Finance for Peace branding: Strategy development

A. About Interpeace

Interpeace is an international organisation that prevents violence and builds lasting peace. Interpeace has 30 years of experience working in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Violent conflict tears apart societies and colours all relationships. Interpeace builds trust as the glue that bring societies back together.

Many solutions to conflict do not last because they are imposed or do not take fully into account the views and needs of those who are most affected. Interpeace works to have solutions designed and led locally from the grassroot communities to the most senior decision-making levels.

In the heat of conflict, it can be difficult for people to see what connects them to others, rather than what drives them apart. Our approach seeks to help different parts of society come together to identify and harness their common strengths for sustainable peace.

Everyone’s contribution to peace matters, especially the International Community together. Interpeace therefore also supports others by offering fresh thinking and expert advice about peacebuilding.

B. About the Finance for Peace initiative

Finance for Peace is a multistakeholder initiative by Interpeace that seeks systemic change in how private and public investment supports peace in developing and fragile contexts. It aims to create networked approaches that can co-develop the market frameworks, standards, political support networks, partnerships and knowledge required to scale up Peace Finance – investments that intentionally seek to improve conditions for peace.

Finance for Peace brings together investors, industry, norm-setting entities, development finance institutions, governments, peacebuilding and development actors, civil society and local communities to further peace-positive investments. By building/enabling the creation of a market for peace enhancing finance, it aims to reduce risks for both investors and communities and achieve outcomes that are bankable and advance peace. By identifying critical frameworks and developing standards and principles, as well as key knowledge and innovative solutions, the initiative will help to create true additionality to investors, as well as more inclusive development. 

Working with partners, Finance for Peace seeks to create standards and guidance for peace finance; develop market intelligence and evidence for scaling Peace Finance, and actively influence policy and partnerships for Peace Finance.

Finance for Peace is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and builds on feasibility research supported by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office on a new sustainable investment category called Peace Bonds. Finance for Peace has been incubated by Interpeace. 

For more information about the Finance for Peace initiative, please see our website: https://financeforpeace.org/. 

C. Description of the assignment and related tasks

Context:

Interpeace has been working on Finance for Peace since the early to mid-2000s, including as part of its 2021-25 Strategy. The German Federal Foreign Office has been funding the organisation’s Finance for Peace initiative since 2022, following on from previous investment by other donors.

In order to ensure the growth and independence and the continued multistakeholder support of the norm-setting part of the initiative, an independent entity will be established from around January 2025. A business plan is being developed to this effect.

Interpeace will continue its work in the Peace Finance field through partnerships, policy, programmatic work and research.

The new independent entity will continue its mission to establish a Peace Finance market through standard setting, market research, advisory services and further development of the normative framework, including the Peace Finance Impact Framework and the Peace Finance Standard. In this work, it will be supported by the Standards Committee which remains responsible for standard development and certification.

With this context in mind, Interpeace and its Finance for Peace initiative require a consultant or a consultancy to deliver a brand strategy. This should address both the part of the Finance for Peace work that will continue to be housed within Interpeace, as well as the new standards entity that will spin out of Interpeace and become an independent entity.

The work will be carried out in close consultation with the Finance for Peace Communications Advisor and the Interpeace Head of Communications, as part of a joint-up working group.

D.  Timeframe and deliverables

• Timeframe: Consultancy to run from the end of August until 1 October.
• Scope: Outlining a brand strategy for both the new entity and Interpeace’s Peace Finance work – based on information provided by the Interpeace & Finance for Peace teams (including the provision of any possibly required research, background documents etc. so the consultants will not have to do this themselves as time and scope are limited). This will build on work previously and recently carried out on business and organisational strategy for the new entity, and the considerations related to Interpeace’s Peace Finance work will need to be aligned with the organisation’s strategy. A key element will be the decision on the naming and branding of the new entity, as well as of the work remaining within Interpeace.
• To note: a separate business plan is being developed concurrently and the positioning and market and needs analysis developed under this workstream will contribute to the brand strategy. The selected consultant(s) will be able to build on this work when defining the brand strategy.
• Deliverables: Defining three options for operational approaches to the brand bifurcation (refer to “context” above), with basic texts (brand names and basic terminology) and draft basic visual elements for these three suggested approaches. Once one of these approaches has been chosen, a full accompanying brand terminology, boilerplates and draft visual elements (visual brand identity including logo, colour palette, typography) need to be developed for both entities.
• To note: a separate call for proposals will follow this call in the coming months for the implementation (including full development of visuals and website redesign) of the rebranding of the new entity.
• The service provider must be available for online meetings flexibly, within Central European Time (CET) office hours.

Intellectual Property

All information and materials related to the assignment, as well as the outputs produced while under the agreement, are a property of Interpeace. All original files, including the design files created by the provider, need to be handed over to Interpeace after the project has been finalised.

E.  Required qualifications and skills

• Demonstrable prior experience of carrying out successful branding and rebranding projects
• Outstanding skills in: brand strategy, brand positioning, market research, including examples (portfolio)
• Excellent project management: ability to deliver products according to specific requirements and timeframes

EXPERIENCE

• Experience working with clients from both the non-profit / IGO / NGO sector and the private sector highly desirable
• Experience working with the thematic areas of peacebuilding, international development, finance, impact investing and development finance, and especially their combination, highly desirable
• Experience working with cross-cultural teams remotely

Languages

Must be fluent in English.

Other requirements

Candidates should clearly mention their availability and ability to complete the project within the timeline.

COMPETENCIES

• Strategic vision, business acumen and branding, brand positioning and brand value
• Able to understand and translate complex concepts and topics into compelling visual communication
• Excellent stakeholder management skills
• Awareness of the latest trends in visual communication
• Experience in consulting and providing creative direction
• Strong cultural awareness
• Sensitive to inclusive and non-offensive communication
• Excellent organisational and communications skills and attention to detail
• Ability to autonomously establish workflow processes to deliver products
• Ability to deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and good judgment
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines

Behavioural Competencies:

• Ability to be flexible and respond to changes as part of the review and feedback process
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse teams

F. Reporting and feedback

The tasks listed above are to be performed in an interactive and iterative process, working in collaboration with the Finance for Peace Communications Advisor and the Interpeace Head of Communications. The consultant(s) will work under the direction the Finance for Peace Communications Advisor.

G.  Budget

As stated in Section D, the consultancy will run from the end of August until 1 October 2024.

The financial proposal should be linked to the project plan and staffing as outlined in the technical proposal.

H. How to apply

Preparation and submission of proposals

Interpeace’s Finance for Peace initiative invites qualified service providers to submit a bid to provide the services described in this terms of reference.

All offers shall be prepared in English. Offers shall comprise of the following documents:

1. Technical proposal

The technical proposal must include:

1. A project plan including the deliverables outlined in this terms of refence, timeline as laid out in this ToR, and staffing
2. CV (or CVs if a team), showing relevant experience from similar assignments
3. A work portfolio, including examples of similar work the consultant / applying entity has previously produced, including at least 2 professional referees that can attest to the candidate’s relevant work.

• Financial offer

A separate financial offer, quoted in US dollars or EUR. This should include all aspects of the project.

The applications will be assessed based on both the technical and financial content and value for money. Deadline for applications is Thursday 22 August 2024.

Applications should be addressed to Finance for Peace Communications Advisor Emilia Hinkkanen: hinkkanen@interpeace.org.