Terms of Reference
Consultant

 

Call for Urgent Consultancy

PM4NGOs is urgently seeking a highly qualified consultant (or consulting team) to adapt and contextualize the Project DPro Guide for national and local nonprofit organizations in the USA, UK, and European countries providing services to the local population. Due to the strategic importance of this project, the selection process is fast-tracked, and the consultancy is expected to be completed within two months from the contract signing.

Interested applicants must submit their proposals by February 21, 2025, and be available to commence work immediately on February 24, 2025. The selected consultant must be capable of delivering high-quality outputs within the short timeline.

 

Position Overview

Project/Program : Business Continuity

Type of service : Online, remote

Position : External Consultant

Reports to : PM4NGOs Executive Director 

Duration : Two months from the date of contract signing

Deadline for applications : February 21, 2025

Starting date : February 24, 2025

Duty station : Remote

Languages : English

 

• Background

PM4NGOs is a global organization dedicated to enhancing the professionalism of project and program management within the international development sector. PM4NGOs owns and maintains Project DPro, a globally recognized certification framework for development and humanitarian project management.

To ensure its relevance and applicability to national and local organizations and associations in the USA, UK, and European countries, PM4NGOs is seeking an experienced consultant to adapt and contextualize the Project DPro Guide, sample exam, and live exam questions for these specific contexts.

• Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to review, adapt, and contextualize the Project DPro Learning Objectives (Syllabus), Guide (217 pages, 72,331 words), Sample Exam (3,291 words), Live Exam (22,019 words), and slide deck (5-day F2F course) to align with the needs and realities of national and local nonprofit organizations and associations in the USA, UK, and European countries providing services to the local population.

• Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Content Review & Contextualization

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing Project DPro Learning Objectives (Syllabus), Guide, Sample Exam, Live Exam, and Slide Deck to identify areas requiring adaptation.
• Modify terminology, examples, case studies, and references to reflect the realities of project management in the targeted national and local contexts.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory, legal, and operational frameworks relevant to project management in the USA, UK, and European countries.
• Incorporate best practices and industry standards specific to national and local NGOs and associations.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Post-Publication Feedback

• Collaborate with PM4NGOs staff, subject matter experts, and key stakeholders to ensure the adaptations meet the needs of professionals working in these regions.
• After the publication of the adapted Project DPro Guide and exams (ex-post), the consultant will provide support for additional editing and feedback integration. However, these activities are not included in this Terms of Reference and are not part of the deliverables.

• Exam Content Review & Adjustment

• Adapt the Sample Exam and Live Exam questions to align with the contextualized guide.
• Ensure that exam questions reflect realistic scenarios, challenges, and compliance requirements relevant to the target audience.

• Final Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver:

• Updated Learning Objectives (Syllabus).
• Adapted Project DPro Guide tailored for national and local organizations in the target regions.
• Revised Sample Exam that aligns with the updated guide.
• Updated Live Exam questions that accurately assess the contextualized content.
• Revised and adapted 5-day face to face training slide deck.
• Summary report detailing the key changes made and the rationale behind them.

• Expected Deliverables & Timeline

The consultancy will be completed within two months, following this indicative timeline:

Deliverable	Deadline
Inception report (work plan & methodology)	Week 1
Learning Objectives (Syllabus)	Week 2
First draft of adapted Project DPro Guide	Week 4
First draft of updated exams	Week 5
5-day F2F training slide deck	Week 7
Final submission of all deliverables	Week 8
Ex-post activity: Stakeholder validation & feedback integration*	Week 24

* The consultant will provide support for additional editing and feedback integration; however, these activities are not included in this Terms of Reference and are not part of the deliverables.

• Consultant Qualifications & Requirements

The consultant (or consulting team) must meet the following requirements:

• Extensive knowledge of Project DPro methodologies.
• Prior experience in developing, adapting, or contributing to Project DPro or Program DPro materials.
• Preferably, the consultant (or consulting team) was part of the workgroup that developed either the 1st or 2nd edition of Project DPro or Program DPro.
• Proven track record in project management training, curriculum development, or certification exam design.
• Strong understanding and/or experience with project management practices among not-for profits, community groups, and/or social enterprises.
• Ability to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).

• Application Process

Interested consultants should submit a 10-page (max) proposal including:

1. Consultant’s (or team’s) resume, highlighting relevant experience.
2. A brief methodology on how they will approach the adaptation and contextualization process.
3. A financial proposal including consultancy fees and any other relevant costs.

Submission Deadline: February 21, 2025

Submit applications via email to: info@pm4ngos.org 

PM4NGOs is dedicated to gender equality and social inclusion in the workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, color, religion, nationality, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We strongly encourage applications from persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, visible minorities, and individuals who share our values and contribute to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

If you require any reasonable accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process, please notify us as soon as possible.

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Confidentiality, Data Protection, and Ethical Compliance

Given that the consultant will have access to and analyze sensitive data from PM4NGOs, they will be required to:

• Sign a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA) provided by PM4NGOs.
• Review, comply with, and sign the PM4NGOs Ethical Policy.

Application Notification

We sincerely appreciate all applicants for their interest in our organization and for taking the time to apply. However, due to the high volume of applications, only candidates shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.

This position may remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

 

PM4NGOs Background

What is PM4NGOs?

PM4NGOs is a non-profit organization, exempt from tax under IRC 501 (c)(3), and organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia as a mutual benefit corporation. PM4NGOs promotes and sustains the professionalism of program and project management in the international development sector and is the owner of Project DPro, Program DPro, Finance DPro, and MEAL DPro. We’re dedicated to advancement in the project management skills of individuals and organizations working in the development sector throughout the world.

Our Vision

An equitable and sustainable world where social investment achieves the greatest impact

PM4NGOs will help achieve this vision through its work in promoting excellence in the management of social investment projects and programs. We will create and maintain best practice guidance for development professionals, certification schemes for those working in the sector who will be proud to hold an internationally recognized qualification and a forum for communication and discussion about international development sector best practice.

Our Mission

To set the standard for project and program management in the social sector.

We aim to reach individuals, community-based organizations, local governments, NGOs, and donor organizations with a comprehensive suite of project and program management resources.