Background and Context:
The African Refugee Led Organization’s Network (ARN) was formed in 2019 when Global Refugee-led Network (GRN) convened 72 refugee leaders (from 14 nationalities living in 11 different host countries) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with the aim of advocating for increased refugee participation in policymaking in Africa through advocacy for improvements in the lives of refugees and to contribute to policymaking discussions and refugee response work on the continent. The African Refugee Network is an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for the rights and welfare of refugees across the African continent. To effectively reach its target audiences, raise awareness, and mobilize support, the organization aims to develop a comprehensive communication strategy that aligns with its mission and goals. Oxfam is commissioning a consultancy to support the development of a communication strategy for the African Refugee Network. A communication strategy is essential for organizations like the African Refugee Network to articulate their messages, engage stakeholders, raise awareness, advocate for change, and build a strong and positive reputation. It will enable ARN to effectively communicate their mission, connect with their target audiences, and achieve their goals in supporting and advocating for refugees.

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Objectives:
The main objective of this assignment is to develop a communication strategy for the African Refugee Network that will enhance its visibility, strengthen its brand, and enable effective communication with stakeholders, including refugees, donors, governments, NGOs, and the public. The strategy should outline clear goals, target audiences, key messages, and communication approaches.
We are recruiting an individual consultant or firm, with the following scope of work:
a) Conduct a comprehensive situational analysis of the communication landscape in relation to refugee issues in Africa. Assess the network’s current communication practices, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. Identify the target audiences and their communication preferences.
b) Collaborate with the African Refugee Network team to define clear and measurable communication goals and objectives that align with the organization's mission and vision. Ensure that the goals are realistic, achievable, and contribute to the overall advocacy and fundraising efforts.
c) Conduct a thorough analysis of the organization's key target audiences, including refugees, donors, governments, NGOs, media outlets, and the public. Identify their communication needs, preferences, and barriers. Develop audience personas to inform the communication strategy.
d) Define key messages that effectively communicate the organization's mission, achievements, and impact. Identify appropriate communication channels and platforms to reach each target audience. Consider a mix of traditional media, digital platforms, social media, community engagement, and advocacy events.
e) Provide recommendations for content development, including storytelling, case studies, infographics, videos, and other multimedia formats. Ensure that the content is tailored to different target audiences and aligned with the organization's key messages.
f) -Develop a timeline and Implementation plan that outlines the activities, milestones, and deliverables associated with the communication strategy. Ensure that it includes responsibilities, deadlines, and resource allocation.
g) Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the communication strategy. Define key performance indicators, data collection methods, and reporting mechanisms to measure the reach, engagement, and impact of the communication efforts.
h) Provide an estimation of the financial resources and human resources required to implement the communication strategy. This includes costs associated with content creation, design, printing, media buying both online and print technology platforms, personnel, and any other relevant expenses.
i) Identify and assess potential risks and challenges that could impact the success of the communication strategy and the organisation, this should include strategies for mitigating risks, addressing crises or negative publicity, and ensuring effective reputation management.
j) The process of developing the communication strategy will be done both virtually (ARN steering committee members outside Uganda) and in-person (ARN steering committee members in Uganda).

Deliverables:
The consultant(s) will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:
• Inception Report: A detailed report outlining the proposed approach, methodology, and work plan for developing the communication strategy.
• Communication Strategy Document: A comprehensive communication strategy document that includes situational analysis, goal and objective setting, target audience analysis, key messages, communication channels, branding guidelines, content recommendations, and a monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Final Report: A final report summarizing the key findings, recommendations, and outcomes of the assignment.

Timeline and Schedule:
The assignment is expected to be completed within 4 weeks. The consultant(s) will work closely with the African Refugee Network steering committee leadership and Oxfam and provide regular progress updates throughout the process.

How to apply
Application Requirements:
Interested candidates in the position are expected to provide the following documentation:
a) A technical proposal with detailed response to the TOR, with specific focus on addressing the scope of work and methodology to be used.
b) Sample of evidence of previous communication strategy development work or related work, etc.
c) Initial work plan based on methodology outlined, and indication of availability.
d) A detailed budget proposal outlining the costs associated with the assignment.
e) Company/organizational profile or CV including a minimum of 3 traceable, recent, and relevant references.
f) The consultant should be based in Uganda (ARN secretariat is hosted in Uganda).

Proposal Submission:
Interested consultant should submit their proposals to ssc.consultancy@oxfam.org not later than 3rd July 2023.