Background and context

SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people.

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community based organizations across seven program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

SOS CVE in addition to the Charity section runs a Social Enterprise established following the provisions of commercial code of the country provisions of the CSO legislation. The major aim of the social enterprise is to provide quality education services to its customers.

General Objective

SOS CVE has an initiative aimed at establishing a governing board for the Social Enterprise anchored in SOS Kindergartens and Hermann Gmeiner Schools. Establishing the board would serve two major purposes. On the one hand it would help meet the legal requirements that non-profit operated Social Enterprises should be run by a governing board, and on the other hand, when it comes into existence, all pertinent duties, responsibilities and roles that the SOS CVE National Management Team is currently playing would be transferred to it and they will be executed better.

Hence the board will be responsible for supporting the Social Enterprise by providing strategic support and expertise, providing access to a wide-range of valuable external networks, ensuring the vision and legacy of the enterprise, and by signaling credibility to external stakeholders.

Specific Objectives

• Enhanced credibility and trustworthiness with regulatory bodies, external partners and service users
• Strategic directions that will guide the future growth and development of the Social Enterprise will be set by the board;
• The board will provide financial oversight that will ensure greater accountability and transparency
• The board will bring in additional expertise that SOS CVs as a charitable organization doesn’t have
• Creates opportunity to introduce new ideas that can be adapted to changing local context and needs
• Helps ensure greater adherence and compliance to internal and external regulations and requirements
• Ensures better supervision and support to the General Manager of the Social Enterprise
• The board will advocate and represent the Social Enterprise in public forums

Expected Deliverable

The legal advisor is expected to engage and deliver on the subsequent result areas:

• Revised project charter in the context of the country’s legal framework;
• Provide legal briefing highlighting policy, fiscal and regulatory environment specific to Social Enterprise in Ethiopia;
• Conducting legal analysis and researching legal matters related with board development;
• Providing advice on legal matters related with the project under consideration;
• support in developing guideline for the nomination and selection of board members
• Prepare board membership agreement
• Develop board manual or handbook or bylaw
• certificate of registration from a relevant government authority

1. Documents requirement

To be considered for this consultancy service opening, interested and qualified consulting firms should provide the following documents in a sealed envelope:-

• Renewed Business License for the current year;
• TIN certificate;
• VAT certificate;
• Previous related work experience; and
• Individuals CV.

2. Qualification & competences

• LLM or above and minimum 10 years of relevant experience in researching, analysis in CSO and for-profit sector;
• Relevant experience on legal research, legal writing, legislative drafting;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of legal context of the country;
• Excellent written and spoken skills in Amharic and English;
• Experience in the law field particularly in board development, civil society organizations (CSO) proclamation and commercial code;
• Ability to work well within a team and individually;
• Previous experience in board development in CSOs and for-profit sector

Timeline for completing assignment

• The consultant is expected to complete this assignment within 3 months starting from the signing of the consultancy agreement.