Terms of Reference (TOR) - Partnership for Global Background & Reference Check Services
1. Background
Living Goods is a non-governmental organization delivering high-impact community health solutions across multiple countries in Africa, increasingly working in partnership with governments as they take on implementation ownership.
As the organization evolves, expanding geographically and deepening engagement with governments and donors, there is a growing need to strengthen, standardize, and elevate recruitment risk management practices, particularly for senior and critical roles.
Operating across diverse markets including East Africa, West Africa, and the United States, Living Goods requires a partner with the capability to navigate:
Different legal and regulatory environments
Varying levels of data availability and verification infrastructure
Increasing complexity in candidate profiles and reputational considerations
In addition, the broader hiring landscape is evolving, with:
Greater sophistication in how candidates present themselves
Increased use of digital tools and AI in recruitment processes
Heightened scrutiny from donors and stakeholders on governance and leadership integrity
As such, Living Goods seeks to engage a strategic partner, not just a service provider, capable of delivering robust, multi-layered, and context-aware background and reference check services across its current and future markets.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The primary objective is to strengthen hiring assurance through high-quality, reliable, and insightful background and reference checks. Specifically, the partner will:
Verify candidate information provided during recruitment processes
Identify and clearly flag potential risks (reputational, integrity, or compliance-related)
Support safeguarding, governance, and donor accountability requirements
Enable informed, risk-aware hiring decisions through both data and professional judgement
3. Scope of Work and Deliverables
The selected partner will provide end-to-end background and reference check services, including but not limited to:
Core Checks
Employment history verification
Academic and professional qualification verification
Identity verification
Criminal record checks (where legally permissible)
Professional reference checks (including senior-level referencing where required)
Enhanced / Executive-Level Checks
Politically Exposed Person (PEP) screening
Global watchlist and sanctions checks
Litigation and court record checks (where accessible)
Media and reputational scans (including adverse media)
Social media checks (where appropriate and compliant)
Contextual & Insight-Based Reporting
Identification and escalation of potential risks, inconsistencies, or reputational signals
Clear differentiation between:
Verified findings
Unverified but relevant signals
Professional judgement on risk level and relevance
Deliverables
Comprehensive, structured background check reports per candidate
Clear flagging and categorisation of risks (e.g. low / moderate / high)
Defined turnaround times (target: 3–5 working days for standard checks; timelines for enhanced checks to be agreed)