TERMS OF REFERENCE

Career Development Facilitator

Consultancy to facilitate the Career Discovery and Transition Readiness Phase

1. Assignment Information

2. Background

Mbuya Graduate Transition Centre (MGTC) is a specialised Business Development Services (BDS) institution in Mbuya, Kampala, supporting graduates to transition from education into employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise growth through an intensive programme built around structured Career Pathways, Innovation Labs, Peer Accountability Groups and applied learning.

The programme opens with a Career Discovery and Transition Readiness phase (Weeks 1–2). During this phase, participants from diverse academic, professional and socioeconomic backgrounds develop greater awareness of their strengths, values, capabilities and professional identity, while building a realistic understanding of labour-market and enterprise opportunities. This foundation enables participants to make informed decisions about the Career Pathway they will pursue during the subsequent programme phase.

MGTC is seeking an experienced Career Development Facilitator to lead this foundational phase and help participants translate self-awareness and labour-market information into realistic, evidence-informed career and transition choices.

3. Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to facilitate the Career Discovery and Transition Readiness phase so that participants develop self-awareness, a clear professional identity and a realistic understanding of employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise-growth opportunities, enabling each participant to make an informed, provisional Career Pathway decision by the end of Week 2.

4. Scope of Work

The Consultant will undertake the following responsibilities.

• Deliver the approved Weeks 1–2 curriculum using adult-learning, experiential and participant-centred approaches aligned with MGTC’s Open–Explore–Apply–Reflect learning cycle.
• Guide participants in interpreting relevant strengths, values, interests and capability assessments and in exploring realistic employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise-growth options.
• Support participants to compare the available MGTC Career Pathways and to document a provisional preferred pathway.
• Facilitate completion of the career-related baseline components of each participant’s Professional Transition Portfolio, and provisional pathway direction.
• Provide structured individual or small-group guidance, where required within the agreed level of effort, to help participants clarify their pathway choices and identify participants who may require additional support before pathway confirmation.
• Introduce the purpose and value of peer accountability during the orientation phase and support early group functioning where assigned. Peer Accountability Group allocation and ongoing administration remain an MGTC programme function.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries between career development and psychosocial support.
• Recognise and appropriately refer participants who may require wellbeing or other specialised support through MGTC’s designated mechanisms.
• Liaise with the Programme Delivery Coordinator on scheduling and logistics, the MELQ Lead on baseline and pathway-related data, and the Psychosocial Support Facilitator on relevant participant support and referral matters.
  • Prepare a concise end-of-phase summary highlighting:
  • completion of key career discovery activities;
  • provisional pathway decisions;
  • common career-readiness or employability gaps identified;
  • participants requiring additional guidance; and
  • recommendations relevant to Week 3 pathway induction.

5. Expected Deliverables and Timelines

The Consultant will be assessed against the following deliverables.

6. Reporting and Coordination Arrangements

• The Consultant will submit agreed deliverables to the Programmes Manager for review and approval.
• The Consultant will coordinate operationally with the Programme Delivery Coordinator, MELQ Lead and Psychosocial Support Facilitator as required for effective delivery.
• The engagement is a professional consultancy arrangement. The Consultant retains professional autonomy over facilitation methods and professional judgement within the approved MGTC curriculum, programme standards and agreed deliverables.

7. Qualifications and Experience

      Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in career guidance, psychology, education, human resource development, social sciences, workforce development or a related field.
• At least five years’ relevant professional experience in career development, career guidance, employability, career coaching, workforce development, HR/talent development or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating career-development, employability or transition interventions for young adults, graduates or early-career professionals.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating participatory and adult-learning sessions.
• Demonstrated experience using structured career, strengths, values, interest or competency assessment approaches to support career decision-making.

      Desirable

• Professional certification in career guidance, career coaching or a related field.
• Experience supporting university graduates or transition-to-work programmes in Uganda.
• Demonstrated understanding of Uganda’s graduate labour market, emerging employment opportunities and alternative pathways to self-employment and enterprise.
• Experience supporting entrepreneurship or enterprise-development pathways.

8. Gender, Inclusion, Safeguarding and Confidentiality

The Consultant will:

• Facilitate career development in a gender-responsive, non-discriminatory and disability-inclusive manner, without assumptions about appropriate careers based on gender, disability, socioeconomic background, academic discipline or other personal characteristics.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate handling of participant information.
• Complete MGTC’s safeguarding orientation and comply with the Code of Conduct and other applicable facilitator standards before commencing delivery.
• Report and refer safeguarding or wellbeing concerns through MGTC’s designated mechanisms.
• Maintain professional boundaries and avoid providing services outside the Consultant’s professional competence.

9. Payment and Conditions of Engagement

• The Consultant will be engaged on a part-time, cohort-cycle basis, with an estimated level of effort of approximately 5 consultancy days per cohort.
• The applicable consultancy fee or daily/session rate will be agreed in the consultancy contract.
• The Consultant will be responsible for their own applicable tax obligations unless otherwise provided for in the consultancy contract.
• No employment relationship is created by this engagement.
• Materials specifically developed for MGTC under this assignment may be retained, reused and adapted by MGTC for future cohorts. The Consultant retains ownership of pre-existing methodologies, tools and generic professional resources.
• Renewal for subsequent cohorts is not automatic and will depend on programme requirements, performance and mutual agreement.
• MGTC may update these Terms of Reference where necessary to reflect programme or operational requirements. Any material changes to the scope, deliverables, level of effort or fees will be communicated and agreed with the Consultant.

10. Application Requirements

Interested consultants should submit:

• A current CV highlighting relevant career-development, employability, coaching and facilitation experience.
• A brief statement of approach, not exceeding one page, outlining how the applicant would facilitate the Career Discovery and Transition Readiness phase. The statement of approach must be original and personally written by the applicant, reflecting their own professional experience and reasoning. Submissions that are substantially AI-generated, generic, or not clearly grounded in the applicant’s own practice will not be considered. MGTC may request applicants to elaborate on or defend their submitted statement during shortlisting or interview.
• Evidence or references from at least two relevant previous assignments involving career development, employability, coaching, youth/graduate transition or related facilitation.
• Copies of relevant professional certifications, where applicable.
• Proposed professional fee in UGX, indicating the proposed unit of pricing (day, session, module, cohort or retainer), the applicable rate and what is included in the fee. Any additional costs or reimbursable expenses should be clearly stated separately.

MGTC reserves the right to shortlist candidates based on qualifications, relevant experience, demonstrated technical competence, proposed approach and value for money.