Background:

UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, works globally to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on eliminating gender-based inequalities and promoting women’s leadership.

The diaspora is acknowledged for its significant contribution to fostering inclusive, gender-responsive development, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The UN Women West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) aims to leverage diaspora’s human and financial capital to enhance progress toward gender equality and women”s empowerment (GEWE) and establish a robust partnership through a diaspora engagement framework designed to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

UN Women seeks to engage a consultant to support the design of a diaspora engagement strategy to support GEWE. The consultant will:

• Conduct a mapping of relevant diaspora actors, including individuals, networks, and organizations within UN Women West and Central Africa’s scope of intervention
• Identify best practices and lessons learned from global diaspora engagement initiatives, particularly in contexts related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Provide guidance on establishing a diaspora engagement framework that aligns with UN Women’s mandate and strategic objectives.
• Support further stakeholder engagement by developing a clear value proposition that can be transformed into a concrete proposal for partnerships, investment and programmatic initiatives.

Deliverables

Inception Report that includes analysis and recommendations in alignment with UN Women’s mandate and scope of work

• Mapping of diaspora actors, networks, and opportunities.
• Analysis of best practices and lessons learned from other contexts.
• Preliminary recommendations on the outlines of a diaspora engagement strategy

Value Proposition Document that includes:

• Value proposition outlining initial, high-level actionable items (programs, advocacy) that can be expanded into full proposals
• Engagement plan to build strategic connections with key diaspora actors.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in diaspora engagement, development finance, or translating diaspora contributions into structured programs or funding frameworks.
• Knowledge of international development issues is essential. Knowledge of UN Women and international development issues particular to gender and women’s empowerment is highly desirable
• Knowledge of remittances, philanthropy, and innovative financing for development in African contexts.
• Strong analytical, research, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Superior writing skills in English, track record in writing compelling strategies and proposal documents
• Strong research capacity; interpreting, analyzing, complex international development issues and representing such information in a clear and concise written manner.
• Extensive network of contacts across the diaspora sector and proven record of successful partnership building.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality required.
• Proactiveness in seeking relevant inputs from different contributors to complete research.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Advanced university degree in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science and economics), public policy or international development, climate change.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in diaspora engagement, partnerships, business development, or translating diaspora contributions into structured programs or funding frameworks.
• Demonstrated expertise in conducting research and developing an evidence-based approach and strategic documents to engage with various prospects
• Proven leadership experience working with high-level decision-makers
• Experience developing pitch materials within an international organization

Languages : Superior writing skills in English mandatory.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women”s empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.