Consultancy: Human Resources Organisational Review for STAR Ghana Foundation

 

Type of Contract: Consultancy contract Length of Contract: May – June 2019 (No more than 20 working days) Location: Accra, Ghana Closing Date: 23rd April 2019

 

About us

STAR Ghana Foundation is an independent Ghanaian organisation which creates platforms for ordinary people, particularly the most marginalised in society, to become active citizens who demand positive change in their lives and communities. Our vision is to see a well-informed and active Ghanaian citizenry able to contribute to transformational change that advances democracy, accountability and social inclusion. We want to increase the effectiveness of citizens and civil society to achieve an equitable, inclusive society by convening inclusive dialogue and collaboration; catalysing active citizenship and collective action; coordinating and supporting strategic partnerships; and facilitating continuous learning to fuel wider scale change.

 

The STAR Ghana Foundation was launched in November 2018. The Foundation builds on the successful STAR-Ghana programme (Strengthening Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Ghana), a multi-donor funded programme. The establishment of the STAR Ghana Foundation as a Ghanaian-owned and led national institution follows from an intensive process of planning and public consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. It constitutes a major development in the landscape for active citizenship, civil society and philanthropy in Ghana. A key area of concern to the Foundation is the management of its human resources. As part of building the human resources system, the Foundation is striving to access consistent and relevant compensation data to ensure that the organization is able to recruit and retain a cadre of high caliber staff. In a market such as Ghana, the organization is challenged by the lack of clear and easy to use remuneration data for decision making. To address this challenge the STAR Ghana Foundation is seeking the services of an external consultant to conduct a human resource organizational review.

 

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of the assignment is to undertake an independent human resource organisational review which will include a remuneration survey and develop a salary range for each job level (mid, medium and max). This is part of the overall process of developing the HR systems and structures for the STAR Ghana Foundation.

 

The key tasks are as follows:

• Work with the Transition Committee to ascertain staffing needs
• Gather from comparable Ghanaian entities and analyze job profiles, salary structures, allowances and benefits against the template and job positions;
• Develop a remuneration structure
• Prepare a report which compares the matched job profiles, compensation packages and benefits and present the findings to the Committee.

 

Scope of Assignment

• Review staffing needs of the STAR Ghana Foundation based on functions
• Collate benchmarked salary scales, and terms and conditions. The Consultant will collect the following information from each of the identified non-profit organisations or other comparable entities:
• Job descriptions of the similar positions for the purpose of job matching on the nature, complexities and responsibilities of each position
• Conduct job matching for existing job descriptions: summary of duties, general educational qualifications, and professional qualifications, required years of experience and supervisor and subordinates
• Collect and analyze the salary structures and associated benefits (including typical allowances and benefits package both monetary and non-monetary) from identified NGOs or other comparable entities for existing job descriptions.
• Summary information on the comparator entities (size, number of employees, period of existence, etc. as specified)

Note: The Consultant shall maintain complete confidentiality of all data and documents provided by selected comparator entities. Data from comparator employers will be shared in aggregate and with no means of linking specific information back to any organization.

 

Outputs/Expected Deliverables:

• Develop the remuneration structure
• Develop and submit a survey methodology which explains their process of how they will structure their work to achieve the survey objectives; including: questionnaire design, job matching, data collection and validation, and pay and benefits data analysis. The process should gather qualitative and quantitative data
• Analyze the compensation, allowances and benefits data of the participating NGOs
• The Consultant will provide details and summary of data collected from the comparators and provide remuneration package analysis and range for each job match
• Provide the minimum and maximum remuneration values of all job matches obtained from the comparators
• Provide a 10-15 page report (with annexes) on final survey findings with comparison and analysis of the survey results and recommendations related to remuneration packages including a summary table of comparators practices on remunerations.
• Present a draft analysis report to the Transition Committee for comments. The report should include the following:
  • The findings should present an analysis for each position: annual minimum, medium and max annual salary
  • The report should provide a table with an overview of the prevailing benefits and allowances offered by each identified entity. Details of each of those allowances and benefits should be include in the report
  • The report should provide details/findings of each of these policies/practices below:
• Salary review: frequency of salary survey reviews, date of last review, average % adjusted for each comparator
• Compensation policy expectations relative to the market: This should include expected position on the market (low, 25%, 50%, 75% and high percentile for each comparator)
• Retirement/Pension plan
• Medical policy
• Education Assistance policy
• Overtime policy: The report should include overtime policy for weekdays, holidays, weekends and call back from leave policy
• Leave policy
• Provident Fund
• Explanation and analysis highlighting if length of contract has a bearing on remuneration
• Any other relevant terms and conditions
• Submit all completed questionnaires together with relevant salary and benefits scales and all relevant documentations and correspondences received from the respective comparators to the Transition Committee
• Conduct a presentation of the process and the results to the Transition Committee/Governing Council
• Submit a final report incorporating comments from the Transition Committee

 

Application Requirements and Considerations 

• Submission of technical proposal to offer services should include:
• In the case of a consultant organization, a brief capabilities statement and detailed profile of the consultant organization
• A listing of organisations where similar service is being/has been offered
• Valid Certificate of Registration
• Technical capacity of consultants in terms of their qualifications and competencies for the assignment. Please attach detailed CVs.
• Methodology to be used during the assignment
• Work plan including proposed timeline
• Provide track record of materials/ manuals/ tools used by the applicant for similar assignments
• Provide 3 references
• Applicants are required to submit a financial proposal with breakdown cost for the assignment per milestone that includes cost for human resources that might be involved in the assignment, etc.

 

Qualification Requirements

Lead person in Organization/Company/Firm or an individual with:

• A minimum of a Masters’ degree in fields related to human resource management, statistics and related fields
• Proven track record of experience in compensation and benefit for non-profit organizations
• Experience in undertaking salary surveys for non-profit organizations
• Familiar with local labour market issues
• Fluent in English
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Familiarity with the NGO regulations and experience within the NGO system would be an advantage
• Demonstrated capacity for independent work with little supervision;
• Research skills

 

Payment Terms

To be determined but it should be noted that STAR Ghana Foundation gives a high level of cognisance to value-for-money.

 

Mode of Application

Qualified consultants are invited to express their interest and provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services. To apply, please send your proposal, both technical and financial, to the address applications@star-ghana.org with subject line: “Consultancy- Remuneration Survey” not later than 17:00 GMT on 23^rd April 2019. 

 

Media engagement on Ghana’s Journey to the SDGs in a Beyond Aid context’

STAR-Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana CSO Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) convened a Panel Discussion with the Media in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday 21st March 2019. The theme for the event was: ‘Ghana’s Journey to the SDGs in a Beyond Aid context’. The purpose of the event was to discuss the implications of the SDGs as Ghana moves beyond aid from the perspectives of key stakeholders - donor, state, civil society etc., draw linkages, and make recommendations for taking forward the Ghana Beyond Aid strategy.

 

Dr. Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Chairperson of STAR Ghana Foundation welcomed the all participants to the event. She highlighted the timeliness and urgency of the dialogue and the opportunity it offered for deliberating on the future of Ghana – the future we want for ourselves, children and one that leaves no one behind. She expressed appreciation to the key note speaker, the panel and panel members for honouring the invitation to the programme.

Dr. Yaw Ansu, special Advisor at the Ministry of Finance, provided an overview of the Government of Ghana’s ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ strategy document in his keynote address. He indicated that: to achieve a Ghana Beyond Aid, there is the need to harness our own resources, deploy them effectively and efficiently for economic transformation. He advocated for a shift in mindset among Ghanaians to achieve a Ghana Beyond Aid. Dr Ansu asserted that: Ghana Beyond Aid is not a rejection of aid. "A Ghana Beyond Aid welcomes what outsiders give but we must lead the way in generating the resources we need"  he noted.

 

The convening brought together a carefully chosen panel of state actors, civil society, donors and the private sector to interact with the media. The content of the interaction focused on the nexus between the Ghana Beyond Aid strategy and the achievement of the SDGs - structures for monitoring implementation, coordination of stakeholder efforts, financing architecture, etc. The panel, moderated by Anita Erskine, comprised: Kojo Sedega (UNDP), Philip Smith (Country Director, DFID), Beauty Emefa Nartey (Co-Chair, CSO Platform on the SDGs) and Dr. Eugene Owusu (Office of the President).

Dr. Eugene Owusu indicated that poor governance is the bane of Ghana’s development and advocated for the need to reinvent governance and make governance work for poverty reduction. He mentioned the relevance and importance of leveraging on innovation and the ingenuity of women to achieve the SDGs. He said: “It is important to fully leverage innovation to achieve the SDGs and a Ghana Beyond Aid. It is the new currency… the ingenuity of women has always propelled development around the world. Ghana needs to unleash the energy and enterprise of women around SDGs”

 

 

Philip Smith, Country Director of Department for International Development (DFID), Ghana, stated that: Aid has been diverted from Ghana to more fragile countries. He explained that the focus now is on helping Ghana spend its own money better – effectively and efficiently. Philip emphasised that Development partners can help governments build more resilient systems to protect people from shocks. He mentioned the expectation of donor partners to include a mindset shift in transformation and the need for a change in terminologies

“Donor Partners are expecting a mindset shift of transformation – safeguarding environment, equality and inclusion, cleaner cities and reduction in child marriages… there is the need to change the terminologies – no more donor partners but international partners or equal partners” he noted.

 

 

 

Beauty Emefa Nartey, Co-Chair, CSO Platform on the SDGs explained the need for all actors to understand that government alone cannot achieve the SDGs. She charged CSO to ensure that citizens’ voices are incorporated into the SDGs. “CSOs have to challenge ourselves such that everybody in any small village understands the SDGs”

Beauty indicated that monitoring by CSOs ensures the tracking of government’s performance in all the goals and affirmed that “CSOs are demonstrating their commitment to the SDGs by monitoring what government is doing”

Mr. Kojo Sedega of UNDP in his presentation attempted to answer the question of how the challenges of spatial inequalities in Ghana could be resolved. He outlined the variant drivers of inequality and offered some suggesting for consideration in bridging the inequality in the country. The recommendations included: good financial management, availability of social services, proper work and wages as well as ensuring gender equality-affirmative action to empower women.

In 2015, member states of the United Nations adopted an ambitious plan to eradicate poverty, fight hunger, tackle climate change and save the planet from environmental degradation. This Global agenda, according to the UN is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, are to implement this plan. The Government of Ghana on September 25th, 2015, committed to implementing the 17 Goals, together with its 169 targets and formally launched the SDGs in Ghana in February 2016.

 

 

His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently articulated a vision for the country encapsulated in the phrase “Ghana Beyond Aid”. In a speech delivered on the 61st anniversary of Ghana’s independence, the President of the Republic, defined a Ghana Beyond Aid as “a prosperous and self-confident Ghana that is in charge of her economic destiny; a transformed Ghana that is prosperous enough to be beyond needing aid, and that engages competitively with the rest of the world through trade and investment”.

Following this declaration, a committee, headed by the Senior Minister, Hon Osafo Maafo, was constituted to oversee the President’s vision of a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid'. The committee has been tasked to draw up a charter which outlines the steps the country is to take in making Ghana self-reliant. This Charter will be finally adopted as a follow up to the Government’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies 2017-2022.