Sustainability Consultant for the community kitchen “Kors EL Shams” - Mukhtara Village / Chouf

1. Background

Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT) Lebanon has received a fund from kindernothilfe (KNH) to implement a project titled “Empowering Community Livelihoods in Rural Chouf, Lebanon” in Mokhtara village, Chouf, Mount Lebanon, to increase livelihood and social stability in the region.

One of the key components of the project is to seek consultancy services to engage an expert (s) to conduct a sustainability study for the community kitchen “Kors El Shams” and involve community members. This can be reached through capacity-building workshops, focus group discussions, different meetings on this subject, and other ways clarified by the expert(s).  In addition to conducting capacity-building workshops to empower and strengthen the community kitchen to attain sustainability.

1. Sustainability Consultant Position purpose:

A sustainability consultant (s) is required to support AMURT and the Community Kitchen, “Kors EL Shams” to develop a sustainability study based on capacity assessment, available data, and different meetings and follow-up visits. The study will provide a set of recommendations covering well-considered solutions, processes, activities, and commercial models that will ensure continuous and effective ownership, operation, revenue collection, maintenance, and overall financially sustainable management of the Community Kitchen. The consultant will suggest possible models of community ownership

This intervention aims to empower local community members and the municipality and provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to learn ways to maintain economically viable Community Kitchen operations in the longer term. The community kitchen will then be a model for others to learn from.

1. Consultancy Activities

1. Conduct a sustainability study

•  Conduct meetings with the community kitchen team, AMURT team, M&E officer, Moukhtara municipality, and any other viable community kitchens in the region.
•  Collect available data on the social, economic, legal, financial, and technical levels.
•  Analyze the collected data.
•  Conduct desktop research and findings and check the successes and failures of similar operations in the region.
•  Identify tools and techniques for long-term sustainable ownership, management, and operation of the kitchen.
•  Identify risk and mitigation measures.
•  Prepare a business plan (s) for the community kitchen “Kors EL Shams”. This plan should be conducted to ensure the financial stability of the community kitchen, it should include at least inputs, calculations, outputs, revenue sources, and a balance sheet.
•  Parallel to the development of the business plan, draft a suitable sustainability study to assess capacity and present well-researched options for ideally 100% sustainability of the kitchen. The consultant should enrol the local community participation in the process, especially women and youth.
• Based upon observed gaps, draft key templates of documents and agreements needed by the community kitchen.
• Conduct a validation meeting to present the key findings and recommendations to the “Friends of Community Kitchen”, municipality, NGO actors, community groups, and members. The purpose is to familiarize them with the study and introduce ways to ensure the viability and sustainability of their community kitchen. The consultant will address their questions and receive their feedback.
•  Update the plan based on the feedback and any additional inputs.
•  Write the final sustainability study and outline the next steps.

1. Conduct capacity development

Based on the capacity assessment the expert(s) conducted, the study will include workshops and training to foster the group’s ability to develop their identity and harness resources to support them.

• Strengthen the created community group “Friends of Community Kitchen” to implement future activities through determining effective ways to transfer skills to the project participants.
• Give workshops and training to the community group “Friends of Community Kitchen”, who will develop skills and capacities.
• Harness resources to support the community group “Friends of Community Kitchen”.
• Train the community group “Friends of Community Kitchen” to use the prepared templates, documents, and agreements.

1. Consultancy Deliverables

            The following deliverables will be expected:

• Inception report that includes findings, capacity assessment, and preliminary recommendations including appropriate capacity-building measures
• Business plan in English and Arabic to be discussed with AMURT and Kors El Shams community
• Templates in English and Arabic to be discussed with AMURT and Kors El Shams community
• Sustainability study report in English to be discussed with AMURT and KNH
• Deliver key selected capacity-building workshops/training, based on appropriate needs identified in the inception assessment

1. Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or high level) in social sciences, management, business administration, accounting, finance, economics, marketing, or another relevant field study.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience.
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills.
• The ability to demonstrate previous comprehensive sustainability reports.
• Provide documentary evidence/links of completing at least one similar consultancy work within the last five years.
• Must be a self-starter and be able to work independently with excellent demonstrated teamwork, coordination, and facilitation skills.

Skills:

• Strong leadership and planning skills.
• Excellent writing skills for the compilation of high-level quality documents in English and Arabic languages.
• Ability to deliver the work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, team-oriented work style.
• Experience in working in a multi-cultural environment
• Ability to work independently and participate in a team-based environment
• High computer proficiency (MS Word, Excel)

1. Payment Modalities

Payments will be paid by cheque by AMURT Lebanon as the following:

•    15% upon contract signature
• 15% upon the submission of the inception report
• 30% upon the submission of the financial report, templates, and the visibility plan
• 40% upon the approval of the final sustainability study report