E-learning Course Development- Financial Management

Terms of Reference
E-learning Course Development- Financial Management
About Trócaire
Trócaire is the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Trócaire was established to express the concern of the Irish Catholic Church for any form of human need, but particularly for the needs and challenges faced by communities in the global south. Together with our partners, we work towards supporting women, men and communities for long-term change. In Ireland, we raise awareness about the causes of poverty through our outreach programmes in the education sector, through parish networks, and through our public campaigns and advocacy work. More information about Trócaire is available at www.trocaire.org.

Context for the Work
As discussions around the localisation agenda evolve in the wake of USAID funding cuts and broader donor recalibrations, a critical challenge confronts the aid system: how can local and national actors be adequately equipped to lead within an increasingly constrained and risk-averse operating environment? While support for local leadership has grown in policy spaces, structural challenges persist. LNNGOs continue to encounter compounded barriers that limit their ability to access direct and quality funding, assert influence, and drive agenda-setting from positions of strength. Despite being at the forefront of response, many are systematically underfunded, overburdened by compliance expectations, and marginalised in strategic decision-making.

Among the most entrenched barriers are persistent capacity gaps in domains such as financial management and strategic communication. Inadequate systems for financial oversight, cost recovery, and compliance limit the ability of LNNGOs to access and manage quality, multi-year funding. At the same time, constrained communication capacity inhibits their ability to articulate outcome level impact, challenge prevailing narratives, and engage donors on more equitable terms. In many contexts, local actors are expected to demonstrate donor level accountability and impact without sometimes corresponding investment in the institutional infrastructure required to do so.

It is within this context that a modular e-learning course on financial management is being developed for the Fabo platform. The course is intended for local and national partners as part of Trócaire’s approach to supporting partner-led learning and institutional development, with a focus on supporting our partners to strengthening their financial systems, enhancing compliance, and supporting long-term sustainability.

Purpose and Objectives
The purpose of this consultancy is to design a modular e-learning course that strengthens the institutional capacity of our local and national partners in project and organisational level financial management. The course will enable partners to:

Strengthen their existing systems for budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and audit preparedness.
Improve cost recovery and compliance with donor financial requirements.
Strengthen accountability, transparency, and financial decision-making at all levels of the organisation.
Scope of work
The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks:

Developing the financial management e- course content that will focus on:
Project-level financial systems (budgeting, forecasting, cash flow).
Organisational-level financial planning (financial statements, internal controls).
Donor compliance (cost eligibility, procurement, audit).
Cost recovery and sustainability.
Accountability to stakeholders (boards, donors, communities).
Target Audience and Level
Primary audience: Finance staff.
Secondary audience: Programme managers with budget oversight.
Level: Intermediate.
The Methodology
The consultant(s) will adopt a participatory, learner-centered, and iterative approach to the design and development of the e-learning course. The methodology will integrate principles of adult learning and instructional design.

Expected Deliverables
The consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

Inception Report with an updated understanding of the objectives, scope, and methodology. In addition, workplan with key milestones and deliverable timelines
The course content divided into structured sub-topics/modules and facilitator’s guide.
Revised course content incorporating feedback from Trócaire.
Final version of the course content, fully formatted for integration into the FABO LMS.
All source files and editable materials (e.g., Word, PPT,).
Required knowledge and experience.
The selected consultant should demonstrate:

Strong background in nonprofit financial management.
Demonstrated experience in designing interactive and engaging online learning content, including quizzes, case-based exercises, and scenario-based assessments.
Understanding of compliance and localisation finance realities.
Familiarity with localisation discourse and the operational realities of LNNGOs.
Excellent writing, editing, and visual communication skills.
Timeline
The consultancy will be undertaken over a period of 3 months, with an estimated level of effort of 20 working days for both courses. A detailed work plan and timeline will be finalised during the inception phase.

Safeguarding
All consultants who work for Trócaire will be required to sign and abide by Trócaire’s official position statement on exploitation and abuse, including zero-tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. Trócaire recognises that abuse of power has led, and continues to lead, to many forms of exploitation and abuse. The nature of Trócaire’s work creates a power differential between those employed by or working with Trócaire and programme participants and partners. Trócaire acknowledges that the potential exists for those who work with programme participants and partners to abuse their position of power. Trócaire’s commitment to safeguarding is inclusive of its staff and all those with whom it comes into contact through its work.

Confidentiality
The consultant will be required to maintain confidentiality regarding all information obtained during the consultancy and not disclose any sensitive or proprietary information about the partner organization and Trócaire without prior authorization from Trócaire.

Reporting & Management
The consultant(s) will work under the supervision of the Localisation Advisor- funding and

resources and technical oversight by Hub’s programme accountant, with regular check-ins to

ensure progress.

How to apply
Submission of Proposals
All applications should be submitted via email to infohub@trocaire.org by August 22nd 2025, and the indicate on the email subject “E-learning Course Development- Financial Management”. The submission should include:

A Technical proposal outlining the methodology and work plan including tentative dates per activity and the daily rate in Euros.
CV of the consultant(s).
Contact information of 2 references.
Conflict of interest statement: Applicants should state clearly whether they have an actual or potential conflict of interest with the staff, volunteers, and/or board of Trócaire.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Technical Proposal (70%):
Understanding of the Assignment (30%): How well the consultant understands the objectives, scope, and expected outcomes of the consultancy.
Methodology (30%): Clarity of the proposed approach, including the methodology for the study.
Relevant Experience and Expertise (10%): Evidence of past experience and technical expertise relevant to the assignment.
Financial Proposal (30%):
Cost Efficiency (30%): The consultant’s proposed budget. The financial proposal should be competitive and justify costs relative to the scope of work.