Call for Consulting Proposal Gender Equality

Terms of Reference (ToR) Consultancy: Joint Gender Equality Self-Assessment (GESA) Save the Children Canada (SCC) and Save the Children US (SCUS) 1. Background Save the Children Canada (SCC) and Save the Children US (SCUS) are committed to advancing gender equality as a fundamental human right and a critical component of achieving positive outcomes for children. Both organizations recognize that gender inequality limits children's rights, opportunities, participation, and well-being and that gender-transformative approaches are required to address the underlying causes of discrimination and exclusion. As part of their commitment to institutional accountability and continuous improvement, Save the Children Canada and Save the Children US seek to undertake a joint Gender Equality Self-Assessment (GESA). The GESA is a structured process that assesses the extent to which gender equality is embedded across organizational systems, policies, culture, leadership, operations, and programming. The exercise will generate evidence to support organizational learning, strengthen accountability, identify areas for improvement, and inform future collaboration between SCC and SCUS on gender equality priorities. Through this joint process, SCC and SCUS aim to: Assess their respective organizational strengths and gaps related to gender equality. Strengthen institutional alignment and shared understanding of gender equality commitments. Identify opportunities for future collaboration and mutual learning. Develop actionable recommendations to a) strengthen gender equality outcomes within each organization and across both organizations collectively; b) provide guidance on future, joint gender equality work. 2. Purpose of the Consultancy The purpose of this consultancy is to design and facilitate a joint GESA process for SCC and SCUS and produce evidence-based recommendations to strengthen organizational gender equality commitments, systems, culture, and practices. The consultancy will: Conduct a comprehensive GESA for SCC and SCUS. Assess the degree to which gender equality is embedded within organizational systems, policies, leadership, workplace culture, and advocacy. Identify strengths, challenges, opportunities, and emerging priorities within each organization. Analyze areas where joint gender equality work could be undertaken. This could include, but is not limited to, advocacy and fundraising. Develop strategic recommendations and a roadmap for strengthening collaboration on gender equality initiatives. 3. Objectives The specific objectives of the consultancy are to: Evaluate organizational commitment, leadership, accountability, and capacity to advance gender equality within SCC and SCUS. Assess the integration of gender equality and intersectional approaches across organizational policies, advocacy, operations, and internal systems. Identify structural, organizational, and cultural barriers that may impede progress toward gender equality. Examine organizational enablers and good practices that support gender-transformative approaches. Develop strategic recommendations for SCC and SCUS individually, as well as opportunities for alignment and joint action. Identify potential areas for joint gender equality work, potentially inclusive of advocacy and fundraising. 4. Scope of Work The consultant/team will work with SCC and SCUS to design and implement a GESA process aligned with Save the Children's gender equality frameworks and relevant best practices for organizational gender assessments. The assessment shall: Utilize a participatory and consultative methodology. Incorporate qualitative and quantitative data collection methods Engage staff, leadership, and relevant stakeholders from both organizations. Apply an intersectional lens, examining how gender intersects with race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, migration status, colonial histories, and other dimensions of inequality. Consider organizational culture, decision-making structures, workplace practices, safeguarding, talent management, accountability mechanisms, advocacy, and programming. Examine opportunities for cross-organizational collaboration and alignment. The consultant is expected to adapt the GESA methodology appropriately for a multi-office and multi-organizational assessment process. 5. Methodology The consultant will propose a detailed methodology based on the GESA Toolkit that may include, but is not limited to: Document review Online staff survey(s) Key informant interviews Focus group discussions Leadership consultations Validation workshops Comparative analysis between SCC and SCUS The final methodology will be approved during the inception phase. It is also possible that specific tools may be used with one organization and not another. 6. Deliverables Deliverable 1: Inception Report The consultant will submit an inception report outlining: Detailed methodology and assessment framework Work plan and timeline Data collection tools and protocols Stakeholder engagement plan Risk mitigation considerations Quality assurance approach Deliverable due: Within one week of contract start date. Deliverable 2: Data Collection and Analysis Package Completion of all agreed data collection activities, including but potentially not limited to: Staff surveys Key informant interviews Focus group discussions Document review and analysis A brief summary of emerging themes shall be submitted to SCC and SCUS. Deliverable 3: Interim Findings Presentation Facilitation of a virtual presentation with SCC and SCUS leadership to review: Emerging findings Preliminary analysis Key strengths and gaps Initial recommendations Deliverable 4: Draft GESA Report The draft report should include: Executive summary Assessment methodology Organizational analysis for SCC Organizational analysis for SCUS Comparative analysis Findings across GESA domains Barriers and enabling factors Preliminary recommendations Deliverable 5: Final GESA Report and Collaboration Roadmap The final report will incorporate stakeholder feedback and include: Validated findings Recommendations for SCC Recommendations for SCUS Comparative insights Prioritized actions Implementation considerations Joint Gender Equality Collaboration Roadmap.The roadmap should identify opportunities for: Strategic collaboration Joint initiatives Shared advocacy priorities Alignment of internal systems and policies Organizational learning and capacity strengthening Cross-office knowledge exchange 8. Required Qualifications The consultant or consulting team should demonstrate: Advanced expertise in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI). Significant experience conducting organizational gender assessments, audits, or gender equality self-assessments through an intersectional lens. Strong knowledge and practical application of intersectional analysis. Experience working with international NGOs and complex organizational environments. Familiarity with nonprofit and international development sectors, particularly within Canada and the United States. Demonstrated ability to facilitate participatory assessments involving diverse stakeholders. Excellent analytical, facilitation, and report-writing skills. Experience developing actionable organizational change recommendations and implementation roadmaps. 9. Proposal Submission Requirements Interested consultants or firms should submit the following, noting that this assignment is not expected to exceed eight (8) weeks of work. The total available budget is $17,000 CDN. Technical Proposal, including: Understanding of the assignment Proposed methodology Work plan and timeline Team composition and roles Financial Proposal, including: Professional fees Breakdown of estimated costs Examples of similar assignments undertaken. CV(s) of proposed consultant(s). Contact details for at least two professional references. Please submit proposals to Sarah Anderson, Senior Advisor, Partnerships & Technical Quality, and SCC Gender Equality Lead at [email protected] by Friday, August 28, 2026.