TERMS OF REFERENCE REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT OF KEY INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORKS
Consultancy, Research Jobs
- PELUM (Participatory Ecologic…
- Expires 23 Oct 2026
- Harare
- Full Time
Job Description
1. Background and Context
Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe is a country chapter of the PELUM Regional Association. In Zimbabwe, it is registered as a programme under the Zimbabwe Institute of Permaculture (ZIP) and is established as a network of organisations working to advance agroecology.
Founded in 1995, PELUM Zimbabwe currently has a membership of 37, comprising 31 civil society organisations (CSOs), 3 agroecology entrepreneurs and 3 individuals.
PELUM Zimbabwe’s mission is to upscale participatory ecological land use management practices for improved nutrition security, livelihoods and environmental sustainability in Zimbabwe. Its vision, as part of the broader PELUM Regional Association, is that communities in Africa are self-organized and able to make choices towards an improved quality of life that is socially just, economically viable and ecologically regenerative.
As PELUM Zimbabwe continues to grow in its programming, staffing, partnerships and institutional responsibilities, there is a need to ensure that its internal policies and operational frameworks remain relevant, fit for purpose and responsive to the organization’s current institutional context.
Some existing policies were developed several years ago and no longer adequately reflect the organization’s current structure, operational realities, staff needs and the evolving legal and policy environment in Zimbabwe. At the same time, a number of emerging institutional needs are not adequately addressed through existing policies and therefore require the development of new frameworks.
PELUM Zimbabwe is therefore seeking support for an organizational capacity strengthening initiative focused on the review and/or development of key institutional policies and operational frameworks. The initiative seeks to strengthen institutional governance, accountability, operational efficiency, staff welfare and compliance through a comprehensive, participatory and context-responsive policy development process.
The consultancy will work closely with management, staff and the Board to assess existing policies, identify gaps, review their relevance to the organization’s current context, ensure alignment with applicable labour legislation and organizational realities, consider relevant standards and good practices, and develop or revise policies as appropriate.
The process is expected to be participatory and will include staff consultations, management reflections and Board review and validation. This approach is intended to ensure institutional ownership of the policies and frameworks, while also strengthening staff understanding of and ability to apply the resulting policies.
2. Rationale
The Human Resources Manual was developed during the early stages of PELUM Zimbabwe and reflects a substantially different organizational and labour context. Since then, there have been changes in Zimbabwe’s labour legislation, workplace practices, organizational structures and staff welfare considerations. The manual therefore requires comprehensive review and revision.
The Motor Vehicle Policy was developed when PELUM Zimbabwe operated with one vehicle and did not have a designated driver. That context has since changed. The existing policy therefore requires review to ensure that it adequately addresses the organization’s current fleet management arrangements, vehicle maintenance responsibilities, operational procedures and accountability structures.
The Finance and Accounting Manual also requires revision to reflect current operational realities and strengthen institutional accountability systems. As PELUM Zimbabwe operates as a programme of the Zimbabwe Institute of Permaculture (ZIP), there is also a need to improve alignment between relevant organizational policies and broader network standards where appropriate.
PELUM Zimbabwe also requires a standalone Procurement Policy to provide clearer guidance on procurement processes, strengthen transparency and accountability, and support compliance.
The Per Diem Policy remains operational but requires review in light of the prevailing economic context. In particular, there is a need to reassess provisions relating to communication bundles, meals and incidental costs to determine whether the current provisions and rates remain practical and sufficient for staff undertaking organizational duties. The cross cutting issues policy also requires review in light of current context.
The Code of Conduct requires updating to ensure that it remains aligned with current labour legislation, organizational values, safeguarding standards and emerging workplace expectations.
In addition to the review of existing policies, PELUM Zimbabwe has identified institutional policy gaps requiring the development of new frameworks. These include an Asset Management Policy, an Artificial Intelligence Policy and a Monitoring and Evaluation Policy.
The overall assignment is therefore intended to strengthen PELUM Zimbabwe’s internal systems and ensure that its institutional policies provide an appropriate foundation for effective programme implementation, accountability, governance and organizational resilience.
3. Purpose of the Consultancy
The purpose of the consultancy is to support PELUM Zimbabwe to review and/or develop key institutional policies and operational frameworks so that they are relevant to the organization’s current context, responsive to emerging institutional needs, aligned with applicable legal requirements and supportive of effective organizational governance and operations.
Duties and Responsibilities
4. Objectives of the Consultancy
The specific objectives of the consultancy are to:
1. Review existing organizational policies and frameworks in line with current governance practices, applicable legal requirements and PELUM Zimbabwe’s current institutional context.
2. Identify gaps, inconsistencies and areas requiring strengthening within the existing policies and frameworks.
3. Revise identified policies to ensure that they are current, practical, clear and responsive to PELUM Zimbabwe’s present organizational and operational realities.
4. Develop new institutional policies and frameworks where identified policy gaps exist.
5. Strengthen alignment, where appropriate, between PELUM Zimbabwe’s policies and relevant broader ZIP/network standards.
6. Facilitate a participatory process involving staff, management and the Board to promote institutional ownership, understanding and applicability of the resulting policies and frameworks.
5. Scope of the Consultancy
The consultancy will cover the review and/or development of the following institutional policies and frameworks:
The distinction between review/revision and development is intentional. The first six documents are existing institutional instruments that require assessment and updating, while the latter four represent identified policy gaps for which new institutional policies/frameworks are required.
6. Key Areas of Work
The consultant/consultancy team will be expected to undertake the following:
6.1 Inception and document review
• Review the existing policies and manuals provided by PELUM Zimbabwe.
• Review relevant organizational structures, operational arrangements and other information necessary to understand the current institutional context.
• Identify key gaps, outdated provisions, inconsistencies and areas requiring revision.
• Identify areas where new policies or frameworks are required.
• Develop an agreed approach and workplan for undertaking the assignment.
6.2 Review of existing policies
For policies identified for review and revision, the consultant will:
• Assess their continued relevance and adequacy.
• Identify provisions that are outdated or no longer responsive to current organizational realities.
• Assess alignment with applicable labour legislation and other relevant legal and regulatory requirements, as applicable to each policy.
• Consider current organizational structures, roles and operational practices.
• Identify gaps relating to accountability, staff welfare, operational efficiency and institutional risk.
• Recommend appropriate revisions.
• Produce revised policy documents for consultation and validation.
6.3 Development of new policies
For the policies identified for development, the consultant will:
• Assess the institutional gap being addressed by each proposed policy.
• Develop clear and practical policy provisions appropriate to PELUM Zimbabwe’s context.
• Define relevant roles, responsibilities and accountability arrangements where required.
• Ensure that the policies are sufficiently practical to guide implementation.
• Present draft policies for consultation, review and validation.
6.4 Consultation and validation
The consultancy will use a participatory process involving:
• consultations with PELUM Zimbabwe staff;
• engagement with management;
• management reflection on the proposed revisions and new policies; and
• review and validation by the Board.
Feedback generated through these processes should be incorporated into the relevant final policy documents.
7. Expected Outputs and Deliverables
The consultancy is expected to produce the following outputs. Each output should clearly reflect whether it is a review/revision of an existing document or the development of a new policy/framework.
Output 1: Revised Human Resources Manual — REVIEW AND REVISION
A comprehensive and updated Human Resources Manual that:
• reflects PELUM Zimbabwe’s current organizational context and structure;
• responds to contemporary workplace realities and staff welfare considerations;
• is aligned with applicable current labour legislation;
• addresses identified gaps in the existing manual; and
• provides clear and practical guidance for human resource management within the organization.
Output 2: Revised Motor Vehicle Policy — REVIEW AND REVISION
An updated Motor Vehicle Policy that reflects PELUM Zimbabwe’s current operational context, including its three-vehicle fleet and designated driver, and provides appropriate guidance on:
• fleet management;
• vehicle use;
• vehicle maintenance responsibilities;
• operational procedures; and
• accountability arrangements.
Output 3: Revised Finance and Accounting Manual — REVIEW AND REVISION
A revised Finance and Accounting Manual that:
• reflects current organizational and operational realities;
• strengthens institutional financial accountability systems; and
• considers alignment with relevant broader ZIP/network standards where appropriate.
Output 4: Revised Per Diem Policy — REVIEW AND REVISION
A reviewed and updated Per Diem Policy that reassesses existing provisions in light of the prevailing economic context, particularly:
• communication bundles;
• meal and accommodation allocations; and
• incidental costs.
The revised policy should provide practical and appropriate provisions for staff undertaking organizational duties.
Output 5: Revised Code of Conduct — REVIEW AND REVISION
An updated Code of Conduct that reflects:
• current labour legislation;
• PELUM Zimbabwe’s organizational values;
• safeguarding standards; and
• emerging workplace expectations.
Output 6: Cross cutting issues policy — REVIEW AND REVISION
A revised Cross-Cutting Issues Policy that provides a coherent and context-responsive framework for the organization’s cross-cutting institutional commitments and practices. The review should assess the continued relevance, coherence and adequacy of the policy and its constituent areas, including:
Safeguarding;
Child Protection;
Whistleblowing;
Sexual Harassment;
Gift Giving;
Gender;
Equal Opportunity;
Risk Management;
Disability;
Cost Sharing;
Environmental Management;
Resource Mobilisation;
Emergency Relief;
Staff Safety; and
ICT and Data Protection.
The review should identify areas requiring updating, strengthening or clarification and ensure that the constituent areas are appropriately aligned with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, organizational values, current institutional practices and relevant safeguarding and accountability standards.
The revised Cross-Cutting Issues Policy should provide clear and practical guidance for staff and the organization while maintaining appropriate linkages between the different areas covered under the framework.
Output 7: Standalone Procurement Policy — DEVELOPMENT
A new standalone Procurement Policy developed to:
• strengthen procurement systems;
• promote transparency and accountability in procurement processes; and
• support compliance within PELUM Zimbabwe’s operations.
Output 8: Asset Management Policy — DEVELOPMENT
A new Asset Management Policy to strengthen the organization’s systems for:
• safeguarding organizational assets;
• tracking organizational assets; and
• managing organizational assets.
Output 9: Artificial Intelligence Policy — DEVELOPMENT
A new Artificial Intelligence Policy to guide the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies by staff, including measures relevant to protecting the organization’s reputation and information integrity.
Output 10: Monitoring and Evaluation Policy — DEVELOPMENT
A new Monitoring and Evaluation Policy to strengthen:
• programme accountability;
• organizational learning;
• reporting;
• evidence generation: and
• alignment with the Data Protection Act
Output 11: Consultation and Validation Process — PROCESS OUTPUT
A documented participatory consultation and validation process involving staff, management and the Board, with feedback appropriately incorporated into the final policies and frameworks.
Output 12: Final Consolidated Set of Policies and Frameworks — FINALISATION
A final set of the reviewed and newly developed institutional policies and frameworks, incorporating agreed feedback from staff, management and the Board and prepared for institutional approval/adoption.
8. Proposed Consultancy Approach
The consultancy is expected to adopt a participatory and consultative approach. The approach should ensure that the policies are not developed as stand-alone documents but are informed by PELUM Zimbabwe’s actual institutional and operational realities.
Qualifications and Experience
12. Required Consultant/Consultancy Team Profile
PELUM Zimbabwe seeks an experienced and multi-skilled consultancy team with demonstrated capacity in institutional policy development and organizational systems strengthening.
The consultant/consultancy team should have relevant expertise in areas including:
• institutional policy development and review;
• human resources and labour-related policy;
• organizational governance and systems;
• financial management and accountability systems;
• procurement systems;
• asset management;
• monitoring and evaluation; and
• development of practical organizational policies and frameworks.
The team should also demonstrate an understanding of the Zimbabwean institutional and legal context relevant to the policies under review.
How to Apply
13. Application/Expression of Interest
Interested consultants or consultancy teams should submit:
• a technical proposal outlining their understanding of the assignment and proposed methodology; proposed process for engaging staff, management and the Board; approach to reviewing and/or developing the identified policies and operational frameworks
• a proposed workplan and timeframe;
• profiles/CVs of the consultant(s) demonstrating relevant experience;
• examples of relevant policy development/review assignments undertaken; and
• a financial proposal providing a clear breakdown of the proposed consultancy fees and any other applicable costs.
• References, including contact details for at least two relevant previous clients who can be contacted to verify experience in undertaking similar assignments.
Applications should be submitted as one electronic application package, clearly indicating the title: “Consultancy for the Review and Development of Key Institutional Policies and Operational Frameworks.”
Applications should be submitted to info@pelumzimbabwe.org by 17:00hrs on 23 October 2026. PELUM Zimbabwe reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from applicants where necessary during the assessment process.
14. Management of the Consultancy
The consultancy will be managed by PELUM Zimbabwe, working through its management structures. The consultant/consultancy team will work closely with management, staff and the Board throughout the assignment to ensure that the process is participatory and that the final policies reflect agreed institutional needs and priorities.
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