Consultancy for Human Rights Work at Global Canopy

Global Canopy (GC) is a data-driven not for profit that targets the market forces destroying nature. We do this by improving transparency and accountability. We provide innovative open-access data, clear metrics, and actionable insights to leading companies, financial institutions, governments and campaigning organisations worldwide. Global Canopy is moving through a period of organisational growth and development and has identified a need to focus greater attention on the human rights aspects of our work. We are therefore looking to assess our current strengths and weaknesses in this area and develop a strategic and more coordinated human rights approach to working on nature and biodiversity loss. We are looking for a consultant who can support this internal strategy process and provide guidance and recommendations on the best steps forward. 

Purpose

A short-term consultancy to undertake work alongside Global Canopy teams to assess and reflect on the best entry-points to build out our human rights approach, in light of our current activities, partners and funding. The work will also bring in an analysis of the sector more widely in order to assess the landscape and where Global Canopy can add the greatest value without duplicating existing efforts. These reflections and assessments will help to build and guide the development of a roadmap and set of recommendations to integrate this approach across GC’s programmatic work. The roadmap and recommendations will be the final product of the consultancy. Global Canopy aims to use this output to guide the strengthening and development of the human rights aspects of our work. It will help us to join the dots where relevant work is already underway, and ensure we take a strategic approach in this vital area as we grow.

Specific Tasks

1. Work with GC teams to map out and identify entry points in our current work with a focus on the two key organisational strengths: 
2. Building bridges (entry points to financial institutions, companies, government, etc)
3. Data (how to extend existing platforms to better include data and metrics pertaining to human rights abuses and other important social impact indicators). 
2. Undertake an analysis, both internal and external, to identify relevant risks and opportunities. 
3. Undertake an external landscape assessment to assess where GC can add value, develop partnerships and collaborations, while avoiding duplication of efforts. 
4. Analyse the data collected and develop a document outlining key findings, proposed actions and recommendations.  
5. Share key findings with GC teams, receive and incorporate feedback into the document. 

Note: The above mentioned tasks are intended as a guide and may be modified following discussion with the selected consultant. 

Expected Outcomes

1. A document that includes a proposed roadmap and set of recommendations to support the ongoing development of our human rights approach and strategy. The approach proposed will complement (and later be integrated within) Global Canopy’s existing overarching organisational strategy.  
2. Global Canopy teams have participated and contributed to the development of inputs for the roadmap and are onboard with the recommendations. 

Lines of communication

The consultant will work closely with Chantelle Murtagh (Project Manager), Cristina Fontes who leads on related work in Brazil and Latin America, and the Global Canopy leadership team, including Niki Mardas (Executive Director), who is the project sponsor.

Location

The consultancy is remote but some time in the Oxford office for workshops, meetings and interviews is expected (exact details to be agreed with the consultant, subject to Covid-19 restrictions).

Timeline

Number of days to be specified and detailed as part of the proposal. Some flexibility on dates, ideally to start in February and to end no later than 30 April 2022. 

A suggested activity timeline might look like this (see below) but please feel free to develop your own proposal to be included as part of the application. 

Qualifications and experience

• Minimum 5 years experience of working in the human rights sector. 
• Strong working knowledge on indigenous rights, land rights, workers rights, climate change and tropical forest contexts.     
• Proven track record in successfully leading the design, execution and/or management of projects or strategies on human rights in the context of complex institutional and programmatic structures. 
• Strong programme design skills, including capacity to prepare logical, coherent, and consistent technical documents, such as a work plan, results framework, and theory of change.  
• Experience of facilitating workshops and programme planning sessions.  
• Strong networks with organisations and experts in this field.
• Ability to work with diverse teams, to engage effectively and to motivate participation. 
• Experience of conducting desk-based research and in-person data collection through interviews, group discussions or other methods.  
• Proven track record in running similar short-term and intensive projects.
• Willingness and ability to travel to Oxford to conduct assessments and workshops.  
• Excellent English speaking/writing skills required.

What to include in the application

• CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Letter of Interest (maximum 2 pages) 
• Proposed approach and timeline (2-3 pages maximum) 
• Daily rate or consultancy fees with estimated number of days

Please send your application to Chantelle at c.murtagh@globalcanopy.org by 9am GMT on 24th January 2022. Early applications are encouraged – we may close applications early if suitable candidates are identified. If you have any questions, please contact Chantelle.