Jobs in Zambia and Zimbabwe

CONSULTANT – AGRICULTURE: SNV World Zambia

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Terms of Reference for a Consultant to Support the preparation of promotion and extension in Zambia

Purpose

As part of a 3 year Energy for Agriculture project, SNV (Netherlands Development Organization) requires the services of a Promotions and Marketing Consultant to support the preparation of promotions and extension materials. This assignment is expected to be completed within 20 working days starting from 1st to 28th June 2016.

Background

Energy for Agriculture (E4A), a SIDA supported renewable energy project being implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Zambia intends to develop the biogas market in Zambia to increase access of households, public services, and businesses to renewable energy technologies. The project aims to develop viable markets for productive biogas that will lead to improved livelihoods through increases savings on conventional fuel sources and income generation from the productive use of bio-digester products – biogas and bio-slurry. In addition to triggering consumer demand through promotion, awareness raising and access to finance; the project will also develop the supply of bio-digesters and productive appliances through skills development and result based finance incentives, and create an enabling environment that supports market development. The project envisages contributing to national aim of poverty reduction by improving livelihoods and quality of life of rural farmers; reducing impacts of biomass resource depletion; and supporting national goals of food production and livestock development.

The project will establish a solid foundation in the country to implement large-scale domestic biogas project in the long run. Major focus will be given for awareness building, promotion & marketing, capacity strengthening, quality assurance as well as popularization & dissemination of bio digester technology at the grassroots level. The project aims to support the construction of 3,375 bio digesters in Zambia, and will run up to April, 2018.

An important factor for permanent sector development for biogas related activities is the potential financial return stemming from the use of bio digester products – biogas and bio slurry, achieved through the implementation of the project activities

Objective and Activities

The Promotions and Marketing Consultant will work with the SNV Promotion and M&E Officer under the direction of the SNV Project Manager-Energy for Agriculture, and will perform the activities listed below in order to accelerate development and production of good quality promotion and extension materials.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

  • The applicant’s team should have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in the field of public relations, journalism or marketing. A master’s degree will be an added advantage.
  • A minimum of five years of professional experience in development communications,
  • Public relations, journalism, marketing or a related field
  • Experience and technical aptitudes in Adobe CS2 (such as InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, GoLive and/or Macromedia Dreamweaver)
  • Experience and technical aptitudes in CorelDraw graphics software
  • Experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of:

  • Cost effectiveness / price
  • Implementation methodology
  • Experience of consultant/firm
  • Capability and proven experience in developing and executing public awareness strategies
  • Capability and proven experience crafting messages in various formats (press releases,
  • Websites, success stories, blog entries, tweets, etc.) Targeting a variety of audiences
  • Ability and proven experience in multi-tasking, in taking initiative and working effectively under pressure
  • Familiarity with branding compliance
  • Excellent written, oral and interpersonal skills
  • Familiarity with website development and social media platforms is preferred
  • Familiarity with the safe hospitals initiative will be an asset.

Strategic Marketing Skills

  • Observe marketing ethics & law
  • Possess renewable energy industry knowledge
  • Ability to interact comfortably with a variety of stakeholders (i.e. staff, senior administration, employers, faculty, media, students, and farmers)
  • An understanding of SNV’s target markets and know how to appeal to them
  • Astute attention to detail, with a keen ‘eye’ for designing and implementation of promotions and marketing
  • Ability to fine-tune writing and materials to the needs of specific audiences
  • Ability to work independently, with a demonstrated ability to take initiative
  • Excellent communication skills, including team-work, presentation, oral and written
  • Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, with a proven ability to multi-task effectively and a dynamic, outgoing personality

Strategic Public Relations Skills

  • Data collection: Gather information to enable plan formulation through research and/or interviewing
  • Objective setting: Understand the client’s or organization’s needs to the extent that realistic strategic objectives can be established
  • Skills in strategic analysis and mapping: Identify and assess the interests and influence of stakeholders. Identify and rank issues in terms of volatility and urgency, and develop tactical or strategic responses to them. Present this data in an appropriately structured plan
  • Strategy development: Using the platform provided by the foregoing analysis, think analytically and strategically to develop a broad strategic approach to fulfil the plan objectives
  • Action planning: Identify and articulate specific action programs to operationalize the strategy
  • Message development: Develop appropriate messages that need to be communicated to stakeholders through the implementation of the strategic plan
  • Monitoring and measurement: Develop mechanisms to monitor, measure and evaluate the strategic plan as it is rolled out

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The duration of the assignment will take 20 working days (1st to 28th June 2016)

METHODS AND CONDITIONS OF WORK

The assignment will comprise the following:

  • Before commencement of assignment the consultant will need to understand how SNV is promoting renewable energy technologies and its usage. Study the role, responsibilities, working area, technologies, cost and utility of technologies. Understand the present level of understanding of rural and urban communities on renewable energy and constraints in scaling up adoption. Understand the current Zambian biogas context (latest developments in the Renewable energy sector in Zambia, especially regarding information, education and communication needs on the use of biogas).
  • The Consultant will provide a detailed work plan for all the activities to be undertaken beforehand.
  • The Consultant will review the existing IEC materials and conduct a needs assessment for additional IEC materials for all potential audiences and give a comprehensive Inception report of all works that needs to be undertaken.
  • The consultant  will  be  responsible  for  the  creative  concept,  design  and  layout  of  all the  materials produced using the approved logo, pictures and other specified information to complete the art  The draft design will be submitted to the SNV E4A Project Manager for review and comments, and adjustments will be made by the Consultant, until it meets the approval of the designates of the SNV. Samples of some promotional materials will be provide to the consultants for review.

The following IEC materials need to be developed:

  • Benefits and Uses of Biogas
  • Benefits and Uses of Bio-slurry
  • Construction Steps
  • Operation and maintenance of Bio-digesters

Key Deliverables/Outcomes

Task   Activity (refer to Objective & activities)                    

A  Conduct Needs Assessment for IEC Materials  1st to 5th June 2016  Select audiences and identify needs for IEC materials  5th June 2016

B  Identify suitable IEC materials and designs 6th to 8th June 2016 3CC

C  Decide and Select suitable designs  8th June 2016

D  Design, develop and prepare promotions and Extension materials 9th to 28th June 2016

E  Develop and prepare promotions and Extension materials  20th Jun 2016

F   Design a large colored poster/bill-board, Pop-up stands featuring the main features of bio-digester technology 9th to 20th June 2016

G  Design, Develop and prepare the large colored poster     20th Jun 2016

REQUIRED REPORTING.

All communications will be done through meetings, phone and email. The consultant will report to the Project Manager- E4A Mr. Prakash Chandra Ghimire who will be supported by the E4A team members including the Promotions and M&E Officer Mr. Simon B. Kunkuta.

Upon completion of the assignment the Consultant will deliver his/her completed work to the Project Manager- E4A Mr. Prakash Chandra Ghimire, at the SNV Netherlands Development Organization Offices in Lusaka within the agreed time frame. Once the designs are finalized and the artwork is approved by the SNV/E4A, the materials will be given to the printing firm to produce the needed copies of all the materials.

Interested consultants should submit a proposal detailing the background and record of accomplishment, methodology, work-plan, and staff profile amongst others, together with a separate financial proposal detailing itemized costs of services to SNV Zambia within two (2) weeks from the date of the advertisement.

Submissions are to be made available to SNV no later than the 31st May, 2016 at 10:00.

Further information is available from:

The Renewable Energy Sector Leader,

SNV Zambia

Email: [email protected]

Proposals can be submitted to:

The Senior Procurement Officer,SNV Zambia,

Email: [email protected]