Governance and Stakeholder Engagement Adviser- Strongim Bisnis

Supporting Effective Landowner Participation in Plantation Forestry Ownership

Position: Governance and Stakeholder Engagement Adviser
Program: Strongim Bisnis
Location: Honiara, Solomon Islands, with travel to Kolombangara
Start date: 1 May 2026 (approximately 50 days, as required)
Works with: Team Leader, Partnership Managers, and stakeholders

Project Background

Strongim Bisnis is an innovative pro-business program funded by the Australian Government.

The program supports Solomon Islands businesses to increase productivity, access greater income-earning opportunities, and enter higher-value markets, with the intention of enabling greater resilience and creating jobs. Poverty reduction is the intended outcome.

Strongim Bisnis also supports the private sector and the Solomon Islands Government to work together effectively to increase opportunities for trade and investment and accelerate business growth. A key focus of the program is to ensure that women, youth, and people with disabilities have increased economic opportunities.

The program takes a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to unlocking opportunities for growth in selected sectors (cocoa, coconut, tourism, timber, horticulture, financial services, and waste management). MSD requires Strongim Bisnis to carefully select partnerships and design interconnected activities that deliver tangible and measurable results.

For each activity, it must be possible to track progress from improving the performance of Solomon Islands enterprises, to achieving resilient systemic change in markets, and ultimately increasing income and employment. In this way, Strongim Bisnis avoids ad hoc activities and seeks deep engagement with market actors.

Activities may include developing and testing new business models, sharing risk with private sector partners, facilitating market access, supporting structural changes to the business enabling environment, product marketing to bring about greater scale, and improving participation and access to resources for women, youth, and people with disabilities.

Position Summary and Justification for the Role

Kolombangara Island Investment Limited (KIIL) holds a minority equity share in Kolombangara Forest Products Limited (KFPL), representing the interests of landowner groups associated with plantation forestry operations.

Recent changes in KFPL’s ownership structure have increased the importance of strong governance, financial literacy, and shareholder capability within KIIL and its constituent land group entities.

KIIL comprises multiple land group businesses, each representing customary landowners. With KIIL holding a 20% equity stake in KFPL, there is a need to strengthen governance systems, clarify shareholder roles and responsibilities, and build commercial capability to support effective participation as an equity holder.

Strongim Bisnis seeks to engage a suitably qualified consultant to assess and strengthen KIIL’s governance and shareholder capacity in a culturally appropriate and commercially sound manner.

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to strengthen the governance, organisational, and shareholder capacity of KIIL and its constituent land group entities to enable effective participation as equity holders in KFPL and maximise long-term benefits for landowners.

The assignment aims to support KIIL in:

• Establishing and adhering to professional standards of corporate governance

• Ensuring that the KIIL board and underlying land group businesses understand their legal rights, fiduciary duties, and financial obligations (including capital calls), as well as the restricted nature of minority equity participation

• Implementing a transparent framework for the equitable distribution of benefits to landowners and mitigating risks of elite capture and capital misappropriation

• Strengthening financial management and revenue planning systems to ensure prudent reserves management, transparency, and long-term financial sustainability

Scope of Work

This assignment is expected to be carried out by one or two consultants and will be delivered in two phases.

Phase 1 is expected to take up to 20 days. Phase 2 and the final report are expected to take approximately 30 days.

PHASE 1

3.1 Diagnostic Assessment

The consultant(s) will:

• Conduct an initial assessment of KIIL’s governance structure, documentation, and decision-making processes

• Assess the organisational capacity and capability of KIIL’s management and board, including skills, roles, and operational effectiveness

• Review the governance and business arrangements of the individual land group entities that form KIIL, including representation mechanisms and internal accountability structures

• Assess existing operational processes, financial management practices, and administrative systems

• Review the status of KIIL’s legal registration, compliance with statutory requirements, and reporting obligations

• Assess the existence and adequacy of key governance documents, including constitutions, charters, agreements with land group entities, and relevant contractual arrangements

• Identify current income sources, financial obligations, and risk exposure, including arrangements related to rent payments or advances (where applicable)

• Undertake a high-level organisational risk assessment to identify key governance, financial, and operational risks

• Identify gaps in governance systems, shareholder understanding, financial management, and commercial capability

• Provide a brief diagnostic report outlining priority areas for strengthening

• Develop a governance roadmap

PHASE 2: Implementation Support

3.2 Governance Strengthening

• Develop or refine governance charters, constitutions, and board role descriptions

• Clarify shareholder structures and representation mechanisms between land groups and KIIL

• Establish clear decision-making processes and accountability mechanisms

• Develop conflict-of-interest and transparency frameworks

• Develop a grievance and dispute resolution mechanism for internal land group disagreements

3.3 Financial Management and Revenue Planning

• Support the development of basic financial management systems and budgeting processes

• Build understanding of cash flow management and long-term financial planning

• Identify options for diversifying or strengthening revenue streams (where appropriate)

• Provide guidance on prudent use of advance payments and reserves management

Support should be practical, tailored to the organisational context, and focused on strengthening KIIL’s long-term financial sustainability.

3.4 Distribution and Benefit Management Framework

• Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defining criteria, frequency, and methods for payments to landowners

• Establish how distribution amounts are calculated and communicated to manage expectations

• Introduce verification procedures to ensure payments reach intended recipients through verified land group lists

• Develop a policy balancing immediate cash distributions with long-term reinvestment into community assets or KFPL

3.5 Shareholder and Commercial Capacity Building

Design and deliver tailored capacity-building support, including:

• Understanding equity ownership and shareholder responsibilities

• Roles and obligations of minority shareholders

• Capital requirements, reinvestment, and long-term planning

• Interpreting financial statements and board reporting

• Dividend policies and long-term value creation

Training should be practical, context-specific, and adapted to varying literacy and experience levels.

Deliverables and Duration

The consultant(s) will deliver:

1. Inception report and workplan

2. Diagnostic governance and capacity assessment report

3. Governance documentation (charters, templates, policies, and procedures, as required)

4. Draft Distribution and Benefit Management Framework

5. Training materials and delivery of agreed sessions

6. Final report summarising outcomes, key findings, and recommendations, including:

   • Prioritised actions and recommended implementation sequence

   • Identification of responsible parties

   • Indicative timelines

   • High-level cost estimates (where feasible)

   • Key implementation challenges and risks

   • Potential economic implications for KIIL and KFPL if critical actions are not undertaken