TERMS OF REFERENCE: REVIEW OF THE FAWE HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL& ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

May 25, 2026

1. Background to the Consultancy

The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE Africa) is committed to upholding strong governance systems and effective human resource management to support its mission and operational excellence. As part of this commitment, FAWE conducts a periodic review of its Human Resource (HR) Manual every three years to ensure alignment with evolving labour laws, organizational priorities, and internationally recognized HR standards. This process is critical in maintaining fair, consistent, and legally compliant human resource policies and practices.

In addition to the HR Manual that contains all HR policies and procedures, FAWE recognizes the importance of maintaining an up-to-date and functional Organogram. Over time, organizational growth, program expansion and shifting strategic priorities often lead to changes in roles, reporting lines and functional responsibilities. Without regular review, this can result in overlapping mandates, unclear reporting relationships, gaps in accountability and inefficiencies in coordination and decision-making. A revised and well-aligned organization structure is therefore essential to clearly define roles and responsibilities, strengthen accountability structures, and ensure that the organization’s human resources are optimally configured to deliver on its mandate.

Given these considerations, FAWE seeks to engage a qualified and experienced Human Resources professional to undertake a comprehensive review of both the HR Manual and the organization structure.

2.  Objectives of the Assignment

The primary objectives of this assignment are to ensure that the review delivers clear institutionalvalue by strengthening compliance, improving organizational effectiveness, and providing practical recommendations that FAWE can implement with confidence.

• To conduct a comprehensive review of the FAWE Human Resources Manual, last ratified in March 2023, to ensure full alignment with current labour laws in jurisdictions where FAWE has contracted staff, evolving HR standards, and FAWE’s strategic and operational realities.

• To identify gaps, inconsistencies, and emerging risks in the current HR framework and provide clear, practical, and prioritized recommendations that strengthen people management, accountability, consistency across FAWE Africa and its National Chapters, and ease of implementation.
  • To review the organizational structure to ensure it accurately reflects FAWE’s current andfuture operating model, strengthens clarity of roles, reporting lines, and decision-makingauthority, eliminates overlaps or gaps in accountability, and supports efficient coordination, governance, and organizational performance.

3.  Scope of Work

The scope of this assignment should encompass a thorough review of the FAWE Human Resources Manual to assess its compliance with applicable labour laws, employment regulations, and relevant international human resource standards and practices in jurisdictions where FAWE has contracted staff. This review should also consider how effectively the current manual supports FAWE’s operational needs and governance expectations, drawing on benchmarking against comparable organizations and taking into account feedback already gathered from staff so that therevised framework is both compliant and practically responsive to the realities of the institution.

The scope should also include a review of FAWE’s organizational structure to determine whether it provides clear reporting lines, appropriate accountability structures, and an organizational arrangement that is aligned with both legal requirements and institutional effectiveness. The consultant’s work should result in well-justified proposed revisions to the Human Resources Manual and organizational structure, clearly showing the basis for any recommended amendments, and should culminate in a presentation of the key findings and recommendations to FAWE Africa’s Board.

4.  Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. An inception and review report setting out the consultant’s approach, key findings, identifiedcompliance and governance gaps, priority risks, and a clear rationale for the recommended changes to both the Human Resources Manual and the organization structure.
2. A revised draft of the FAWE Human Resources Manual incorporating all proposed amendments, with provisions clearly aligned to applicable labour laws, current human resource standards, and FAWE’s operational and governance context.
3. A revised organizational structure, accompanied by a brief explanatory note, showing the proposed reporting lines, roles, and accountability structure and demonstrating how the revised arrangement strengthens clarity, coordination, and organizational effectiveness.
4. A presentation to FAWE Africa’s Governance and HR Committee summarizing the review process, key findings, proposed revisions, and the implications of the recommendations to support informed consideration and decision-making.

5.  Duration of Assignment

The assignment is expected to be completed within 4 to 5 weeks, commencing from the date of contract signing.

6.  Required Qualifications

The consultant should possess:

• A relevant degree and valid professional certification.
  • Demonstrated expertise in labour law, HR policy review, and organizational governance.
  • At least 15 years of professional experience in Human Resource work, preferably with INGOs or international organizations.
  • Strong analytical, drafting, and communication skills.
  • Experience in reviewing HR policies and organizational structures.

8.  Confidentiality & Data Protection

All documents, data, and information accessed during the assignment shall remain the exclusive property of FAWE Africa. Strict confidentiality obligations shall bind the consultant and must ensure that no information is disclosed, reproduced, or used for purposes outside the scope of this engagement without prior written authorization from FAWE Africa.

The consultant shall also comply with applicable data protection and privacy laws, ensuring that all personal and organizational data is handled securely and lawfully. Any breach of confidentiality or data protection obligations may result in immediate termination of the contract and potential legal action.

9.  Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability. The evaluation will be based on the following weighted criteria:

Criteria                                                Weight

(%)

Rationale

Relevant qualifications and valid professional certification

Demonstrated experience in labour

25%        Ensures the consultant is legally authorized to practice and reduces the risk of invalid advice.

Guarantees expertise in areas most critical to

law, HR policy review, and

governance

35%

FAWE’s compliance and HR obligations.

Methodology and approach to the assignment

Experience with NGOs or international organizations

25%         Ensures a structured, legally sound process that can withstand scrutiny and mitigate risks.

10%         Assures familiarity with sector-specific HR and governance challenges.

Criteria                                                Weight

(%)

Financial proposal (cost-                    5% effectiveness)

Rationale

Balances affordability with compliance, ensuring fiduciary responsibility without compromising quality.

10.  Application Process

Interested professionals are invited to submit:

• A cover letter expressing interest in the assignment.
  • A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience.
  • A technical and financial proposal outlining methodology, timelines, and fees.

Submission: Proposals should be sent to procurement@fawe.org and addressed to the FAWEExecutive Director with the subject line: “FAWE Review of Human Resources Manual & Organogram” by the latest 8 June 2026.