The Niue Development Bank had the ambition of becoming an accredited entity for the Global Climate Fund. It needed a medium-term strategic plan and an operations manual to achieving this.
What we did
Our team used a systematic methodology involving a document review and consultation with key stakeholders to develop a draft strategic plan for the Niue Development Bank.
Noting the limited resources available, we recommended three focused strategic areas: service delivery, institutional strengthening and funding diversification. We established a clear goal, outcome and annual actions required enabling yearly business plans to be developed to monitor progress.
In preparing the operations manual, we assembled existing policies and procedures into a single document. We organised these to define the purpose, the scope, the resource implications, roles and responsibilities and other core commitments for a suite of operational, organisational, HR and health guidelines. We then reviewed, updated, and developed new policies and procedures where necessary.
How we did it
Our team brought the General Manager, his senior management team and the bank’s board together to get their input, specifically responses to a series of questions. These were designed to help us to become clear on the purpose of this assignment. Because of the Bank’s small size, we learned that documents needed to be straightforward or they might not be implemented.
A board paper with explanations was developed for each draft document at quarterly meetings. Based on feedback from stakeholders and the board, final documents were prepared, and a workshop was facilitated to take board members and the senior management team through these documents. This ensured that the strategic plan and the operations manual were well understood and had senior-level buy-in.
Benefit for partners (client)
Having a strategic plan and operations manual has allowed the Niue Development Bank to develop a business plan that focuses on priority actions to enable it to access Global Climate Funding opportunities.
“Kirsty quickly recognised the limits of our operating context so tried not to over-complicate things, so the products we received were highly useable; in fact ‘spot on’ in meeting our requirements”.
Wayne McCaughan, General Manager
Niue Development Bank: Strategic Plan and Operations Manual, 2021