National Short-term Expert – Management Skills Gap Assessment

Under Specific Objective 1 of the project, the primary objectives of this consulting assignment are to conduct an assessment of the management and leadership capacity of the main employer representative bodies and organisations and come up with recommendations for capacity-building interventions that will enhance their effectiveness in supporting TVET reform and addressing the skills needs of the labour market in Malawi.

The assessment aims to:
• Assess the current and potential role of the key Employer Representative Bodies and relevant sector associations in Malawi in the reform of TEVET.
• Assess the management skills and capacity of each of the selected organisation in terms of the following:
1. Leadership and management capacity and needs for development,
2. Interpersonal skills gaps of key staff in managing the effectiveness of partnerships with other TEVET stakeholders,
3. Institutional capacity and governance gaps that might hinder partnerships with other TEVET stakeholders,
4. Internal efficiency gaps of the selected organisations that might hinder partnerships with other TEVET stakeholders,
• Identify priority areas for capacity building interventions and other institutional development recommendations for improving these organizations’ ability to be a leading force and partner in TEVET reform in Malawi.

Scope of Work:

The selected National Short-Term Expert (NSTE) will work closely with and under the leadership of an International Short-Term Expert (ISTE) to achieve the above-mentioned assignment objectives. The team of two experts will coordinate with the TA Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader and national stakeholders to develop a workplan for the duration of the assignment, to include, but not be limited to, the following activities:

• The NSTE will support the ISTE in gathering and reviewing relevant documents, reports, and strategic plans of selected organizations including PPSDF, MCCCI, and ECAM related to their organizational structure, functions, and management capacity.
• The NSTE will contribute to the development of a needs assessment framework and relevant data collection tools to be used for the assignment and approve it by the British Council.
• The NSTE will support the ISTE in conducting a comprehensive needs assessment by conducting interviews, focus-group meetings, and consultations with key executives within the organizations, including senior management and staff.
• The NSTE will support the ISTE in conducting interviews and consultations with other stakeholders outside these selected organisations including relevant government bodies to assess the role of these selected organizations. This included drafting a schedule of meetings and confirming them.
• The NSTE will contribute to identifying existing management, skills gaps within the organizations, including but not limited to leadership, strategic planning, interpersonal skills, human resource management, and advocacy.
• The NSTE will support the ISTE in analysing the gaps identified and their implications for the organizations’ ability to effectively represent and support the needs of employers in the context of TVET reform.
• The NSTE will support the ISTE in developing comprehensive recommendations for capacity-building interventions tailored to the specific needs of each organization as well as a list of training programmes that could address the needs of a group of executives from the different organizations included in the assessment.

Deliverables:

The NSTE will provide support in gathering information and data and provide feedback and input to the reports and recommendations as well as supporting in scheduling meetings with stakeholders. The ISTE will be responsible for drafting all reports and conducting the assessments. The NSTE will support in delivering the following:
:

a. A brief Inception Report and work plan. : Under the leadership of the International Short-term expert drafting a report outlining the proposed TNA methodology and work plan within one week of the assignment’s commencement.
b. Support the ISTE to draft a report presenting the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for review and feedback by the project team and relevant stakeholders.
c. Support the ISTE to draft a final report incorporating feedback received, including a detailed assessment of management skills gaps, actionable recommendations, and a capacity-building plan tailored to the specific needs of each organization as well as a list of training programmes that could address the needs of a group of executives from the different organizations included in the assessment.