RFP - Manager Coaching & Development Program Consultant needed
About Kiva
Kiva is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding financial access to underserved communities around the world. We operate as a remote-first organization with approximately 130 employees and 50 people managers located across multiple countries and time zones.
Kiva's People & Culture team is seeking an experienced Learning & Development consultant to partner with us in designing, facilitating, and transferring ownership of a manager development program focused on coaching, developmental conversations, and peer learning.
Background
In 2026, Kiva conducted a Manager Development Survey to better understand the support our managers need to be successful. The findings revealed several important themes:
Managers report the greatest confidence gaps in difficult conversations, coaching and developing employees, performance management, and accountability conversations.
Managers generally understand management concepts but want more opportunities to practice applying them.
Managers strongly prefer peer-to-peer learning, real-world scenarios, coaching, and discussion over self-directed or lecture-based training.
Managers expressed a need for greater confidence in career development conversations, particularly when traditional promotion opportunities may not be immediately available.
Newer managers and managers outside the United States reported the greatest need for support.
Despite all of the above trends, we also recognize that the best approach will build in flexibility for managers who learn differently and do not necessarily have the same style preferences as the consensus group.
Based on these findings, we believe the primary challenge is not knowledge acquisition but skill application. Our goal is to create a manager development experience that provides meaningful practice, peer learning, and confidence-building in real management situations.
Project Goals
We are seeking a consultant who can help us:
Build managers' confidence and effectiveness in coaching conversations.
Strengthen managers' ability to support employee growth and development.
Improve managers' effectiveness in difficult feedback and accountability conversations.
Create opportunities for practice, reflection, and peer learning.
Develop a sustainable internal program that can ultimately be facilitated by Kiva's HRBP team.
Establish a consistent, practical approach to coaching and development conversations across Kiva.
Desired Program Approach
We envision a highly interactive, practice-based learning experience rather than a traditional management training curriculum.
The ideal consultant will help us create a program that is:
Coaching-focused rather than compliance-focused
Practice-oriented rather than presentation-oriented
Peer-based rather than expert-driven
Tailored to Kiva's environment rather than off-the-shelf
Sustainable through internal facilitation after initial implementation
We anticipate virtual delivery and are particularly interested in approaches that emphasize:
Real-world management scenarios
Structured peer learning
Coaching demonstrations
Role play and skills practice
Observation and feedback
Reflection and application between sessions
We anticipate shorter sessions delivered on a recurring cadence and welcome recommendations regarding optimal cohort size, session structure, and duration.
Program Participants
We anticipate launching with a pilot cohort focused primarily on newer managers.
We are also interested in leveraging experienced managers and Kiva leaders as contributors to the learning experience through peer coaching, mentoring, discussion leadership, case studies, or other approaches recommended by the consultant.
The initial cohort is expected to include approximately one-third to one-half of Kiva's manager population, with the potential to expand in future cohorts.
Scope of WorkPhase 1: Program Review & Design Refinement
Kiva's People & Culture team expects to develop an initial program framework, learning objectives, and supporting resources.
The consultant will:
Review and strengthen the proposed program design
Recommend improvements based on adult learning and coaching best practices
Review supporting manager resources and operational documentation
Identify gaps and opportunities within existing materials
Recommend activities, practice exercises, and facilitation approaches
Ensure alignment between learning objectives and program design
Phase 2: Facilitation
The consultant will facilitate one or more pilot cohorts focused on topics such as:
Coaching fundamentals
Development conversations
Career growth discussions when promotion is not immediately available
Difficult feedback conversations
Accountability conversations
Performance management discussions
Goal setting and development planning
We expect facilitation to prioritize participant practice and interaction over content delivery.
Phase 3: Train-the-Trainer & Capability Transfer
A key objective of this engagement is building Kiva's internal capability to sustain the program long-term.
The consultant will:
Develop facilitator guides and supporting materials
Share facilitation methodologies and best practices
Coach Kiva HRBP team members on facilitation techniques
Provide recommendations for future program administration
Prepare internal facilitators to independently lead future cohorts
Additional Review Opportunities
In addition to training design, Kiva may ask the selected consultant to review supporting manager resources, including:
Manager handbook materials
Performance management guidance
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) documentation
Career development resources
Manager process guides and tools
The goal is to ensure consistency between manager training and manager resources.
Desired Consultant Qualifications
The ideal consultant will demonstrate:
Significant experience developing people managers
Expertise in coaching-based leadership and manager development
Exceptional facilitation skills and executive presence
Ability to engage experienced professionals in virtual environments
Experience facilitating discussion-based and practice-based learning
Strong train-the-trainer experience
Experience working with distributed and global organizations
Ability to customize solutions to organizational context
Experience helping managers thoughtfully leverage AI in coaching, development, communication, and other leadership practices while maintaining human-centered leadership.
Experience within nonprofit organizations is a plus but not required.
Proposal Requirements
Please include:
Overview of your approach and philosophy regarding manager development.
Description of similar engagements and outcomes achieved.
Examples of how you create practice-based learning experiences.
Your approach to train-the-trainer and capability transfer.
Describe your perspective on the role of AI in people management and manager development.
Recommendations regarding cohort size, session cadence, and session duration.
Sample deliverables, agendas, or case studies from comparable engagements.
Proposed project timeline.
Pricing structure and fee schedule.
Two to three client references.
Facilitation Sample Requirement
Because facilitation quality is critical to the success of this engagement, proposals should also include one of the following:
Finalists may be invited to facilitate a brief sample session as part of the selection process.
Timeline
Target timeline:
RFP Released: June 2026
Consultant Selection: July 2026
Design Review and Refinement: July/August 2026
Pilot Cohort Launch: September 2026
Internal Facilitator Readiness: Following initial cohort(s)
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
Facilitation excellence and engagement approach
Expertise in coaching-based manager development
Ability to create meaningful practice opportunities
Train-the-trainer capabilities
Ability to tailor solutions to Kiva's context
Experience supporting remote and globally distributed organizations
References and demonstrated outcomes
Overall value and organizational fit
Kiva is particularly interested in consultants who can demonstrate how they drive behavior change through practice, reflection, and peer learning—not simply through content delivery.
Budget
Kiva has not established a predetermined budget for this engagement and welcomes proposals reflecting different engagement models and levels of support.
Consultants are encouraged to recommend an approach they believe will best achieve the stated objectives while providing transparency regarding pricing and scope.
...
Show more