Skip to main content

This job has expired

SMART Partnership Strategic Planning Consultant

Employer
SMART Partnership
Location
North America, Europe, or other
Salary
Commensurate with Experience
Closing date
Feb 22, 2019

Project Overview: 
The SMART Partnership has successfully developed a suite of technologies which have become the world’s leading protected area management platform. An initial focus on law enforcement has developed into a broader set of functions that has grown beyond the initial vision and financial plan of the partnership. SMART will undertake a new strategic plan that will accommodate this wider vision and address each of the key areas (technology, training, marketing, funding, partnership structure) that must be addressed in order for us to be successful in the long term. This strategic planning project will affirm a shared mission and goals within the partnership and create a five-year strategic plan that outlines a set of objectives and actions that will guide our activities during this period.
  
Background: 
The SMART Partnership is a unique coalition of conservation organizations* that share a mission of conserving biodiversity by strengthening conservation law enforcement, enhancing management of protected areas and reducing the illegal trade in natural resources. Central to the Partnership is the SMART software application, which was built on a foundation of meeting the needs of users from the global conservation community. SMART has been able to scale technology solutions and adaptive management strategies, in both low and high tech environments, across hundreds of conservation areas globally. This approach has fostered trust in a global user community, reaching over 600 sites, as well as a strong collaborative partnership supported by a growing (now nine) number of conservation organizations working to support and maintain progress within SMART. SMART has emerged as the global leader for protected area management tools, and the success of the Partnership has led industry leaders like Erik Arnold, CTO Microsoft Philanthropy, to call it an example of, “how other NGO sectors should collaborate to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.” 

The Partnership develops and maintains the SMART software application, promotes the use of SMART software and associated best practices for protected area management, provides tools to secure adoption of SMART by implementing agencies, collaborates with other related and complementary initiatives, develops standards for protected area operation, and facilitates outreach and coordination between existing and potential SMART users. The role of the SMART Partnership is to support the implementation, sustainability and effective use of SMART at site and national levels. 

An initial 10-year SMART Business Plan was developed early in the Partnership’s history that outlined the core activities to be undertaken. The Partnership has grown and evolved since then and it has become clear that a new strategic plan is needed to guide the Partnership over the next five years.

*Current SMART partner members include: Frankfurt Zoological Society, Global Wildlife Conservation, North Carolina Zoo, Panthera, Peace Parks Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Protection Solutions, World Wildlife Fund, and Zoological Society of London.

Terms of Reference

  1. Assessment: Where are we now?
    • Review all relevant material (SMART Principles, SMART Partnership agreement, SMART X Visioning Document, Annual Reports, etc.), and conduct interviews with Steering Committee representatives from each SMART Partnership member organization, as well as the SMART Program Manager and User and Technology Council Chairs
    • Draft a written summary of document review and interviews, and review key findings of with the SMART Steering Committee and Program Manager; work with Steering Committee Chair and Program Manager to plan Strategic Planning Workshop
  2. Strategic Planning Workshop
    • Plan and facilitate a five-day strategic planning workshop for the SMART Steering Committee, and Council Chairs.
      • Workshop to be held 06-12 May, 2019 in Akyaka, Turkey
    • Key issues to address are:
      • Review of SMART Steering Committee SWOT analysis.
      • Define partnership goals and identify strategies to achieve them.
      • Explore existing strategic partnerships and consider new ones.
      • Identify resources needed for successful completion of plan. 
      • How will the new plan be rolled out to SMART Partnership contributors/community? 
      • What will the process/metrics be for tracking progress toward goals and communicating these to the SMART Steering Committee, Councils, and user community?
  3. Drafting of Strategic Plan
    • Based on Strategic Planning Workshop, and with ongoing consultation with Steering Committee members, Program Manager, and User and Technology Council leads (facilitating conference calls, as needed), draft a five-year strategic action plan that can flexibly adapt to 2-3 potential funding scenarios by defining tasks, establishing short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, assigning responsibilities and setting realistic target dates for what can be accomplished. 
  4. Responsibilities
    • The SMART Partnership will be responsible for:
      • Selecting, contracting and managing the consultant
      • Covering the cost of and managing communications travel and logistics associated with development of the strategic plan
      • Actively engaging with the consultant throughout the entire strategic planning process
      • Providing relevant documents as needed
    • The consultant will be responsible for:  
      • Preparation of a work plan 
      • Actively engaging with SMART Partnership members and other stakeholders 
      • Regular progress reporting to the SMART Partnership 
      • Production of deliverables in accordance with the requirements and timeframes provided by the SMART Partnership
      • Facilitation of a four-day strategic planning workshop with the SMART Partnership Steering Committee
      • Drafting and finalising the strategic plan 
  5. Deliverables
    • The consultant will provide the following deliverables:
      • A summary of interviews and document review prior to the in-person workshop
      • A strategic planning workshop agenda and facilitation plan
      • A strategic plan document including but not limited to: 
        • Executive summary
        • Background
        • Strategic priorities
        • Action plan
        • An M&E framework
        • Digital copies of a draft strategic plan for review and comment by the SMART Steering Committee
        • Digital copies of a final strategic plan incorporating feedback from the SMART Partnership and subject to final approval of the Steering Committee

Applicants
Please submit the following materials to dcronin@smartconservationsoftware.org by February 21st:

  • A proposal
  • A CV and/or company profile
  • Relevant references (3)

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert