S) and is made up of two sub-regions: the Sub-Sahara Africa sub-region and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) sub-region. The staff in the AFME department – currently including an acting Regional Director, five Programme Coordinators and two Assistant Programme Coordinators – facilitates the effective provision of support to TI National Chapters in the region who retain operational autonomy while respecting fundamental principles of the global movement.

A regional strategic planning process in 2007 has led to the adoption of a common strategic framework for Africa and the Middle East for the period 2008-2010 that seeks to guide both TI’s national chapters, as well as the AFME department in their work. This strategic framework reflects priorities identified by the global TI movement; and is implemented through national chapter strategies and the AFME department’s annual work plans.

Objectives of the Retreat:

• to review progresses made on the implementation of the AFME department annual workplan, so as to ensure that 2008 objectives are met, or amended as required;
• to develop a draft agenda for the AFME regional meeting in October 2008 based on strategic priorities jointly identified by national chapters and the AFME department.

Timeline and Tasks for the consultant:

2 days: Preparation of the retreat, including review of pertinent documents and development of draft agenda (to be completed by 3 July)
3 days: Participation in the retreat – including travel to and from venue just outside Berlin (9-11 July)
1 day: Preparation of report (by 31 July)

Total: 6 days, at EUR 300 per day.

Payment schedule: 20% on signature of consultancy contract; 80% on submission and acceptance of final report.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Excellent skills and proven experience in facilitating strategic planning discussions;
• Proven experience in facilitating workshops and retreats;
• Experience in managing multi-stakeholder processes and programme implementation;
• Understanding of complex, de-centralised civil society networks;
• Previous management of multi-cultural teams;
• Familiarity with the aims and objectives of Transparency International;
• Fluency in English.

Transparency International’s 2008-2010 strategic framework is available at http://www.transparency.org/about_us/strategy_2010. Additional information on regional priorities identified by national chapters in Africa and the Middle East can be shared on request. All other pertinent documentation would be made available to the consultant selected for this assignment at least one week in advance.

Process

Applications from suitably qualified consultants/facilitators – consisting of a cover letter detailing the consultant’s expertise and related experience, as well as a CV – should be sent to acting Regional Director Doris Baesler at dbaesler@transparency.org .

Applications must be written in English.

Deadline for applications: 24 June 2008 at noon.

Summary

Transparency International (TI) seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced researchers to undertake an individual Country Study on Egypt as part of the MABDA Project.

Background

Transparency International (TI) is a global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption. Through more than 90 Chapters worldwide and an international secretariat in Berlin, Germany, TI raises awareness of the damaging effects of corruption and works with partners in government, business and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to tackle it.

Corruption remains pervasive in the Arab world. Increased public awareness and political will throughout the region have placed corruption high on national reform agendas. However, despite some advances over the past five years, concrete anti-corruption reforms with measurable impacts are lacking. To reduce corruption in the region, regular comprehensive diagnoses and prognoses of the problem are needed. In response, Transparency International (TI) has developed a new and innovative program: Measuring Anti-corruption Efforts and Building Demand for Effective National Integrity Systems in Egypt and the Arab World (MABDA).

Objectives

• To complete a National Integrity System country study on Egypt

The Country Studies will use as their basis the National Integrity System (NIS) concept pioneered by TI and used in more than 50 published country studies. For examples of studies from the Africa and Middle East region, see:

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/nis/regional/africa_middle_east

More information about the NIS concept can be found at:

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/nis/about_nis

The scope of work will involve desk research, interviews, and a focus group followed by the production of a country study in Arabic and English.

The consultant may be asked to work with a local organization to support the study in accordance with Egyptian law.

Consultancy requirements

• Qualified experienced researchers with a sound knowledge of the subject
  area and country in question.
• Hold a good reputation in their field; ideally law, political science, public administration or some other relevant social science.
• Able to show success in completing reports on time and to a suitable standard.
• Independent and sufficiently politically neutral to produce an objective and insightful report.
• Fluent in Arabic; additional knowledge of English would be preferable.
• Able to start the project no later than 15 July 2008; to devote sufficient time to submit a first draft within 3 months; to revise the report following feedback received from TI and referees; to adhere to the agreed schedule.
• Excellent in-depth knowledge and experience working with various elements of Egyptian society is a key requirement.

A detailed methodology for the report can be obtained upon request.

Process

TI is accepting expressions of interest from suitably qualified consultants / researchers. Applications must be in English or Arabic and should contain the following elements:

• A letter of interest detailing the consultant’s expertise & related experience,
• A CV

These documents should be sent to mena@transparency.org before 15 June 2008.

Call for Bids and Terms of Reference for a Consultant to develop an Information Management & Reporting Database

• Call for Bids and Terms of Reference for a Consultant to develop an Information Management & Reporting Database
• Transparency International will produce the 4th edition of its Bribe Payers Index in 2008.
  We have set our goals at producing a Bribe Payers Index and Bribe Payers Report to be released on December 2008. In this context we are seeking consultants to perform the data collection according to the terms of reference below and we would like to invite the submission of proposals within this call. Please note that the deadline for submissions is May 28th 2008.
  Download Call for Proposals

• Consultor/a en Incidencia y Comunicaciones Programa regional de convenciones Anticorrupción (Américas)
  Secretaría de Transparency International, Berlín

Transparency International (TI) is the civil society organisation leading the global fight against corruption. TI currently has more than 90 National Chapters around the world. Its International Secretariat is based in Berlin, Germany.

Background Transparency International (TI) is currently looking for an advocacy and communications strategy consultant for its regional anti-corruption conventions programme. Current work is managed by the Americas department of Transparency International’s Secretariat in Berlin, Germany and implemented with the network of National Chapters in the Americas.

The consultancy is projected to run for four weeks. The consultant should be preferably based in the Americas and able to travel if required.

The selected candidate will be expected to deliver a document that contains a proposal for a new communications and advocacy approach and concrete products to improve Transparency International’s outreach with its conventions work.

Remuneration for the project is 4,000 USD.

Starting Date: Immediately

The Programme

The work around international conventions has been a priority for the Americas region for almost 15 years. National chapters in Latin America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean reiterated the importance of promoting international anti-corruption commitments in the strategic framework TILAC 2012, as one of the three areas where they would be concentrating their advocacy efforts.

In this context, “commitments” is understood as formal agreements between 2 or more governments, promoting and implementing specific anti-corruption standards. We refer to 1) anti-corruption conventions, which are treaties signed by more than one country that are intended to produce better laws, policies and practices in and among member states in the prevention, detection, investigation, and sanctioning of acts of corruption, and 2) formal agreements, or other written instrument that establish obligations between two or more subjects, e.g. free trade agreements

The programme´s overall goal is to promote international anti-corruption agreements and their effective implementation, while empowering citizens to demand greater accountability.

Its objectives are to: 1) Increase the effectiveness of international agreements in the fight against corruption; 2) contribute to a more effective use of available resources by integrating different monitoring systems for international agreements; and 3) expand the number of stakeholders that benefit from international agreements as an instrument for change.

In order to achieve these, we produce independent information to existing monitoring processes, we advocate for the international commitments to comprise effective monitoring mechanisms that include the full involvement of civil society and implement regional advocacy and social oversight activities at the national and sub-national levels to promote the implementation of these agreements. We also provide analysis, training and technical advice for different actors from civil society and other sectors on the thematic areas included in the international agreements.

We realise the need to reach with our messages a broader audience beyond the traditional stakeholders we have been working with (mainly: the Organization of American States, public servants working in the anti-corruption area of national governments and some NGOs). We would like to get closer to citizens, engage a broader base of civil society organisations and more government officials, including at the local governments’ level, in order to have more actors interested in the promotion and implementation of international agreements and using them and benefiting from them as advocacy tools in their work.

Consultancy Tasks

The Consultant will be responsible for drafting a strategy paper that will guide TI´s conventions advocacy work in Latin America to convey its messages and engage more citizens and civil society organisations in the use and follow-up of international anti-corruption agreements. He/she will also have to develop a separate part defining an approach for North America.

For this, the consultant will work closely with the Americas department who will provide information and guidance- and will have to be in touch with civil society organisations, members of TI and other relevant regional actors.

The tasks of the consultant will include:

1) Devise an advocacy and communications strategy.
2) Propose key communications messages.
3) Propose concrete products to implement the strategy.
4) Develop a timeline.
5) Establish a budget for product development

Required knowledge, experience and skills:

• Extensive communication or advocacy experience (a combination is preferable) in NGO, private or public sectors.
• Knowledge of the NGO sector in Latin America.
• Excellent oral and written Spanish and English;
• Familiarity and/or experience with issues of transparency and anti-corruption and international commitments are a distinct advantage.
• Excellent writing skills and creative approach to communications.
• Strong research and analytical skills,
• Ability to analyse and integrate information from various sources.
• Extensive knowledge of the Inter-American system.
• Solid understanding of the media; political awareness; strong networking skills.

To apply:

Interested and qualified candidates for this consultancy position should submit their
motivation letter, samples of other former similar tasks and CV to:

tilac@transparency.org

More information on the regional conventions programme

Spanish: www.transparency.org/tilac/convenciones

English: www.transparency.org/americas/conventions

The closing date for application is 10 July 2008.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.