Job Evaluation Consultancy

WHO WE ARE

Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) is a feminist, pan-African Rapid Response Fund committed to transforming power relations through resourcing African feminists and womn human rights defenders and their formations as an act of solidarity. Recognizing the need to move resources rapidly on a continent where opportunities and threats arise and decline quickly, UAF-Africa uses a Rapid Response Grantmaking mechanism to support unanticipated, time-sensitive, innovative, and unique initiatives that promote womn’s agency in peace and political participation, social and economic power building as well as natural resources governance and stewardship. The Fund works to support African Womn Human Rights Defenders (AWHRDs), particularly in the feminist and womn’s rights movements, in their actions, which enable them to support and sustain themselves, each other, and their work before, during, and after urgent situations.

UAF-Africa mobilises resources from a broad base of international and increasingly local funders committed to protecting and advancing womn’s rights and feminist agendas in Africa. Our primary purpose is to provide funding to AWHRDs and their groups, organisations and the movements to help them prepare for and navigate urgent situations with appropriate actions.

UAF-Africa is registered in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Operating as a virtual organisation, the Fund boasts of strategic physical presence in East Africa: Nairobi, Kenya; Kampala, Uganda; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; North Africa: Cairo, Egypt; West Africa: Yaoundé & Douala, Cameroon; Abuja, Nigeria, Cotonou & Parakou, Benin; Lome, Togo; Southern Africa: Harare, Zimbabwe, Blantyre & Lilongwe, Malawi; Johannesburg, Pretoria & Cape Town, South Africa; Antananarivo, Madagascar and Gaborone, Botswana.

Overall Purpose & Rationale of The Job Evaluation Process

Urgent Action Fund-Africa is currently seeking an experienced consultancy firm to provide support for and facilitate an organization-wide job evaluation (JE) process. This process is essential for periodically assessing alignment with market trends, reviewing staff capacity needs, consultancy engagement and managing all human personal related engagements. UAF-Africa regularly collaborates with skilled Human Resources consultants to ensure the establishment of a fair, equitable, and consistent pay and benefits structure and other related employee needs, aligning with prevailing market trends and standards.

Building upon a prior job evaluation process conducted a few years back, and recognizing the importance of reviewing existing roles to determine their relative value and alignment with the objectives outlined in the Fund’s Strategic Campus (SC) initiative, titled “Centering African Women: Feminist R/evolution in Action,” spanning from 2021 to 2030, UAF-Africa is extending an invitation to eligible HR consultancy firms to express their interest. The deadline for submission of expressions of interest is Friday, 14 February 2025.

Scope of Work

Recognizing the crucial role of job analysis in facilitating a comprehensive Job Evaluation process, the consultant is required to conduct a meticulous job analysis of all positions within UAF-Africa, evaluate performance management tools, review remunerations and benefits, talent management, succession planning, consultancy engagement, and other related staff entitlements to ensure UAF-Africa is attracting and retaining talent while remaining competitive in the job market.

Objectives of The Exercise

• To develop a systematic analysis of the various components of each job using a standard system to determine its size to minimize subjectivity and to facilitate informed decisions in determining the worth of each job.
• To review the current pay structure to embrace a fair, equitable, and consistent structure for all jobs on a rational basis and establish fairness and justice across all jobs within UAF-Africa.
• To develop a standard mechanism for ensuring compliance with the principles of equitable pay for work and skills of equitable value.
• To take progressive measures toward an organisation that attracts and retains good talent at competitive market rates.
• Noting that all the exercises must be consistent with the overall strategy and needs of the organisation.
• Ensure full participation and process ownership by all staff for clarity, transparency and accountability.

Key Responsibilities Include.

1. Utilising comparative data and insights collected from other similar and like-minded organizations, the consultant is tasked with reviewing current positions to ensure they align with the objectives and key deliverables of the Fund for the upcoming three-year period (2025 – 2028). Examine the criteria used for determining staff salary increments, including annual reviews, performance evaluations, or a combination of both.
2. Investigate the methods employed for calculating salary increases, such as percentage-based adjustments, fixed amounts, or merit-based bonuses.
3. Review the organization’s talent development programs, including training initiatives, career development opportunities, and succession planning efforts.
4. Identify gaps in talent development strategies and recommend initiatives to build a pipeline of future leaders within the organization.
5. Recommendations on skills/capacity development needs for the current job holders.
6. Review and project additional staffing needs / if necessary with clear justification in line with the 2021 – 2030 SC.
7. Systematically review the current job grading system and align both current jobs and new jobs accordingly.
8. Review the peculiarity of the Fund’s structure and its operations vis-à-vis like-minded organisations, assess the competitiveness and viability of the Fund, and further recommend and offer guidance on best practices and trends that would improve the internal workings of the Fund going forward. To make UAF-Africa a competitive employer in the African & Global markets.
9. Research and analyse consultancy engagement processes followed by comparable organizations when hiring consultancy firms, and benchmark with market standards accordingly.
10. Investigate the various consultancy payment structures employed, including hourly rates, fixed project fees, or retainer agreements.
11. Examine how other organizations manage travel considerations, including Board member allowances, to ensure competitive rates and operational standards grounded in fact and best practice.
12. Ensuring compliance with Regional and International laws, and the International Labour Conventions.

Deliverables

• Prepare a detailed job evaluation plan.
• Prepare a report with all the job descriptions and specifications with classified jobs.
• Develop new pay rates for each pay grade, including relevant pay ranges.
• Compile a comprehensive report with necessary recommendations based on findings and expert assessment of the whole exercise for consideration and implementation by management.

Proposed Implementation Period

No

Activity

Days

Desk Research and Secondary data collection

5

2.

Data analysis and compilation

7

3.

Report Writing

5

4.

Submission of First Draft & Final Report

2

Edit & submission of second draft

1

5.

Final Session and Submission of Final Report

1

TOTAL

21 days

Criteria for Consultant:

• Significant organizational development expertise.
• Technical knowledge of job evaluation processes and practices in the Civil Society Organisations space and within the African context.
• Feminist practitioner with the ability to apply feminist approaches to policy development – is desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of Womn’s Rights Organizations.
• Expert in implementing HR projects in international and regional organizations, preferably NGO.
• Demonstrated experience in developing institutional policies and operational guidelines.
• Skills in working with virtually operating organisations an added advantage.
• Able to familiarize with UAF-Africa organizational culture and work ethics.
• Fluency in English, and a good command of French is desirable.

Duration of Consultancy

The consultancy is expected to be conducted over twenty-one non-consecutive days as outlined below. The consultant is at liberty to move the days around as they please; however, total days should not exceed 21 days. The consultancy is expected to take place any 21 days from 1 March – 20 May 2025.

Remuneration

UAF-Africa will negotiate the consultancy rate with the selected consultant based on competitive rates and similar work carried out in other spaces.

Note: UAF-Africa is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices. To build the strongest possible workforce, UAF-Africa actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. The Fund is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and its partners.