Terms of Reference: Strategic Planning Retreat Facilitator

Deadline: 21 March 2022

The Tea Leaf Center

The Tea Leaf Center Co., Ltd. is a social enterprise research and training consulting firm based in Thailand. We support locally-led research by providing tailored coaching and training, on-call support, and platforms to connect researchers.

The Tea Leaf Center was registered as a company limited in Thailand in 2019. Since its formation, the Tea Leaf Center has conducted research, including MEAL, for international and local NGOs and conducted mentorship and trainings on research for local organizations working in environmental conservation, land rights, public health, migrant education, human rights and other areas. We have also worked with a local university to support quality academic research in Myanmar.   

The Position

The Tea Leaf Center is seeking a Consultant to facilitate a strategic planning retreat in late April (tentatively 18-20 April), taking place in-person in northern Thailand. The retreat will include the two Directors of the Tea Leaf Center, and four other staff members. The team is diverse and the facilitation should be in English.

The Tea Leaf Center was formed in 2018 and started working actively in 2019. From a small start-up with two staff, we have grown to 6-7 staff members with an increasing workload. As such, we need to start moving from a proof-of-concept mindset to be more strategic about partnerships, opportunities and positioning. Our working model is a social enterprise consulting firm, conducting research and trainings/mentorship on research skills to a wide variety of clients with a significant amount of pro bono work. Instead of relying on grant funding, we run entirely on fees from consulting work to provide low- or no-cost support to smaller organizations.

The Consultant should have experience facilitating strategic planning, reflection workshops or other similar activities with non-profit organizations in Southeast Asia, including those working with vulnerable and at-risk populations.

Topics to be facilitated include:

• Contextual analysis and SWAT analysis of Tea Leaf Center’s role
• Refining strategic objectives of and approaches to three work areas:
  • Research capacity-building, primarily trainings and mentorship
  • Research led by the Tea Leaf Center
  • Connectivity of research/researchers in Southeast Asia
• Re-visiting and refreshing the role of the Advisory Board
• Team-building and communication activities

More details will be discussed with the Consultant before the retreat. The Tea Leaf Center will provide transportation (from within Thailand) and accommodation and food during the retreat, as well as a reasonable daily rate.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting workshops including strategic planning, reflection, team-building and other related skills;
• Experience with the non-profit sector in Southeast Asia, particularly but not limited to Myanmar and the Thai-Myanmar border;
• Ability to facilitate in English;
• Strong understanding of security concerns facing those working with vulnerable and at-risk populations, and a demonstrated record of sensitive and safe engagement;
• Ability to work and communicate well with people of diverse backgrounds.

To Apply Send a CV, daily rate and two relevant references to info@thetealeafcenter.org with the subject line “Strategic Planning Facilitation” by 12 noon March 25, 2022.