Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts.

 I.              PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a light project evaluation and develop a knowledge product for Oxfam’s Impact SME (I-SME) Project in Cambodia. As the project approaches closure, Oxfam seeks to:

• Capture learning, good practices, and challenges from project implementation within the Cambodian context
• Generate evidence and recommendations to inform future programming and ecosystem support for impact SMEs and Inclusive and Responsible Businesses (IRBs)
• Strengthen donor accountability, internal learning, and fundraising efforts
• Translate evaluation findings into accessible knowledge products that support visibility, advocacy, and policy engagement within the broader SME and IRB ecosystem.

II.              BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Oxfam’s Impact SME (I-SME) Project focuses on empowering impact-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale their operations while increasing their positive social, gender, and environmental impact. SMEs are a vital driver to economic growth for Cambodia, accounting for 99.8% of companies, 58% of GDP and 70% of jobs creation (MISTI, 2018). They play a significant role in offering innovative and sustainable solutions for local economic development, for example, providing decent jobs, using climate conscious business practices, and offering fairer income to small holder producers. To grow sustainably, these SMEs need to overcome issues related to their organizational capacity, access to market and investment, and the enabling business ecosystem.

Through the I-SME project, Oxfam supports these impact SMEs and IRBs with:

• Business Development Services: We provide tailored enterprise support through cohort-based and specialized programs in collaboration with our partners, including PRISME venture-building program, Orange Seal Certification, GEDSI Capital Readiness Studio, Inclusive Business Readiness, and Impact Innovators.   
• Access to Finance: We support impact SMEs and IRBs to be investment-ready including developing investors-facing materials, impact business plans, financial modelling, term sheets, and investor matchmaking.
• Enabling Environment: We strengthen the ecosystem for impact SMEs and IRBs through the Sustainable Business Alliance (SBA) and alignment with Cambodia’s and ASEAN’s Inclusive Business (IB) framework.

Key impact areas of the project include women’s economic empowerment, social inclusion, and climate resilience.

The I-SME Project has been implemented since 2021, and it has so far supported over 40 impact-driven enterprises, co-established the SBA platform, and contributed to national and ASEAN-level IB agenda. The project is scheduled to close in March 2026.

III.              SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will be responsible for following tasks:

1. a light project evaluation, and
2. a knowledge product package developed from the evaluation findings.

Component 1: Light Project Evaluation

The consultant will:

• Review key project documents and relevant data
• Develop an evaluation plan, and learning questions in consultation with Oxfam’s M&E team
• Collect data through surveys and key informant interviews with SMEs, project partners, project stakeholders, and Oxfam at EST 30-40% of each stakeholder

• Facilitate a validation and learning workshop to validate findings and collect feedback hosted at Oxfam
• Analyse findings to identify the project’s key results and outcomes, good practices and challenges, gaps and lessons learned
• Produce an Evaluation and Learning Report with clear, practical recommendations for future programming, policy engagement, access to finance, and ecosystem strengthening.

Component 2: Knowledge Product

Building on the evaluation findings, the consultant will:

• Develop a knowledge product structure and key messages aligned with Oxfam’s impact SME and IRB work
• Compile and synthesize existing data, stories, and visuals, (additional interviews if needed)
• Produce Impact SME Knowledge Booklet (4-5 pages), plus (7-8) SME Business Cases, and (2-3) human-centered impact stories highlighting the lived experiences of employers, farmers, and stakeholders benefiting from IRB practices

• Ensure content is suitable for visibility, advocacy, fundraising, and policy engagement
• Support basic design and formatting of all products into print-ready and digital formats

Cross-cutting Responsibilities

• Work closely with Oxfam throughout the assignment
• Present draft outputs and incorporate feedback
• Deliver all agreed outputs within the assigned timeframe

    IV.            KEY DELIVERABLES

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

• • • Evaluation and Learning Report (15-20 pages)
    • Impact SME Knowledge Booklet (4-5 pages), together with (7-8) SME Business Cases, and (2-3) human-centered impact stories

      V.            Timeline & PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

    VI.            PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal consultant shall possess the following qualifications and experiences as below:

1. Experience and Technical Skills:

• Proven experience in project evaluation, learning reviews, or research in private sector development, SMEs, inclusive business, or related fields
• Strong understanding of impact SMEs, IRB, inclusive growth, and gender equality
• Experience producing knowledge products (reports, booklets, case studies)
• Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills
• Excellent analytical and writing skills in English

2. Additional Assets:

• Familiarity with the Cambodian SME or business ecosystem
• Experience working with NGOs, donors, or multi-stakeholder platforms
• Ability to translate technical findings into accessible, audience-friendly content

Follow the link for a full TOR: https://oxfam.box.com/s/v2wlwks8oi7h1m2ozhf6sfeu223w9pra