Landscape Governance Course Coordinator

Background:

Landscape governance as a framework for bringing stakeholders from different sectors to identify and co-create solutions for landscape issues has gained momentum in recent years. Through the landscape governance framework, issues of siloed management and collaboration can be improved by designing governance processes that focus on: identifying unifying landscape issues; specifying roles and functions of different stakeholders; and supporting decision-making processes that consider the needs and abilities of landscape stakeholders. However, such landscape governance processes require facilitative capacities that can be performed by either a local or an external organization.

The Sustainable Inclusive Landscape Governance (SILG) program has started the facilitative role in Palawan and southern Sierra Madre landscapes back in 2019. The program continues to facilitate landscape and national dialogues to enable continuous exchange among stakeholders. As part of its sustainability mechanism, SILG proposes to conduct a Landscape Governance course for southern Sierra Madre stakeholders, specifically representatives from Local Government Unit (LGU), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and communities. The course will focus on introducing landscape governance framework, how it can be embedded in and used for current landscape issues, skills and tools necessary to facilitate negotiations, discussions, and co-creation processes.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The service provider will organize and ensure the smooth logistical preparation and execution of the Landscape Governance Course to be held on July 31 to August 4, 2023 in a venue within or in the vicinity of southern Sierra Madre landscape.

The service provider will prepare and submit a grant proposal (narrative and financial), in line with the requirements of the Forest Foundation Philippines and the Course concept note, and make adjustments on the proposal, as needed.  

Upon grant approval and commencement of the engagement, the service provider will:

Pre-event

1. Event Coordination
   • Liaise with the SILG Program Team and Course Facilitator to discuss event requirements including attendance to online and face-to-face coordination meetings
2. Event Suppliers
   • Shortlist, negotiate with, and contract/hire potential venues, suppliers, and/or other contractors
   • Arrange needed procurements of meeting packages, venue booking/hotel accommodation, travel insurance, and other supporting materials and stationeries (following the Foundation’s procurement process)
   • Facilitate full or partial payment of all chosen venues, suppliers, and/or contractors
   • Assist with negotiations with the Course’s venue provider on accommodation, conference requirements, including the arrangements for the meeting rooms/exhibition hall and use of audiovisual equipment
   • Help organize the venue, including signage and meeting rooms, and help guide the participants to locations
3. Course Facilitator
   • Collate presentation materials and other Course contents and test with the audiovisual equipment
4. Course Participants
   • Prepare and monitor the list of invited confirmed participants
   • Provide necessary information and advice on travel requirements (i.e., local and health and safety protocols);
   • Negotiate and plan for shuttle/transport services in advance (from and to the airport and/or residence and between venues, if necessary). 
   • Prepare attendance list and manage registration process for participants
   • Prepare activity welcome packets, including designed and printed name tags and other participant materials (to be supplied/supported by the SILG Program)
5. Any other tasks related to the event as deemed necessary by the SILG Program Team.

Event Proper

1. Registration
   • Manage registration process and ensure participants register daily
   • Distribute activity welcome packets, name tags, and other participant materials on the first day
   • Reimbursement of participants’ transportation expenses
   • Prepare and set up an onsite information support service/information kiosk for participants
2. Documentation
   • Document all the lectures, discussions and activities (narrative and photos)
3. Course Facilitation
   • Ensure that local health and safety protocols are followed
   • Assist the Course facilitator in operating audiovisual equipment
   • Handle SILG Program Team’s queries and troubleshoot on the day of the event to ensure that all runs smoothly and within budget
4. Any other tasks related to the event as deemed necessary by the SILG Program Team.

Post-event

1. Event Suppliers
   • Oversee the post-event activities from communications, venue and accommodation, and travel/transportation.
   • Facilitate full payment of all chosen venues, suppliers, and/or contractors.
2. Documentation
   • Submit a full Course documentation, in coordination with the Course facilitator
   • Submit a post-event administrative and financial report (using Forest Foundation templates) indicating the summary of expenses and necessary reimbursements

The final deliverable is the Landscape Governance Course documentation that includes all lectures covered, discussion highlights, activity narrative, participant list and photos. The same shall be attached to the project-end report to be submitted to the Forest Foundation.

Event Details:

The Landscape Governance Course will be held on July 31 to August 4, 2023 in a venue within or in the vicinity of southern Sierra Madre landscape. The SILG Program shall facilitate the selection of 20 participants from southern Palawan and southern Sierra Madre joining the Course. 

Budget Schedule:

The service provider and chosen venues, suppliers, and/or contractors shall be funded through a Forest Foundation grant of up to PhP 500,000.00. The payment shall be inclusive of professional fee of the Course facilitator, accommodation, meals and transportation (including flights to and from Palawan) of Course participants and facilitators, other incidental and administrative costs (i.e., expenses deemed necessary), and government taxes. 

Payment terms shall be 90% upon signing of grant agreement and 10% upon acceptance of documentation report, and post-event administrative and financial report. 

Eligibility Requirements:

The service provider is required to have the following qualifications and expertise: 

1. Relevant qualification in communications/public relations/event management and organization
2. Proven experience in organizing events for NGOs and CSOs
3. Preferred, though not required: Familiarity with the southern Palawan and Sierra Madre Landscapes
4. Demonstrated ability to facilitate processes and to work with a broad array of stakeholders
5. Well-developed analytical and reporting skills
6. Strong organizational skills
7. Ability to work under pressure
8. Sound judgment, strategic thinking and ability to manage competing priorities
9. Display cultural, gender, nationality sensitivity, understanding and adaptability

Applications:

Interested service providers are requested to send an application through the Sustainable and Inclusive Landscape Governance Program (SILG) Team at [email protected] on or before April 14, 2023:

1. Letter of interest addressed to Atty. Jose Andres Canivel, Executive Director 
2. Organizational/company profile with relevant learning events previously organized.  
3. Indicate “Application – LGC Coordinator” as the subject of the email. 

The SILG Program Team shall coordinate further with the chosen service provider for the development of a full grant proposal based on the concept note developed by the Team.