Background: The BJC currently has a strategic plan that guides the direction of the organisation and its services. The Plan outlines the objectives, outputs, and outcomes the BJC sets itself
and acts as a benchmark to measure the achievements of the organisation. The period of the current plan is coming to an end and the Board is now starting the process of developing a new strategic plan that will cover the period 2024 to 2028. 

This new plan will guide the Board’s work over this period. To assist the Board, develop its new strategic plan the BJC is looking to engage the services of a suitably experienced and qualified individual/s or organisation who can provide the BJC with professional facilitation and supports as it develops its plan. The individual/s or organisation will work with the Board in the BJC in the preparation of its new strategic plan.

Terms of Reference: The work will involve the implementation of a consultative process that
will support the Board of the BJC to develop a new strategic plan to cover the period 2024 to
2028. Elements of the process will include but not limited to the following:

Consultation with Clients of the BJC: The work with involve designing and carrying out a
survey amongst a sample of clients of the BJC, across all programmes and activities.

The questionnaire should explore the experience of services/ programmes that they accessed, as
well as current/ ongoing support needs. In addition to the questionnaire the work will involve
facilitation of focus groups with former and current clients of the BJC. Among other areas the
focus groups should be facilitated to consider their plans and future support needs, barriers to
accessing education, training and work, and service users’ views on the needs of the wider
community and how the BJC can work with the community.

Consultation with Staff: The work will involve a process to engage staff of the BJC in
facilitated group discussions on the current strategic objectives, and priorities and
opportunities for the next strategic plan. This discussion will consider the operational context
of the Ballymun Job Centre, needs of clients and wider community, and the needs and
challenges of the Ballymun Job Centre as an organisation.

Joint Board and staff discussions: The work will involve the implementation of a joint
planning process between the Board and the management team and the Board, Management
Team, and staff. It is anticipated that the focus will be on confirming the strategic objectives
and outcomes arising from the consultation process. It will also consider the resources
required to achieve the strategic objectives, and risks that may arise.

The process will agree a draft outline of the Strategic Plan. Consultation with External Stakeholders. The work will involve the development and implementation of a wider consultation process with external stakeholders, including community organisations, voluntary organisations, state agencies, employers, and elected representatives.

The consultation should obtain feedback from stakeholders on what the needs of their target groups/ community of interest are; whether the plan reflects the needs of the community; what – if any – gaps there are in the plan; what opportunities there may be for collaboration with their organisation during the period of the strategic plan.

These findings will be collated and written up for circulation to the board.  Final draft strategic plan: The work will involve writing up the final comprehensive draft of the strategic plan for presentation to the board for approval. The contract will involve attendance at meetings with Board, staff of the BJC and other stakeholders as required and production of progress reports