Posted on 20 October 2025
Terms of Reference – Lead Design Consultant – Habitat for Humanity New Zealand Negotiated Partnership Phase 2 Programme Design October 2025
This is a summary of the TOR for this role. For the full TOR please click here.
Background
Habitat for Humanity New Zealand (HFHNZ) seeks an experienced consultant to lead and coordinate the design of the second phase of its Negotiated Partnership (NP Phase 2) Programme, implemented across Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga.
NP Phase 2 expands on the work of NP Phase 1 (2019–2025) and the Climate Finance for Community Resilience Programme CFCR (2024–2025), strengthening climate resilience and housing security for vulnerable Pacific communities. This five-year negotiated partnership between MFAT and HFHNZ seeks to strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable communities across Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, through locally led housing, shelter, and WASH initiatives that integrate gender equality, inclusion, and climate adaptation. HFHNZ and its in-country partners are working with communities most exposed to climate-related risks such as cyclones, flooding, and sea-level rise.
The Lead Design Consultant will oversee in-country consultants, coordinate stakeholder and delivery partner engagement, and deliver a complete Programme Design Document that meets MFAT design appraisal standards. The design will reflect HFHNZ’s mission and partners’ priorities, with a clear programme logic, and MEAL framework. NP Phase 2 is expected to be climate principal and advance gender equality, women’s empowerment and social inclusion.
The expected outcomes of the programme are as follows:
● Communities can thrive through improved housing/shelter that is resilient to the impacts of climate change
● Stronger local sector capacity to support resilient housing
● Housing/shelter in target communities built/strengthened to mitigate risks and make communities more resilient
● Communities are empowered through inclusive decision-making to build resilience together and as individuals.
● Communities have access to greater resources, skills and support for resilient housing, shelter and WASH
● The programme improves the climate resilience of infrastructure, including shelter and basic services, with a focus on access to WASH facilities.
● The programme develops the capacity of in-country partners and communities to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, incorporating indigenous knowledge and techniques.
By empowering local partners, building capacity, and promoting climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, the programme directly supports the objectives of MFAT’s work in the Pacific. The planned activities include climate change adaptation, shelter and housing sector strengthening, with a strong focus on systems change and gender.
Geographic Scope
The Programme will be implemented across Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, targeting communities that are highly exposed to climate and disaster risks, face persistent housing insecurity, and have limited access to basic services such as safe water, sanitation, and resilient shelter. The geographic focus reflects both continuity from NP Phase 1 and strategic expansion into new vulnerable areas to ensure sustained impact and equitable reach.
Design Scope
The Lead Design Consultant will manage the full design process with responsibility for delivering a full and complete design document. This should be carried out using a participatory and inclusive approach, in collaboration with in-country consultants and implementing partners and building on the design and implementation of NP Phase 1.
Documents available to review include:
· NP Phase 2 concept note
· NP Phase 1 design document
· NP Phase 1 6-monthly and annual progress reports
· Activity updates and reports
· Monitoring reports
· NP Phase 1 Midterm Review
· Relevant HFHI Approaches and Framework documents.
This design of NP Phase 2 will involve:
● Refining and expanding country-specific climate vulnerability and root cause analyses, focusing on housing, shelter, GEDSI and WASH
● Refining the programme-level Theory of Change and results framework, articulating assumptions, pathways of change, key interventions, and outcome and output indicators
● Confirming target communities and locations, and support partner beneficiary analysis disaggregated by gender, age, and disability
● In collaboration with HFHNZ’s gender lead and in alignment with HFHI frameworks, develop a GEDSI Analysis and GEDSI strategy to ensure equitable participation, leadership, and benefits
● Conduct climate risk and opportunity assessments to meet the MFAT criterion for climate-significant programming
● Align HFHNZ’s current organisational capacity assessment of its implementing partners with the needs of Phase 2, and identify targeted areas for capacity strengthening
● Support local consultants and partners to undertake stakeholder mapping and consultation to ensure complementarity and coordination with national governments and NGOs
● Refine the MEAL Framework aligned with MFAT guidance and HFHNZ systems, integrating adaptive management feedback loops, and building on the previous programme
● Work with HFHNZ and partners to develop detailed budgets and value for money approaches
● Conduct desk review of NP Phase 1, CFCR, and other key reports
● Coordinate with HFHNZ and manage in-country consultants in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga.
● Facilitate design validation and revision workshops
● Deliver the final Programme Design Document in MFAT format.
Required Qualifications and Experience
· 10+ years’ experience in international development
· Expertise in programme design in the Pacific, preferably in our programming countries of Fiji, Samoa and/or Tonga
· Expertise in climate change adaptation and resilience, housing/shelter, WASH, and gender inclusion
· Proven experience coordinating multi-country or multi-partner programmes
· Strong analytical, facilitation, and report writing skills
· Knowledge of MFAT design and appraisal frameworks
· Demonstrated experience in programme design for international development, preferably MFAT or similar donors
· Technical expertise in climate resilience, housing/shelter, or WASH
· Proven capacity to lead gender and social inclusion analyses
· Experience facilitating multi-country consultation and design
· Strong analytical, communication, and writing skills
· Experience developing MERL frameworks and logical models
· Experience in reviewing budgets
· Ideally experienced in MFAT requirements/appraisal frameworks
Application Process
Applicants should submit the following by COB 7th November 2025 to katja.neef@habitat.org.nz:
· CV outlining relevant experience
· Two to three-page proposal outlining your proposed approach and workplan for delivering this ToR, and your consultancy fees (including approach, workplan, and daily rate)
· Two professional references