Background
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is entering a new phase of strategic renewal under the leadership of the incoming Director-General (DG), beginning her tenure in March 2026. To ensure a cohesive, high-performing, and future-ready Secretariat and a strong Federation, we IPPF are seeking to ensure the Directors’ Leadership Team (DLT) works as a unified, strategically aligned, and values-driven executive body.
Duration: 8–10 weeks (including design, facilitation, and post-retreat outputs)
Location: Hybrid (virtual preparation + in-person retreat)
Retreat Date: 20 to 24 of March, near London.
Purpose
To design, facilitate, and document a transformational leadership retreat for IPPF’s Directors’ Leadership Team that:
- Reinstalls and redefines the DLT’s purpose, mandate, working norms, and culture
- Establishes trust, cohesion, and shared accountability among the members of the DLT
- Clarifies roles, decision-making frameworks, communication channels, and escalation protocols within the DLT
- Embeds feminist, distributive, inclusive, and psychologically safe leadership approaches
- Produces tangible leadership tools that guide the DLT’s work beyond the retreat
The consultancy should propose effective methodology, blending:
- Systems thinking
- Feminist leadership
- Organizational development
- Political acumen
- Facilitation of complex, diverse global teams
- Strategic planning and alignment tools
- Experiential learning
Scope of Work & Deliverables
Phase 1 – Discovery & Diagnostic (Weeks 1–3)
The consultant will:
- Conduct confidential interviews with the DG, all Directors, and selected stakeholders.
- Review existing organizational documents (strategy, performance, culture surveys).
- Assess current DLT dynamics, trust levels, communication patterns, strengths, and gaps.
- Identify core challenges and opportunities for leadership transformation.
- Draft a Diagnostic Summary Report outlining insights and priorities.
Deliverable 1: Diagnostic Summary Report
Including:
- Current strengths, risks, and cultural dynamics
- Leadership alignment gaps
- Recommendations for retreat design
- Initial hypotheses for DLT operating model
Phase 2 – Retreat Design (Weeks 4–6)
The consultant will develop:
- Full agenda (3 days in-person)
- Thematic modules (trust-building, strategic alignment, decision-making, accountability, etc.)
- Experiential and reflective activities
- Pre-reading and exercises for DLT members
Design must integrate:
- Feminist and inclusive leadership methodology
- Anti-oppressive, norm critical and decolonial approaches
- Psychological safety practices
- Strategic clarity and execution frameworks
- Power, conflict, and influence mapping
- Organizational values and culture shaping
Deliverable 2: Full Retreat Design Pack
Including: agenda, materials, exercises, facilitator scripts, and success metrics.
Phase 3 – Retreat Facilitation (3 days)
The consultant team will:
- Facilitate the retreat with high-level political and interpersonal sensitivity
- Guide Directors through dialogue, reflection, and co-creation
- Manage tensions, conflict, and relationship-building
- Generate real-time documentation
Retreat topics may include:
- Leadership identity & collective purpose
- Trust and vulnerability in executive teams
- How power operates in federated systems
- Decision-making & accountability
- Role clarity and boundaries
- Cross-regional/Secretariat collaboration
- Conflict navigation
- Collective stewardship of organizational culture
- The DLT Operating Model 2026
Deliverable 3: Retreat Facilitation
A highly professional, safe, generative experience.
Phase 4 – Post-Retreat Outputs (Weeks 8–10)
The consultants will produce a DLT Leadership Foundation Package, including:
- Revised DLT Mandate & Terms of Reference
- DLT Operating Model (decision-rights, meeting rhythms, communication pathways)
- Leadership Charter (values, behaviors, commitments)
- Conflict Resolution Protocol
- Accountability Framework
- 90-Day DLT Strengthening Plan
- Recommendations for ongoing coaching or team development
Deliverable 4: Leadership Foundation Package
4. Required Expertise
Consultants must demonstrate:
- Proven experience with executive team reinvention, organizational culture change, and leadership development
- Expertise in feminist, decolonial, norm critical, anti-oppressive organizational design
- Experience working with humanitarian, SRHR, human rights, or global health NGOs
- Ability to navigate complex, multi-regional, politically sensitive environments
- High-level facilitation skills, including managing conflict and power dynamics
- Understanding of governance models and influence patterns in federated organizations
- Experience creating practical leadership frameworks and operating models
- Strong documentation and synthesis capability
- Firms with diverse, intersectional, Global South-led teams are encouraged to apply.
5. Level of Effort & Timeline
Estimated: 8–10 weeks total~20–25 consultant days
Retreat itself: 3 full days in-person (Richmond, London)
Full completion: before end of April 2026
6. Reporting & Coordination
The consultancy will report to:
Director-General (designate)
With coordination support from the retreat planning committee comprised by the three directors
7. Budget
Applicants must submit:
- Cost proposal (daily rate + travel if applicable)
- Team composition and roles
- Proposed methodology
Application
Interested firms/consultants are advised to submit: Letter of Interest, Proposed Methodology, CVs of key team members, Portfolio of similar assignments, & two references from recent leadership/OD contracts to Sanjni Shah - Director of People Organisation & Culture, email: [email protected] by 25 January 2026 COB
