Consultant — Policy, Governance & Community Structures

Position description

Contract type Individual consultancy (freelance / independent contractor)
Duration 3 months
Total fee Up to $8,500 USD (fixed fee, inclusive of all costs)
Payment schedule 40% on contract signature · 40% at mid-point review · 20% on final deliverable acceptance
Location Remote — all work conducted online
Language English (primary) · French and/or Arabic an asset
Supervision Reports to IDREAM Program Team
Hours Approximately 15–20 hours per month — flexible scheduling
Start date June 2026 (exact date to be confirmed)
End Date August 2026 (subject to agreement)

1. Organisational Context
IDream Alumni is the alumni community of the IDream programme, an initiative supporting human rights defenders in exile across four cohorts. The community brings together activists, journalists, lawyers, and advocates from diverse contexts who continue their work under the pressures of displacement, precarity, and ongoing risk.
57 active members are based primarily in the European Union North America with some members that are interregionally and connected through regular online sessions, a Mattermost platform, and a network of peer relationships built through shared experience. The community is at a critical juncture: having established its foundational structures, it must now develop the governance, policies, and sustainability mechanisms to ensure it can function independently, effectively, and with long-term viability.

2. Purpose and Objective
IDream Alumni seeks an experienced consultant to support the design and implementation of governance frameworks, internal policies, and community structures that will enable the IDream Alumni to operate sustainably, transparently, and with meaningful member ownership beyond 2026.

3. Scope of Work
The consultant will work closely with IDream management and Community Engagement Specialist (CES). The scope of work is structured across the three-month engagement as follows:

Month 1-Scoping and diagnosis
• Conduct a rapid review of existing governance documents, Terms of Reference, and community decision-making practices
• Hold listening sessions with CES and some selected members of the alumni to map current structures and gaps
• Review relevant community survey data and the 2024–2027 Community Engagement Strategy
• Produce a short governance diagnostic note identifying priority areas for policy development

Month 2-Policy and framework development
• Draft a governance framework covering: decision-making processes, committee roles and accountability, conflict resolution, and member rights and responsibilities
• Develop a community membership policy, defining active membership, participation expectations, and transitions
• Draft an elections and nominations policy for the Sustainability Committee, informed by the community Action Plan 2025
• Support the committee in reviewing and finalising Terms of Reference
• Facilitate one online working session with the committee to review draft policies.

Month 3-Finalisation, validation, and handover
• Revise all policy documents based on community feedback
• Support a community consultation moment (as part of the monthly session) to validate key governance principles
• Produce a consolidated Policy and Governance Handbook in accessible language (English; French summary recommended)
• Deliver a handover briefing to the committee with recommendations for ongoing governance development.

Key Deliverables

1. Governance diagnostic note
End of Month 1
Short report (5–8 pages)
2. Draft governance framework
Mid Month 2
Working document for committee review
3. Community membership policy
Mid Month 2
Policy document (3–5 pages)
4. Elections and nominations policy
Mid Month 2
Policy document (2–4 pages)
5. Policy and Governance Handbook
End of Month 3
Final document (15–25 pages, accessible language)
6. Handover briefing
End of Month 3
Oral briefing + written summary note

5. Required Profile and Qualifications
Essential:
• Demonstrated experience in governance framework development, policy writing, or organisational development for civil society, NGOs, or community-based organisations
• Understanding of human rights defender contexts, including the specific challenges of exile, displacement, and advocacy under risk
• Strong facilitation skills and ability to work collaboratively with diverse, multilingual communities
• Excellent written English; ability to produce clear, accessible policy documents for non-specialist audiences
• Experience working in remote or distributed team settings with significant time zone diversity
Desirable:
• Direct experience working with or within diaspora or exile communities
• Familiarity with membership-based organisations, alumni networks, or community governance models
• French and/or Arabic language skills
• Knowledge of digital security and safe communication practices relevant to at-risk communities
• Lived experience as a human rights defender or person with experience of exile or displacement.

Application instructions

Interested candidates should submit the following.
• A brief cover letter (maximum 1 page) explaining their interest and relevant experience
• A CV or professional profile (maximum 3 pages)
• A technical proposal (maximum 3 pages)
• Two references (names and contact details; references will not be contacted without consent)
• Optional: a short work sample relevant to the scope (policy document, framework, report, etc.)
Deadline: June 17th, 2026 at 23:59 North American Eastern Standard Time.

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