Job Opportunity: Term of Reference (ToR) for consultant To Develop Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual position available at Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) in Addis Ababa. Social Sciences and Community Service jobs in Ethiopia are in high demand. Apply now through GeezJobs - Ethiopia's leading job portal.

The Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) is a pioneering national coalition dedicated to advancing women's rights, promoting gender equality, and empowering women across Ethiopia. As a collective force against gender-based violence (GBV), NEWA works alongside its member organizations, which operate throughout the country, to advocate for the protection and promotion of women’s rights. The coalition plays a crucial role in ensuring that gender-sensitive policies, laws, and programs are effectively implemented at both national and regional levels.

Established in 2003 by a group of visionary women, NEWA was founded to create a unified voice for women’s advocacy. It began with 13 local associations and organizations, striving to strengthen women’s collective influence and engagement in national policy dialogues. By 2009, NEWA re-registered in accordance with the revised legal framework governing civil society organizations, and today, it has grown to include 50 member associations and organizations. These members work tirelessly to ensure that women's interests are reflected in national plans and policies, and that their social, economic, political, and legal rights—enshrined in both national and international frameworks—are fully realized. NEWA and its member organizations have a broad reach, working across almost all regions of Ethiopia, including the two chartered city administrations, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.

Currently, NEWA is implementing various projects aligned with its broader objective of promoting gender equality and women's participation in leadership. With the support of CST Ethiopia, NEWA is implementing the project titled “Advancing Gender Equality: Strengthening Women-Led Advocacy to Combat Systemic Barriers in Ethiopia”. This national-level project aims to strengthen the voice, leadership, and participation of women in Ethiopia by dismantling social, political, and institutional barriers that hinder their involvement in decision-making and advocacy.

The project's specific objectives include: 

•           Strengthen the Leadership of Women-Led and Women Rights Organizations 

•           Enhance Women’s Voice in Governance and Public Participation

•           Address Legal and Institutional Gaps in Women’s Rights Participation 

•           Combat Harmful Social Norms and Gender-Based Discrimination

 As part of this broader initiative, NEWA seeks to develop a comprehensive Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual for selected four member organizations.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual for selected four (4) member organizations that provides a clear, practical, and actionable framework to guide advocacy and communication initiatives.

The manual will serve as a key reference document for member organizations staff, partners, and stakeholders to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate effective advocacy and communication interventions aimed at advancing women’s rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment in Ethiopia.

1. Objectives of the Assignment

The general objective of the assignment is to develop a practical, clear and actionable advocacy and communication manual for the selected four (4) member organizations. 

The specific objectives of the manual are to:

• Provide a clear conceptual and practical understanding of advocacy and communication within the context of selected member organization’s mission and programs.
• Identify priority advocacy issues affecting women, girls, and marginalized communities in Ethiopia.
• Define strategic advocacy goals, target audiences, messages, and approaches aligned with national and regional policy frameworks.
• Outline effective communication strategies and tools to amplify selected member organizations’ advocacy messages and increase visibility.
• Provide guidance on stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and policy dialogue.
• Integrate monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) mechanisms to assess advocacy impact.
• Capture best practices, lessons learned, and relevant national and international advocacy models.

4. Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

4.1. Document Review: Review relevant documents, including selected four member organizations’ strategic plans, project documents, advocacy reports, communication materials, and relevant national and international policy frameworks.

1. Stakeholder Consultation: Conduct consultations (virtual or in-person) with selected four member organizations’ management, staff, selected partners, beneficiaries, and relevant stakeholders to assess advocacy and communication needs.
   1. Situation and Context Analysis: Analyze the advocacy and communication environment, including political, legal, socio-cultural, and institutional contexts affecting women’s rights and gender equality in Ethiopia.
   2. Development of the Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual

• Define advocacy principles, objectives, and priority thematic areas.
• Identify target audiences (policy makers, community leaders, media, CSOs, donors, communities, etc.).
• Develop key advocacy messages and communication narratives.
• Propose advocacy strategies, tools, and tactics (policy dialogue, campaigns, media engagement, community mobilization, digital advocacy, etc.).
• Outline internal and external communication approaches.
• Develop an implementation roadmap with roles and responsibilities.
• Include a monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework.
• Integrate risk analysis and mitigation strategies.
  1. Validation and Finalization
• Present a draft manual for review and validation by NEWA and selected four member organizations.
• Incorporate feedback and submit a finalized version of the manual.

5. Expected Deliverables

• Inception report outlining methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• Draft Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual.
• Validation workshop/presentation (PPT).
• Final Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual incorporating feedback.
• Executive summary of the manual (user-friendly version).

6. Duration of the Assignment

The consultancy is expected to be completed within 30 days from the date of contract signing. A detailed timeline will be agreed upon during contract negotiation.

7. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of NEWA, in close collaboration with selected four member organizations.  All deliverables will be submitted to NEWA for review and approval.

 reproduced or shared without prior written consent.

 Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant (individual or firm) should meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Communication, Public Policy, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of proven experience in advocacy strategy development, communication planning, or related consultancy work.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, women’s rights, and civil society advocacy in the Ethiopian context.
• Demonstrated experience in developing advocacy and/or communication strategy manuals for NGOs or CSOs.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and facilitation skills.
• Proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders and translate complex issues into practical guidance.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of local languages is an added advantage.

Ethical Considerations

The consultant must adhere to ethical research and consultancy standards, including confidentiality, informed consent, and respect for the rights and dignity of all participants.

How To Apply

10. Application Procedure

Interested consultants are invited to submit:

Technical proposal outlining understanding of the assignment, methodology, and work plan.

Financial proposal with a detailed budget breakdown.

 CV including references (Detailed profile of the applicant, indicative of previous relevant experience. 

At least two professional references.

Letter of interest

Recommendation letters from previous other similar engagements 

Renewed license, TIN

. Deadline and submission of expression of interest:

Application; Interested consultants with experience in executing similar assignments are invited to submit their expression of interest/bids until 30 December 2025 with the subject field “Expression of Interest – Develop Advocacy and Communication Strategy Manual” addressed to; Organizational Email:newarecruitments@gmail.com.  Only complete bids (stamped and scanned technical and financial proposal) submitted by email will be considered.

Duration of the Assignment

. Ownership of Outputs

All outputs produced under this consultancy shall remain the property of NEWA and selected four member organizations and may not be