Consultant, Facilitation Services for Virtual Conference

**Job Summary
**
Working with the Forest Legality Initiative team, the Consultants will familiarize themselves with the history of the annual conference which was held as a week-long in-person event from 2016-2019. The Consultants will advise WRI on how best to achieve the conference objectives for the 2021 event in a virtual format, suggesting adaptations for the format, methodology for individual sessions and working with the team and the moderators and panelists to ensure a smooth implementation of the event, and provide ongoing suggestions for improvements in meeting organization and facilitation during the event, as well as organize a debrief session after each day to gather input from the team, moderators, and panelists. The Consultants will undertake other responsibilities as agreed upon between the Consultants and WRI. This position is a limited-term consultancy from May-July 2021

Deliverables

The consultant will prepare the following on behalf of WRI:

Deliverable

Timing

Plan and conduct a planning meeting with the WRI FLI team to map out objectives of the annual conference and discuss potential methodological options for transferring the in-person format to a suitable virtual format

By end of May 2021

Create event plan including suggested methodological tools, annotated agenda, and conduct preparation meetings with organizers

By June 18, 2021

Support smooth operation of the virtual conference: facilitate online event for three days, work with interpreters to set up simultaneous interpretation channels, test audio and video with speakers

June 22-24, 2021

Organize and conduct post-event evaluation meeting among organizing team and facilitators

By June 30, 2021

Review and provide input to post-event summary report to ensure coherence and accurate description of event

By July 9, 2021

TIMING

The work should begin in May 2021 and proceed through July 2021.

**Job Qualifications
**
The selected consultant will be able to demonstrate capacity in similar work, particularly: - Successful track record in organizing and facilitating virtual meetings and conferences - Expertise in effectively working with multiple stakeholders in preparing meetings, including in locations with low bandwidth environments

Guidelines For Proposal Submission

Requirements

The selected consultant will be able to demonstrate capacity in similar work, particularly:

• Successful track record in organizing and facilitating virtual meetings and conferences
• Expertise in effectively working with multiple stakeholders in preparing meetings, including in locations with low bandwidth environments

Proposal content

Prospective consultant should submit:

• A statement of interest describing the consultant and how the consultant meets the above requirements;
• Fee for deliverables, including an explanation of level of effort and calculations for hourly/daily rates and other costs associated with this fee.

**How to Apply
**
Prospective consultant should submit:

• A statement of interest describing the consultant and how the consultant meets the above requirements
• Fee for deliverables, including an explanation of level of effort and calculations for hourly/daily rates and other costs associated with this fee. All proposals must be received by 5 pm on May 21, 2021 (Washington, DC) in electronic format to the contact listed below. WRI Contact Name: Mr. Jun Geng Title: Grants and Finance Associate, Forest Legality Initiative Email address: jun.geng@wri.org

Program Overview

The Forest Legality Initiative (FLI) is designed to increase the demand for legal forest products and to mitigate the trade of illegal timber. To this end, FLI pursues a series of activities including: (a) evaluating, promoting, and developing tools and technologies used by industry and stakeholders to practice due care and to deter the entry of illegal forest products into supply chains; (b) strengthening and building capacity of civil society and independent monitors to increase accountability for and to eradicate illegal logging; and (c) convening a wide range of stakeholders to discuss, share knowledge, and collaborate on ideas and projects aimed at exercising due care and eliminating the illegal timber trade.

WRI Overview World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include: integrity, innovation, urgency, independence and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges, and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.