Develop a CGIAR Investigations Manual-Consultancy

Project Title: Develop a CGIAR Investigations Manual and undertake the feasibility review of a shared CGIAR EBC Case Management System

Project Length:Start Date: 08 July 2026, End Date: 08 November 2026

Deadline for Applications:01 July 2026, 11:59 PM CET

The CGIAR EBC Function operates within a federated governance model where Centers maintain autonomy for management of allegations while adhering to system‑level safeguards, escalation pathways, and confidentiality requirements. Variations in maturity, capacity, and workflows across Centers create complexity.

To address this, the Integrated Partnership Ethics and Business Conduct (EBC) Function is seeking to develop a comprehensive CGIAR Investigations Manual and undertake the feasibility review for a common case management system.

Phase 1 (est. 6 weeks)

Key responsibilities:

The Consultant will support the EBC Function in designing and operationalizing a system-wide investigations Manual:

• Develop a comprehensive CGIAR Investigations Manual (final version)
• Produce:

o practical, user-oriented operational templates and procedural guidance notes for Centers and the System

Organization

o benchmarking note (good practices and recommendations)

o summary note highlighting key risks, gaps and implementation considerations

• Ensure alignment with the CGIAR EBC Escalation Framework, applicable policies, and international best practice

Deliverables:

1. Development of an Investigations Manual

• Develop a structured CGIAR Investigations Manual covering:

o Investigation lifecycle (intake, assessment, investigation, reporting, closure)

o Roles and responsibilities across Centers and system-level functions

o Use of external investigators

o Evidence standards and documentation

o Reporting requirements and link to escalation pathways

• Ensure the Manual is:

o Practical and implementable

o Adaptable to different legal jurisdictions

o Consistent with CGIAR governance architecture

2. Development of Operational Tools and Templates

• Design a toolkit to support consistent application, including but not limited to:

o Investigation plan template

o Interview template (witness/subject)

o Evidence log template

o Investigation report template

o Case classification and decision tree

o Case closure checklist

3. Alignment with Policy and Governance Frameworks

• Ensure alignment with:

o EBC Escalation Framework

o Whistleblowing and safeguarding policies

o Data protection and confidentiality requirements

• Map how investigations interact with:

o Reporting obligations to AFRCs, Boards, and System-level governance

o Funder reporting obligations (where applicable)

4. Benchmarking and Best Practice

• Benchmark CGIAR approach against:

o IFIs and multilateral organizations

o UN agencies and federated organizations

• Integrate relevant best practices

Methodology:

The Consultant will:

• Review existing CGIAR Integrated Partnership Ethcs and Business Conduct Policies, documentation and practices

• Engage with EBC Function stakeholders i.e EBC Leads through structured consultations

• Ensure outputs are:

o Clear, practical, and user-oriented

o Suitable for a multi-jurisdictional environment

Phase 2 (est. 8 weeks)

Key responsibilities:

• To undertake a feasibility review to assess a solution for a common case management system that can be implemented in a way that:

o Protects Center autonomy

o Preserves data protection, confidentiality and due‑process safeguards

o Supports the Escalation Framework

o Enables non‑identifying, system‑level visibility

o Accommodates maturity differences

o Avoids unintended access or governance overreach

• To conduct a comprehensive feasibility review of options for a common case management system suitable for a federated environment, and to recommend viable pathways, prerequisites, and decision points for CGIAR.

• The consultant will:

o Assess technical, legal, operational, financial, and organizational feasibility

o Identify risks, constraints, and enabling conditions

o Assess capability of current case management system

o Map current workflows, maturity levels, and capacity variations

o Evaluate system architecture options (shared, hybrid, Center‑specific)

o Recommend a defensible, governance‑aligned path forward

o Define prerequisites for procurement or implementation

• The consultant will provide an evidence‑based assessment report.

Scope of work:

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Technical Feasibility

o Assess architecture case management system options

o Review interoperability with existing systems

o Evaluate role‑based access, audit trails, and confidentiality controls

o Identify data‑segregation requirements

o Benchmark against comparable entities

• Legal & Compliance Feasibility

o Review of data protection laws across relevant jurisdictions and any Identify legal risks

• Operational Feasibility

o Map current workflows across Centers

o Assess capacity, staffing, and maturity variations

• Organizational & Governance Feasibility

o Assess alignment with the Escalation Framework

o Evaluate governance safeguards and role boundaries

o Identify risks of unintended access

• Financial Feasibility

o Estimate total cost of deployment

o Compare licensing, implementation, and support models

o Assess cost‑benefit and sustainability

• Risk Assessment

o Identify confidentiality, operational, and governance risks

o Propose mitigation strategies

• Options Analysis

o Compare system models (shared, hybrid, Center‑specific)

o Evaluate trade‑offs, constraints, and enabling conditions

• Recommendations

o Provide a recommendation on the appropriate model

o Propose implementation pathways

Deliverables:

1. Inception Report

· Methodology, workplan, and validation of scope

2. Feasibility Assessment Report

· Technical, legal, operational, financial, and governance analysis

· Risk assessment

· Maturity‑calibration considerations

3. Options Analysis Matrix

· Comparison of system models with pros/cons

4. Recommendations & Roadmap

· Prerequisites and enabling conditions

· Implementation plan

5. Final report to EBC

· Summary of findings and recommendations

Methodology:

The consultant will use:

• Document review the EBC Escalation framework, policies and map existing case management workflows.
• Key informant interviews (EBC Leads, Center AFRCs reps, Legal Teams)
• Maturity and capacity mapping
• Comparative analysis of system options
• Benchmarking with comparable entity operating models

All applications must be submitted online by clicking the 'Apply' button below before 11:59 PM CET on 01 July 2026. If you require assistance or face challenges in submitting your application, please email smo-bidding@cgiar.org with the position title in the subject line. Applications submitted through this email will NOT be accepted.

Please ensure your resume and cover letter are in English and does not contain your marital status, age, or photograph. Documents provided in a language other than English will not be considered.

CGIAR is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational, and multi-disciplinary, collegial working environment. We consciously create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

We look forward to hearing from you!