Change Management Consultancy || Friendship Bench Zimbabwe

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe Change Management Consultancy
Terms of Reference reflecting a 6 month working days of deliverables and outputs during the period
November 2024 – May 2025.

1. Background
Friendship Bench Zimbabwe is a nonprofit organisation, registered as a Private Voluntary Organization
in Zimbabwe (PVO 12/21) with a mission to get people out of depression through creating safe spaces
and a sense of belonging in communities, to enhance mental wellbeing and improve peoples’ quality
of life. Guided by our values of empathy and connection and anchored in over a decade of rigorous
research (including a RCT published in the Journal of American Medical Association, JAMA) we have
re-imagined the delivery of evidence-based mental healthcare. We envision having A Friendship Bench
Within Walking Distance for All.

The organisation was founded by Professor Dixon Chibanda in 2006 as a research-based intervention
and has transitioned to a fully-fledged implementing organisation with presence across all 10 provinces
in Zimbabwe, a staff complement of 75 team members, reaching over 600,000 people with accessible,
adaptable and affordable mental health support. Our work has been enabled by our partnership with
the Ministry of Health and Child Care, who over the years have provided the hardware of the
intervention in the form of our delivering agents affectionately known as grandmothers, expertise
through the ministry officials (National Mental Health Department, PMDs, DMOs, Provincial and
District Mental Health Officers, and Local Government, among other staff), as well as access to primary
health care facilities where talk therapy is delivered on wooden benches. In 2023, we launched the
Friendship Bench In A Box, a blueprint for scaling the Friendship Bench intervention in Zimbabwe and
globally. With our achievements of scaling in Zimbabwe, having presence in all 10 provinces, going
deep for fidelity at scale, among others, we have an audacious goal of reaching the last mile with our
work both at district and ward level, resulting in our focus on handing over to government.
Additionally, as an iterative organisation focused on continued growth and sustainability, we have
started investing human capital development and looking at our leadership succession plan. It is with
this background, that we seek to engage a Change Management Consultant to support our
organisation through our period of growth.

2. Objective
The objective of this consultancy is to support the Friendship Bench Zimbabwe team to effectively
manage the constant change associated with a growing and iterative organisation, primarily as it
relates to the handover to government strategy and planned leadership succession. We are looking for
Consultant(s) specialized in Organizational Change Management (OCM), to lead the shaping and
delivery of transformative change initiatives

3. Consultancy Outputs
The Friendship Bench has a staff complement of 75 staff members spread across the 10 provinces of
Zimbabwe.
The consultancy will deliver the following outputs:
• Propose and deliver an effective change methodology.
• Conduct assessments of Friendship Bench Zimbabwe’s current organization and its activities
(internal & external as required).
• Share assessment findings supported with detailed diagnostics.
• Understand the future of FB and support design a change journey roadmap.
• Support Friendship Bench Zimbabwe to co-create change action plans.
• Provide technical advice and support on the implementation of change action plans.
• Project-manage change execution.
• Develop communication and engagement materials.

4. Consultancy
4.1 Strategic Change Leadership:
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of comprehensive change management
strategies that align with Friendship Bench’s business objectives.
• Conduct change assessments applying relevant change measurement tools.
• Provide strategic guidance to Friendship Bench Board, leaders, and managers to navigate
organizational transformations and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Lead development and maintenance of stakeholder engagement and management activities,
including introducing frameworks to key leaders and executing engagement.

4.2 Change Project Management:
• Lead and manage project teams, overseeing the execution of change initiatives, timelines, and
deliverables.
• Mentor and coach managers and staff in change.

4.3 Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:
• Develop communication plans that effectively convey change objectives, benefits, and impacts
to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Lead stakeholder engagement efforts, facilitating dialogues, and addressing concerns to build
consensus and drive change adoption.
• Lead development of Change Support (change influencers, champions, etc) and defining next
steps.
• Develop change measurement frameworks and KPIs to assess the effectiveness of change
initiatives and provide data driven insights.

• Utilize data analytics to identify trends, evaluate change impact, and make informed
recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Lead development and execution of comprehensive project plans for the collection and
validation of project-wide Change impact.
• Lead development and maintenance of metrics and scorecards.

4.4 Resistance Management and Problem Solving:
• Proactively identify potential areas of resistance to change and design mitigation strategies to
overcome challenges.
• Utilize problem-solving skills to navigate roadblocks and ensure successful change
implementation.
• Support development of Change Network activities through each phase of the project.

4.5 Innovative Change Strategies:
• Introduce innovative change methodologies, technology-driven solutions, and forwardthinking practices to enhance change management effectiveness.
• Drive the integration of tools, insights, and immersive experiences to enhance employee
engagement and adoption.

5. Technical competencies
• Proven experience in change management, with knowledge of community-based
organizations.
• Experience and knowledge with advancing change management trends and issues;
organizational development, strategic planning, change management, leadership, technology,
marketing, and communications.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Certification in Change Management (e.g., Prosci) is highly desirable.
• Knowledge and experience with project management methodologies and tools.
• Senior Consultants that can lead project teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and drive the
successful implementation of change strategies.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, and contributing to thought leadership, and advancing
innovative approaches to change management.

6. Competencies
Strong evidence of the following competencies:
• Empathy
• Ethical behaviour and integrity
• Resilience and adaptability

• Sensitivity to diversity
• Strategic Thinking
• Human Design Thinking
• Stakeholder and Relationship Management
• Superior facilitation and communication skills

7. Education
• A master’s degree in HR, Management, Change Management, Communications,
Development, Knowledge Management or similar field.
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field including but not limited to Business Administration,
Organizational Psychology, Human Resources or related discipline.

8. Experience
• At least 10 years’ experience in Change Management of culturally diverse and decentralized
organisations with both HQ and field-based teams with particular reference to the
African/Zimbabwean context.
• Previous consultancy expertise and skills in Change Management, leadership and
organisational development.
• Expertise in project management, organisational development and human resources.
• Previous experience and demonstrated knowledge of community-based interventions and
government in particular Ministry of Health and Child Care structures.

9. Reporting requirements
• The Change Management Consultant will report to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief
Executive Officer of Friendship Bench Zimbabwe.
• The Consultant will at agreed intervals provide updates to the Senior Leadership Team.

10. Timeline and location
• The consultancy is for a total period of 6 months with effect November 1st, 2024, to end no
later than May 31st, 2025. The contract will be issued for the duration of the engagement, and
payment subject to satisfactory performance and project deliverables.
• The consultant will be required to conduct work in Harare at the Friendship Bench Head Office,
with provision for travel to provincial sites and with option of virtual sessions, this will be based
on the discretion of the organisation.

11. Financial proposal
• Alongside their consulting proposal, candidates will be requested to submit a financial proposal
which indicates the daily rate based on an 8-hour working day exclusive of lunch time. Travel
and living costs should be excluded from the proposal as this will be guided by internal policies.

12. Process
10.1 Evaluation Process
• The contract will be awarded to the candidate who meets the criteria predetermined by the
Friendship Bench including but not limited to:
a. Motivation = 10%
b. Technical Knowledge = 20%
c. Experience in Change Management as set out in ToRs = 40%
d. Financial Offer = 30%
Applicants are shortlisted based on educational background and extent of relevant working
experience in the required areas.

TO APPLY
10.2 Application Process:
a. Qualified candidates are requested to submit their applications to
[email protected] clearly indicating the position in the subject of the email.
Deadline for submission of applications is 15 November 2024 at 1600 hours. Only
shortlisted candidates will be responded to.
b. Submit supporting documents in one file including:
o Cover letter detailing why you are the most suitable candidate for advertised position
o Resume including past experience in similar projects or assignments, at least 3
references, and other documents confirming the work expertise, expertise, and skills.