Senior finance officer jobs in middlesbrough, redcar and cleveland

Managing Director - Green Finance / Rothbury Conservation Trust 

Salary: up to £90,000 per annum  

Location: Home Based, Office facilities available, some UK travel will be required.  

Full time (35 hours per week)  

Permanent contract 

Closing date for applications: 20th July 2025  

First interview: 1st August 2025  

Second interview: 8th August 2025 

About Us 

The Wildlife Trusts are a grassroots movement of people from a wide range of backgrounds and all walks of life, who believe that we need nature and nature needs us. We have more than 944,000 members, over 38,000 volunteers, 3,600 staff and 600 trustees. There are 46 individual Wildlife Trusts, each of which is a place-based independent charity with its own legal identity, formed by groups of people getting together and working with others to make a positive difference to wildlife and future generations, starting where they live and work. 

Every Wildlife Trust is part of The Wildlife Trusts federation and a corporate member of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, a registered charity in its own right founded in 1912 and one of the founding members of IUCN – the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Taken together this federation of 47 charities is known as The Wildlife Trusts. 

The next few years will be critical in determining what kind of world we all live in. We need to urgently reverse the loss of wildlife and put nature into recovery at scale if we are to prevent climate and ecological disaster. We recognise that this will require big, bold changes in the way The Wildlife Trusts work, not least in how we mobilise others and support them to organise within their own communities. 

The Wildlife Trusts are on a mission to bring about a people-powered nature and climate recovery by empowering people to take meaningful action for nature, and to create an inclusive society where nature matters to everyone, everywhere. We are ambitious in our desire not just to slow, but to reverse the declines in nature. Together we have developed a bold, new collective strategy which outlines our vision and the actions we will take to restore nature over the next eight years. 

Central to our strategy are our three goals which set out what we are striving to achieve by 2030 in pursuit of our vision of a thriving natural world. Goal 1 is to put nature into recovery with abundant, diverse wildlife and natural processes creating wilder land and seascapes where people and nature thrive. Goal 2 is to inspire people to take action for nature and climate, resulting in better decision-making for the environment at both local level and across the four UK nations. And Goal 3 is to enable nature to play a central and valued role in helping to address local and global problems, such as by helping tackle climate change and supporting wellbeing and education. 

Achieving these ambitious objectives means that we must develop new ways of working which increase the scale and impact of our work. Therefore, we have embarked on a programme of strategic transformations that are essential to achieving our goals, and which will result in a stronger and more effective Wildlife Trust movement for the long term. RSWT is leading the transformation programme across The Wildlife Trusts including in community organising, equality, diversity and inclusion, and funding nature’s recovery. The Wildlife Trusts have existed for over 100 years thanks to a strong membership base and traditional fundraising activities. 

Now, to achieve the level of funding needed to reverse nature’s decline, we need to diversify and increase our income by exploring new ways of funding such as innovative finance. 

About You  

Do you want to lead the field in the development of private investment into nature’s recovery? 

Fundamentally, you will have worked at a senior level as a Managing Director/CEO and have financial investment and commercial leadership experience that translates into strong awareness and understanding of financial investment markets and how these financial mechanisms can be used to drive large-scale investment, in this case into a green finance vehicle(s) for the Wildlife Trusts. We need you to translate that experience into solutions that scale up nature’s recovery, by developing realisable business propositions that create revenues from corporate sales of nature-based services such as biodiversity net gain credits or voluntary carbon credits amongst many other possible services. 

An innovative problem-solver with an entrepreneurial spirit, you will need to develop compelling and practical commercial strategies which can be successfully delivered within the Wildlife Trust Federation. As such you will be a great communicator, with a personable style who can work with many different people across the wonderful variety of geography, size, scale, and activities of the 46 Wildlife Trusts. 

The Wildlife Trusts value passion, respect, trust, integrity, pragmatic activism and strength in diversity. Whilst we are passionate in promoting our aims, we are not judgmental and are inclusive. We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. 

RSWT take our Safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. Please click here to read our commitment statement. The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For applicable roles, applicants must be willing to undergo checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the eligible level. 

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible. 

RSWT are committed to increasing the diversity of its staff through its Levelling the Field recruitment pledge and will put any ethnic minority applicants that meet all the essential criteria for the post through to the next stage of recruitment. 

Please be aware we may not accept applications if we have reason to believe they have been wholly produced using generative AI tools. 

About the Role

As Director of Devolved Nations, you will:

• Lead Carers UK’s work in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, driving strategic impact and ensuring alignment with the UK-wide mission.
• Shape and deliver national strategies that bring about real improvements in carers’ lives.
• Collaborate with government, public bodies, the voluntary sector, and other stakeholders to influence policy and secure statutory funding.
• Provide inspirational leadership to the Carers Scotland, Carers Wales, and Carers NI teams.
• Contribute to UK-wide senior leadership and organisational development.

You’ll need to be flexible, with travel across the UK, including overnight stays and occasional weekend work.

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Significant senior leadership experience in policy, public affairs, or charity leadership.
• A deep understanding of the political and policy landscapes in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Strong governance knowledge and experience working with Boards or Committees.
• A track record of building influential relationships across sectors, including with senior government officials and funders.
• Excellent people management skills and the ability to lead dispersed teams.
• Commitment to Carers UK’s values of being Attentive, Ambitious, and Achievers.
• Experience working with or understanding the needs of unpaid carers is highly desirable.

And who:

• Is passionate about caring and can inspire their teams to deliver new and innovative ways to campaign for and support carers as we close our 60th anniversary in 2025 and move towards our strategic review in 2026.
• Will be an active member of the Senior Management team working collaboratively across the organisation, ensuring consistent messaging and support across all four nations.
• Who is able to proactively represent the charity, engaging a wide range of stakeholders.

For more information please download the full job description

What We Offer

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 28 days with long service) + bank holidays
• An additional 3 paid days leave over Christmas and New Year
• Up to 10 days paid care leave
• 6% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance cover (2x salary)
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Free Health Cash Plan with a free, unlimited and confidential 24 hour advice, support and information line; free, unlimited and confidential GP line access; a wellbeing portal and app plus cash back to set limits for dental, optical and therapy treatments, plus kids cover and retail and restaurant discounts
• Paid Special Leave
• Organisational sick pay scheme
• Paid volunteer leave
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion staff network groups
• A recognition scheme including a values winner of the month
• Season ticket, cycle, and technology loans
• A learning and development culture with access to a Learning Management System

We are proud to be a Living Wage Employer, a Carer Confident Employer, a Carer Positive employer, and part of the Happy to Talk Flexible Working scheme. We have signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge and have achieved the Disability Confident Employer (level 2).

Diversity and Inclusion

Carers UK is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects our community. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly from those with lived experience of caring. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Role: Freelance Bookkeeper / Accountant

Location: Student Minds, Leeds - remote working contract. Some in person work may be required approximately 2 to 3 times per year.

Hours: 15 - 20 hours per week; flexible working Mon - Fri, to suit your availability

Fee: £20 per hour, inclusive of VAT if applicable (open to discussion – please include your rates in your application)

Contract: 6 to 12 months, reviewable

Start Date: July 2025, exact start date to be agreed

About Us

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We have a clear vision: No student should be held back by their mental health. We empower students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond. We challenge the higher education sector, health sector, and government to make student mental health a priority. 

We are looking for a detail-oriented and reliable bookkeeper or accountant to join our friendly team, help manage our financial records efficiently and support day-to-day financial administration.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a friendly and reliable freelance bookkeeper or accountant to join our extended team and help keep our finances running smoothly. You’ll play a key behind-the-scenes role, working with the Senior Finance Manager to support our charity’s sustainability and activities. Student Minds is a medium sized charity (turnover approx £1m and 27 staff) and we need to make every penny work to support our student communities.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working with purpose-led organisations, and who values flexibility, collaborative working and community impact.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records and ledgers.

• Process accounts payable and receivable.

• Support the invoicing process.

• Reconcile bank accounts, control accounts and company payment cards.

• Reconcile income reports.

• Prepare draft monthly management accounts.

• Prepare financial reports.

• Manage routine credit control.

• Manage the central finance email inbox.

• Ensure financial data integrity and confidentiality.

What We’re Looking For - Minimum Criteria

• Proven experience (at least 2 years) as a bookkeeper or in a similar role, ideally with charities or community organisations

• Proficiency and experience in Xero accounting software.

• AAT Level 3 qualification or equivalent.

• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills.

• Knowledge of financial regulations and tax procedures.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office packages, with advanced knowledge of Excel

• Grade C and above / Grade 5 and above in GCSE Maths or equivalent.

• Excellent communication skills.

We can only accept applicants who are residents of the UK with a valid right to work.

What You'll Gain

• A flexible freelance role with real community impact

• The chance to work alongside a values-driven team

• An opportunity to support a long-standing charity doing meaningful work supporting positive wellbeing and mental health

How to Apply

If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us an email (detailed on our BreatheHR site, and in our recruitment pack) outlining:

• your experience and qualifications, telling us how you meet the role requirements

• your freelance rate 

• include your CV

• if you wish to be considered under our priority interview scheme.

Priority Interview Scheme

We recognise that candidates from ethnically-diverse backgrounds may face additional barriers throughout their careers and when applying for charity roles. We are committed to taking positive action to expand the diversity of our staff team by offering a prioritised interview scheme for candidates from ethnically-marginalised backgrounds.

If you meet the minimum criteria for this role and are from an ethnically-diverse background, you'll be prioritised for an interview under our Priority Interview Scheme.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 6th July, 23.59; interviews during mid July, by arrangement.

Student Minds is committed to building an inclusive team and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life.

At Young Sounds UK our mission is to help musically talented young people from low-income families fulfil their potential. We're seeking our first Evaluation Director to join a small, thriving organisation and lead our evaluation strategy. Working collaboratively with colleagues, you will generate insights that strengthen programme delivery, and how we understand and share our impact.

For full information on this role, including key responsibilities and person specification, please view the job pack.

The closing date for applications is Monday 14 July 2025 at 12 noon.

About Young Sounds UK 

Young Sounds UK exists because musical talent is everywhere but opportunity isn’t: family finances and other obstacles too often get in the way. We’re here to change this in two key ways:

• We support young musicians from low-income families with funding and other help 
• We support music education through training, advocacy and research.

Established in 1998 we work across genres and across the UK. Our four programme areas are: 

• Discover: training teachers in how to spot young people’s musical potential 
• Connect: targeting and sustaining young people’s emerging talent through strategic support
• Thrive: funding young talent UK wide through annual grants and tailor-made help for individual musicians
• Innovate: leading new thinking and action on talent development

Role overview 

Young Sounds is a reflective organisation. We’ve always invested time and effort in seeking out, understanding and demonstrating the difference our programmes are making. We believe in learning from experience. This is what we mean by evaluation.

We have recently secured funding to build on our evaluation work to date, and it is a priority for us to more fully embed evaluation throughout our work – the Evaluation Director will be critical to us achieving this. The Evaluation Director is a new role and will lead the development and implementation of Young Sounds’ evaluation strategy, ensuring that our work is evidence-based and impactful.

Key areas of responsibility 

• Evaluation strategy and organisational learning 
• Programme evaluation 
• Organisational capacity and culture 
• Research and policy engagement 
• Quality assurance and reporting 

Executive Assistant

Location: Remote (UK), with approximately monthly travel to Stroud

Contract type: 12 months, with aim to make permanent

Salary: £31,000- £35,000 pro rata, depending on experience (plus benefits)

Working pattern: Full time or part time (minimum 4 days/week (0.8 FTE)

Closing date: 6 July 2025

Commencement date: Negotiable, preferably week commencing 18 August 2025

How to apply: Submit your CV and a short covering letter via CharityJob 

Introduction

Iswe is a social impact foundation dedicated to finding ways to put people at the heart of social and political decision-making to solve some of society’s greatest challenges. We are looking for a dedicated and experienced Executive Assistant to play a pivotal role supporting our CEO and leadership team. 

We know that building a team representative of wider society fosters creativity and innovation. We welcome people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences and are committed to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly welcome applications from candidates who are disabled, Black, Asian or from other minority ethnic backgrounds, who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community, or identify as from a lower or disadvantaged socioeconomic background as these groups are currently under-represented on our staff team.

Role Purpose

The Executive Assistant is an important role within our organisation, working closely with the CEO and leadership team. This is a dynamic, fast-paced position at the heart of a globally significant initiative. The successful candidate will be a key partner to the CEO, helping translate vision into action and ensuring high-level stakeholders receive timely, professional and thoughtful communication. 

We’re seeking an experienced Executive Assistant who is flexible in approach, adaptable to changing priorities, and shares a belief in our vision.

If you believe in the wisdom of everyday people, are values-driven, self-reflective, creative, curious, agile, flexible and enthusiastic, if you want to do work that learns and grows from all the richness each of us brings – where we welcome learning from a diverse array of life experiences, cultures, and backgrounds, if you can bring positivity and accountability to your work, if you strive for brilliance, challenges excite you and if you would speak with authenticity and dedication about our work, we want to hear from you!

Main duties

• Proactively manage the CEO’s diary, inbox and meeting schedule to ensure strategic alignment and use of time

• Draft, edit and manage correspondence, briefing notes, and presentations on behalf of the CEO and leadership team

• Coordinate and support internal and external meetings, including logistics, agenda preparation, taking accurate minutes and tracking decisions and actions that arise

• Support the CEO to track progress on key priorities, ensuring deadlines are met and decisions are followed up

• Provide administrative and organisational support for events, travel and itineraries (UK and international) and other logistics

• Manage the CEO’s social media accounts as directed, posting content and responding to key contacts

• Financial Administration - gather and provide financial information to Finance co-ordinator, gather and co-ordinate receipts etc

• Maintain relationships with senior stakeholders, partners and board members with professionalism and tact

• Assist the CEO and leadership team with additional administration/ organisational tasks at their discretion 

• Assisting with research of projects, e.g. potential partner research 

Essential skills and experience

• A minimum of five years of experience providing high-level administrative support in a busy organisation

• Proficient in workplace software including Google Workspace, Zoom, Slack, Trello and able to learn to navigate new systems quickly 

• Experience of upwardly managing senior leaders with limited time and high responsibility 

• Experience managing external communications with senior stakeholders 

• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records and produce coherent reports and minutes 

• A proactive, self-starting attitude with the ability to anticipate needs and adapt to changing priorities 

• Excellent time management skills: the ability to prioritise and meet deadlines is key

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence

• Confidence to constructively challenge when necessary, including speaking openly about conflicting viewpoints or workload balance

• Discretion in handling confidential or sensitive information

• Self-reflective, open to feedback and committed to personal growth

• Enthusiasm for Iswe’s mission and dedication to its continued success

Desirable skills and experience

• A relevant tertiary qualification is advantageous but not essential for example Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), Exec PA Diploma, Certified Executive Assistant Professional (CEAP) etc 

• Experience of working within the charity or non-profit sector

• Experience of working in a startup environment

Salary, Benefits and Conditions

We are a supportive and purpose-driven team. We offer:

• Flexible working arrangements 

• Generous holiday allowance (35 days plus bank holidays, pro rata)

• Opportunities for professional growth and development

• A supportive, inclusive working culture built on trust and mutual respect

• Opportunities to contribute to globally significant work
   

About Iswe

We believe that many of the crises we face today - health, climate, the cost of living etc - are symptoms of failing governance structures, and that putting people in the driving seat of decision-making will transform our futures for the better. Our current strategy focuses on innovations around citizens’ assemblies (and similar deliberative processes), public services and the relationship between politicians and the communities they serve.

Our team has decades of experience in democratic innovation. Projects include Global Assembly for COP26, Good Help and The Future Armenian. Iswe is a fast-growing foundation, dedicated to empowering citizens to play a leading role in the decision-making that affects their lives. 

Our work is founded on strong values, including openness, transparency and humility. We believe that when ‘I’ (an individual) becomes ‘we’ (part of the collective), the results are transformational. We are actively working to build a healthy culture, rooted in care and characterised by being self-organising and self-reflective. We are committed to addressing the dynamics of oppression in ourselves and our work.

Role - A strategic role, responsible for supporting, developing and maintaining effective partnerships to support the local VCSE sector and Redcar & Cleveland more generally. The post holder will also be the overall service lead (managing other team members), reporting to and working with the CEO in areas of quality, performance and service development.

Background (Summary)

Enhance is the newly funded VCSE infrastructure support service in Redcar and Cleveland made possible through the collaboration of a number of funders to fill a gap in local provision. 

Lloyds Bank Foundation, Rank Foundation, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Tees Foundation and the Woodsmith Foundation have provided three years of funding and commissioned MVDA to develop and deliver a VCSE infrastructure service (Enhance) in Redcar and Cleveland.

Enhance will provide practical support to VCSE organisations based in the Redcar and Cleveland area who deliver services to local people and communities. 

The service model for Enhance is based on three key areas:

Improvement – Providing practical support through an information and advice service.  This will include for example advice on governance, funding, policy and practice

Growth - The development and delivery of a comprehensive training programme for all VCSEs in Redcar and Cleveland

Influence - Work to support the building and development of relationships; collaborative work across the VCSE sector and cross-sector partnerships

The service will be based in Redcar and Cleveland and will provide an outreach service in the more rural areas of the borough to ensure the services are accessible to all local VCSEs.

Full application pack available from: https://mvda.info//jobs/strategic-partnerships-manager-service-lead

We’re looking for a Carer Assessment Service Manager to lead our countywide team in delivering statutory and preventative assessments in line with the Care Act 2014. You’ll provide leadership and day-to-day support to your team, oversee assessment allocations, and manage referrals through our internal CRM and West Sussex County Council’s systems.

You’ll also deliver staff supervisions, attend management and partner meetings, contribute to training, and support service development projects. A key part of the role involves quality assurance, trend analysis, report writing for senior leaders and commissioners, and managing assessment processes and budgets. You’ll stay up to date with Care Act legislation, ensure staff are trained accordingly, and take part in the duty manager rota to provide out-of-hours support and safeguard service continuity.

The role is mainly remote / homeworking with the expectation that you may need to travel on occasion to in-person meetings and training across the county. This role would therefore suit those located in, or close to, West Sussex.

Job Role

• Lead the specialist, countywide Carer Assessment team to deliver best value, high quality statutory and preventative carer assessments and ensure that outcomes are compliant with the Care Act 2014.
• Work with Heads of Service to grow and develop services including identifying gaps, managing risks and demand, proactively seeking opportunities, increasing the digital offer and supporting funding bids to respond to changing needs.
• Develop, deliver and monitor the Carer Assessment Team delivery plan, aligning to CSWS’s strategy ensuring all KPIs are met and a high-quality service is provided to carers.
• Be a proactive member of the Operational Managers Team to develop services, promoting collaboration with your teams, build internal relationships and encourage team to share good practice and work collaboratively with the wider staff group.

Employee Benefits

• Healthcare and Employee Assistance Programme with perks and discounts.
• Holidays 33 days increasing to 35 days after completion of two years and 36 days after 5 years of service (Inclusive of Bank Holidays).
• Flexible hours available to help work around your commitments.
• Remote/Hybrid working with occasional visits to our offices or venues in West Sussex.
• Team of kind and caring colleagues.

Before you keep reading

Please do not see everything in this job advert as a "Must Have", but rather a guiding list of what we are looking for. We know no candidate will be the perfect match for all we have mentioned in this advert, so do not be afraid to apply if you feel you are close to the brief but not "Spot On". For example, some of our wonderful Carer Wellbeing Workers come from a non-social care background and they do amazingly well!

Our Culture and Diversity

At Carers Support, we are building an inclusive workplace where everyone can do their best work and be proud to belong.

We believe that talent is distributed to all of us in equal measure and our differences are a strength not a weakness. We recruit for potential, not perfection. At Carers Support West Sussex, we value everyone's unique history. Our doors are open to individuals of all races, religions or beliefs, abilities, ages, nationalities or citizenships, ethnic origins, marital, domestic or civil partnership statuses, sexes, sexual orientations, family structures, and gender identities. 

The carers we support come from such different walks of life that we are particularly interested in attracting candidates from similarly diverse backgrounds, including Asian, Arab, Black, Mixed/Multiple Ethnic Groups, White Other (e.g. Eastern European, Gypsy, Roma) and any other Ethnic minorities. 

Values we are looking for in Candidate

We are focused, putting carers at the heart of everything we do.

We act together, working with and for carers, the communities they live in and the people that can make a difference to them.

We are leaders, working with each other to find potential and opportunities across all communities, enabling carers to be identified and involved.

We are committed to behaviours that support:

Quality – the highest practical level we can reach in outcomes, learning and behaviour

Inclusivity – respecting people, cultures, and organisations

Caring – improving quality of life and influencing behaviour change

Integrity – operating with honesty and reliability

Loyalty – long-term committed partnerships and co-operation

Innovation – driving our service development and our will to succeed

If you are still unsure if our organisation is a good fit, have a look at our Good Place to Work page and the results of our recent engagement survey. We can't wait to hear from you! 

Interview Date: 7 July 2025.

Disclaimers

Please note we reserve the right to close this role prior to the stated end date, should we receive a sufficient number of applications. Please apply as soon as possible to be considered.

Consultancy work (Afghanistan Programme)

Terms of Reference for a Final Evaluation and Report

ToR

Consultancy work: Final Evaluation and Report

Commencement date

4 July 2025

Duration

c. 8 weeks (subject to change)

Accountable to

CAFOD Afghanistan team – Grace How and Kitty Chevallier

Overview: Conduct a Final Evaluation for a project entitled ‘Provision of humanitarian and livelihood support’, also known as ‘HELA’ (Humanitarian and Economic Livelihoods Assistance’). The 3-year project is funded by Misereor / Katholische Zentralstelle für Entwicklungshilfe (KZE), with co-funding provided by CAFOD. It is implemented by two local partners in Afghanistan, in three provinces, between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2025.

CAFOD has been supporting local organisations in Afghanistan, including the two implementing partners for this project, since the 1980s to help tackle issues of poverty and injustice and to respond to humanitarian emergencies.

Background and Context

Project Brief: This project is a result of partnership and joint work between CAFOD and the consortium members. The project builds on CAFOD’s existing programming in Afghanistan which strengthens the capacity of at-risk households by diversifying their livelihood options. The project focuses on meeting basic needs as well as promoting inclusive development, with the objective of strengthening resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable. As the project approaches the final few months of implementation, CAFOD is seeking to engage an external consultant to conduct a participatory final evaluation for this project. This will evaluate how effectively the project has been implemented, its major impacts and lessons learned, and recommendations for future similar programming. It is expected that the final evaluation will have a particular focus on the consortium partners’ ways of working: the strength of their collaboration, the efficacy and suitability of monitoring and evaluation approaches, and the benefit of learning events and strategies used through the project.

CAFOD and our partners are working with the same target group throughout the duration of the project, not only providing humanitarian and livelihood support, but also raising awareness amongst participants of families' rights from an Islamic perspective. Over the past two decades, much work has been undertaken to empower Afghan households and enable them to exercise their agency. Partners are taking a variety of approaches to further these aims in the project.

Ultimately, the project aims to support and ensure that the rights of poor and vulnerable people in Bamyan, Kabul, and Kunduz provinces are upheld and they have increased agency in their social and economic development.

Directly, the project has been planned to achieve programme outcomes:

1. The basic needs of targeted households are met.
2. Targeted participants have improved resilience through diversified livelihoods.
3. Targeted community leaders and members (male and female) are equipped and empowered with the knowledge and skills to promote and uphold their rights from an Islamic perspective.

Project Target Group and Location: The project will reach a total of 350 participants in three provinces of Afghanistan (Bamyan, Kunduz and Kabul) with a combination of humanitarian assistance, livelihoods training and other activities.

Project Duration: September 2022 – August 2025 (36 months)

Scope of the Final Evaluation:

The purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the overall performance and objectives of the completed project, in relation to the specified objectives, logical framework, and work plans. The evaluation will examine the extent to which project outcomes have been achieved, the quality and sustainability of results, and the relevance and appropriateness of strategies employed and ways of working. This participatory evaluation will analyse not only what has been achieved, but how it was achieved, how it was measured, and what could have been improved. This will include an examination of accountability measures, and how participants and other stakeholders were engaged throughout the implementation process, including how participants were given the opportunity and encouraged to share feedback and help shape the design of the project. The consultant will make and explain recommendations for consideration in implementing future projects of a similar nature.

The evaluation should include a review of the project’s monitoring data, secondary documents, a workshop with staff, and some direct data collection from key stakeholders including targeted participants taking part in the livelihoods training activities, as well as their relatives and community members. Findings of the evaluation will be used to guide and improve future project design and implementation. They should be written up into a final evaluation report (no more than 30 pages) which will be made available to CAFOD, Misereor and both partners.

As well as assessing progress towards logical framework indicators, the evaluation should focus on capturing, documenting and assessing lessons learned to inform future project design and implementation.

The assessment will be conducted in close coordination with CAFOD’s Afghanistan team, including the Country Programme Representative, Programme Officer, and Programme Support Officer.

Objectives of the Final Evaluation:

1. To assess the project and its effectiveness in meeting its three outcomes and supporting targeted Afghan households, through material assistance, livelihoods skill training and associated support, advocacy initiatives, and other activities.
2. To evaluate the strength and appropriateness of the projects MEAL systems:
   1. To what extent did project monitoring and evaluation help track project progress and achievements?
   2. How effectively was participation and accountability built into project design and implementation, and partners’ ways of working with stakeholders?
   3. How effectively were learning opportunities used throughout the project (including peer learning and exchange visits, learning workshops, regular progress workshops, etc.)?
3. To assess and review consortium functionality, partnership dynamics, and collaboration.
4. To capture and assess key lessons learned from the project from various stakeholders including project staff, participants, civil society groups involved in the project, community leaders and other community members.
5. To assess the sustainability and impact of project achievements, including:
   1. Changes in participants’ social and economic agency and participation
   2. Shifts in community attitudes and behaviours
   3. Capacity built among local partners and stakeholders.
6. To produce a high-quality report, no longer than 30 pages, which will be shared with CAFOD, Misereor and implementing partners.

Deliverables and proposed deadlines:

• Develop a short inception report with proposed methodology, plans and tools for collecting data from stakeholders, for the final evaluation (1st and 2nd week of contract), to be discussed and agreed with CAFOD and partners.
• Gather data from relevant stakeholders (3rd and 4th week of contract)
• Submission of draft report (6th week of contract)
• Review and revision of report based on feedback (6th and 7th week of contract)
• Submission of final report (8th week of contract)
• Presentation of report to CAFOD and partners– date to be confirmed.

Methodology:

• The evaluation should adopt a participatory mixed-methods approach, beginning with a desk review before integrating quantitative and qualitative methods to ensure that data collected is triangulated and can be communicated, explained and contextualised.
• It is expected that the consultant will combine surveys/questionnaires with structured interviews, FGDs and KIIs. Note that to enable the open and unrestricted sharing of opinions and information, the data can be anonymised where relevant and appropriate.
• Evaluation team members are encouraged to use innovative methods to collect and analyse data. The qualitative component will allow for more in-depth data gathering to gain more insightful findings from relevant target groups regarding their experience of the project and its impact.
• Data is expected to be gathered from key project stakeholders, including:
  • Targeted participants (in vocational training, first aid training, and Local Leaders Committees).
• The midterm evaluation will be supported by two workshops: an initial developmental workshop in which the data collection methods will be discussed with CAFOD staff and representatives from partners to obtain feedback and input; and a feedback and validation workshop after submission of the draft report, to obtain input on findings and recommendations.
• The consultant(s) are expected to propose the most suitable method of sampling/randomisation and the sample size will be determined in collaboration with CAFOD and partners. Information shall be collected from across specified beneficiaries, partners and stakeholders.
• All data collected during the baseline study will be disaggregated by age, gender, disability, and location.

Ethical Considerations

The below ethical considerations will be adhered to during the midterm evaluation:

• The evaluation will be conducted by an independent and impartial external consultant.
• Quantitative data will be obtained from a randomly selected representative sample. 
• Participation in the study will be voluntary, and individuals must be able to curtail their participation in the study at any time. 
• The safety of participants and implementing partner staff will be paramount.
• Anonymity, confidentiality and safeguarding of study data (both during data collection and for data storage) will be guaranteed. 
• There will be no risks and benefits for individual participants.
• The culture, norms and traditions of study populations will be respected and laws of the country upheld.
• Participation in the evaluation will involve no additional security or safety risks for participants, in light of the current context in Afghanistan.
• The content of the evaluation will be treated confidentially and only shared with CAFOD, partners and Misereor.

Required Competencies:

• A minimum master’s degree in social sciences or relevant field;
• Other training/certifications in thematic areas relevant to the project will be an asset (livelihoods, gender, behavioural change communication etc.);
• Other professional training on Research Methodology, Development Evaluation, and Impact Evaluation from recognised institutes/universities would be an asset;
• A proven track record of an ability to pragmatically apply in-depth knowledge and experiences of issues and practices in the fields of humanitarian, livelihoods and gender in Afghanistan;
• Strong computer and analytical skills with ability to write and review technical documents/ reports, conduct interviews as part of background research.

Demonstrable Skills and Experience:

• Record of publication of social research documents, evaluation reports, survey reports, study reports on livelihoods and rights issues is a strong asset;
• Experience of carrying out mixed-methods studies and evaluations and in producing high quality analytical reports (at least 2 recent reports should be submitted with the RFP);
• Strong background of statistical data analysis skills and strong proficiency with data analysis packages (in Stata or SPSS);
• Member of professional societies/forums (e.g. evaluation society) will be an asset;
• At least 6 years’ experience managing evaluations, baselines and/or assessments for community-based programmes, including since August 2021;
• Experience in delivering high quality assessments, research or evaluations for institutionally funded projects such as FCDO/DFID, EU or USAID;
• Experience working with and/or evaluating the work of national NGOs and CSOs in Afghanistan;
• A gender-balanced team (at all levels) is highly desired;
• Ability to adapt plans and approaches, sometimes at short notice;
• Fluency in English essential; ability to conduct interviews in Dari and Pashto essential.

CAFOD is committed to creating a safe environment for all project participants, especially children, young people and vulnerable adults, and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. The consultant will be expected to follow these commitments and sign and adhere to all relevant policies and procedures.

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following by 29 June 2025. Please see CAFOD website to email the documents requested below

• Updated CVs (lead consultant and associates if any)
• Technical proposal with proposed methodology and detailed work plan
• 2 examples of similar assessments, evaluations, research, analytical report writing in English
• Financial proposal: Up to a maximum of USD 14,000. This fee should include all consultancy costs, including data collection costs (travel, accommodation, food etc.) as well as all applicable VAT and Tax.

Submissions will be reviewed and scored according to a) the criteria and considerations listed in this Terms of Reference, b) the suitability of the project plan/method statement and c) value for money.

Management and Reporting Arrangements:

The recruitment and initial briefing to the consultant will be managed by CAFOD, in consultation with the project partners.

Both in-country implementing partners will provide logistical and administrative support and guidance, including supply of relevant documentation, and help with the organisation of meetings and interviews (the financial costs of this will be covered by the consultant). Additionally required costs such as refreshments for FGDs will be paid for by partners. The consultant will be responsible for working with partner staff to arrange interviews and field visits ensuring all relevant stakeholders are available at the place and time agreed; the consultant(s) will provide facilitation of workshops, FGDs, meetings and field visits.

Deliverables will be reviewed, appraised and accepted by members of CAFOD’s Afghanistan staff, in consultation with the relevant partner staff members. 

Summary Timeline (subject to change):

19 – 29 June

Circulation of TORs and Invitation to Submit Quotations

29 June

Closing date for applications

2 July – 3 July

Interviews with short-listed consultants

4 July

Final consultant selection and contract signing

5 July – 4 August

Planning, document review and fieldwork

14 August

Submission of draft report to CAFOD

15 - 23 August

Review, feedback and revision of report

31 August

Presentation of report findings and recommendations to CAFOD, partners, and Misereor.

The selection consultant(s) will be expected to fully agree to comply with all relevant CAFOD policies during the contracted period including the Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct, and provide references.