Terms of Reference (ToR) for External Senior Expert (Support Structure Somalia)

Date: 31.08.2026
Subject: Request for Proposal – External Senior Expert (Support Structure in Somalia)

Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH, implementing the project “Global Shield Secretariat Transition”, invites you to submit a proposal for the delivery of services as described in the attached Terms of Reference (ToR) below.

Please submit your complete offer to opportunities@fs.de by 14.09.2026, 23:59(CEST) 

Submissions must include:

• Accompanying eMail referencing this invitation 
• Confirmation of eligibility (use Annex 1) 
• Expert CV (use Annex 2) 
• Technical proposal and financial offer (EUR) (use Annex 3)

2.1 Background

Launched at COP27 by the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group and the Group of Seven (G7), the Global Shield against Climate Risks (GS) aims to increase protection for vulnerable people and countries and contribute to effectively responding to loss and damage from climate change. The Global Shield promotes an inclusive, gender-responsive and demand-driven process, which is led by the vulnerable countries’ governments. The Global Shield Secretariat has been hosted at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (FS) since January 1, 2026.

Somalia is highly vulnerable to recurrent droughts and floods, which drive displacement, food insecurity, livelihood losses and repeated humanitarian crises. These impacts are compounded by fragility, limited institutional capacity and dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods. The country’s climate and disaster risk financing system remains fragmented and heavily reliant on ex-post humanitarian support, with limited pre-arranged finance and financial protection for vulnerable groups.

Somalia was selected to become  a Global Shield country in April 2024 and embarked on the Global Shield In-Country Process in May 2024. The In-Country Process is a participatory, country-led process designed to assess climate risk vulnerabilities, identify gaps in financial protection and the enabling environment, and identify risk financing solutions. The Ministry of Finance serves as the focal point representing the Federal Government of Somalia and has led consultations with governmental bodies, multilateral and bilateral partners, and private sector entities. 

Following the Stocktake and Gap Analysis exercise, the Ministry of Finance put together a Request for Support (RfS) detailing for priority areas it seeks support. Somalia’s RfS covers four mutually reinforcing areas: developing sovereign climate risk modelling and a disaster risk financing (DRF) working framework within DRF-mandated ministries; strengthening climate risk data, hazard coverage and analytics for national decision-making; systematising shock-responsive social protection and crisis response using early warning data; and enhancing Somalia’s takaful sector.

As Somalia moves towards implementation of the support package, effective coordination across government entities, development partners, and implementing stakeholders becomes increasingly important. In this context, the Ministry of Finance, as the Global Shield Focal Point, plays a central role in facilitating coordination, ensuring alignment with national priorities, and supporting the implementation of GS and broader climate and disaster risk financing and insurance (CDRFI) activities. This assignment will support the Ministry of Finance in strengthening coordination arrangements for implementation of these activities as well as further resource mobilisation efforts for the country's RfS.

2.2 Objectives

The objective of this assignment is to support the Global Shield Focal Point within the Ministry of Finance in setting up a technical support and coordination systems and institutional mechanisms to facilitate the implementation of Global Shield and broader CDRFI activities in Somalia, focused on the programme developed after the Ministry of Finance officially submitted the RfS as part of the Global Shield In-Country Process. As part of the support for the RfS, the assignment will also include the development of a resource mobilisation plan for the RfS.  In addition, the assignment will contribute to stakeholder consultations, institutional mapping, strategic implementation support, and the development of a GS coordination framework.  

2.3 Scope of Work / Deliverables

For the contracting period from September 2026 to 28 February 2027, the contractor will submit a timeline with milestones according to the template below to be achieved by certain dates during the contract term. Any delays or inability to fulfil such milestones must be communicate immediately to the FS.  

2.4 Duration & Location

• Duration: September 2026 – 28 February 2027; up to 80 working days

• Location: Mogadishu, Somalia

2.5 Reporting & Supervision

• Reports to: Somalia ICP Lead and required to work closely with national Global Shield focal  point.

• Regular progress updates to be provided throughout the assignment.

• Submission format for deliverables: To be defined per task. May be Word documents, PowerPoint slides, Excel or PDF.

2.6 Eligibility Criteria

Minimum mandatory criteria to submit a bid:

• MSc, MBA or PhD in a relevant academic discipline, such as Disaster Risk Management, Public Policy, Economics, Climate Change, Environmental Science, Development Studies, or another relevant field.

• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in climate finance, disaster risk financing, disaster risk management, public-sector coordination, institutional advisory services, or related fields.

• Demonstrated experience working with government institutions, development partners, and multi-stakeholder coordination processes. 

• Demonstrated experience coordinating or supporting institutional processes, including development of strategic or policy documents, coordination mechanisms, institutional arrangements, stakeholder engagement processes, or implementation support.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the international climate and disaster risk finance and insurance landscape, including experience engaging with multilateral development banks, bilateral development partners, UN agencies, or other international organisations.

• Excellent analytical, coordination, facilitation, drafting, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Excellent written and spoken English is required. 

• Resides in Mogadishu or in the Horn of Africa and willing and able to travel to Mogadishu as required.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• Experience working in Somalia and/or Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (FCS) contexts. 

• Local language skills would be an advantage.

• Experience supporting Global Shield-related processes or similar international climate finance initiatives.
   

Applicants must verify their eligibility for this opportunity using Annex 1 as the required template

The applicant needs to provide the CV(s) of the experts foreseen to provide the services. The CV must cover:

• Full name and contact details

• Education and professional qualifications

• Detailed employment history (company/role/dates)

• Relevant assignments and outputs (with client references: name, email addresses or phone number)

• Language skills and availability

• At least two professional references (name, position,  and contact details)

(CVs shall be submitted using the format as in Annex 2)

4.1 Technical and Financial Proposal

Please complete Annex 3. 

The fee indication must show VAT separately (if applicable) and must be in EUR. Offer validity: Minimum 30 calendar days.

4.2 Submission Instructions

• Submit electronic copies to: opportunities@fs.de 

• Submission deadline (date/time CEST): 14.09.2026, 23:59(CEST)

• Clarification requests: contact opportunities@fs.de, no later than five business days before the submission deadline.

4.3 Evaluation Criteria & Weighting

Submissions will be evaluated in consideration of the following evaluation criteria:  

Evaluation Criteria – total 70 points:                      

All proposals evaluated using the following weighted criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated in consideration of the following evaluation criteria:   
  

Evaluation criteria for the technical qualifications are as follows (total: 70 points):

• Experience and qualifications of the consultant. This part of the evaluation will be based on the CV shared by the consultant in the proposal [50 points]; 

• Relevant professional experience [20 points]: Relevance and depth of experience in climate finance, disaster risk financing/management, public-sector coordination, institutional advisory services, programme implementation, or related areas, including implementation of complex, multi-institutional initiatives.

• Government and multi-stakeholder coordination experience [20 points]: Experience supporting government-led processes involving multiple institutions and development partners, including stakeholder engagement, coordination of institutional inputs, facilitation, and implementation follow-up.

• Regional and contextual experience [10 points]: Experience working in Somalia and/or the Horn of Africa, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings, will be considered a distinct advantage.

• Adequacy of approach and methodology [10 points];  

• Experience working in the development sector producing high-quality outputs; experience in the area of CDRFI [10 points];  

The financial offer will account for a maximum of 30 points and is calculated as followed: The financial score = (lowest financial score amongst the tenderers / financial score of the tender being considered) x 30.