UN WOMEN Jobs - 64014- UN Women - National Consultant for Launching Women

UN Women - National Consultant for Launching Women Empowerment Principles Raising the business and social case for gender equality and women’s economic empowerment principles in Tirana Municipality

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Tirana, ALBANIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

29-Feb-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 working days over a period of 6 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors is essential to build stronger economies, achieve internationally agreed goals for development and sustainability, and improve the quality of life for women, men, families and communities. The private sector is a key partner in efforts to advance gender equality and empower women. Current research demonstrating that gender diversity helps businesses perform better signals that self-interest and common interest can come together. Yet, ensuring the inclusion of women’s talents, skills and energies—from executive offices to the factory floor and the supply chain—requires intentional actions and deliberate policies.

The Women's Empowerment Principles are a set of Principles for business offering guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. They are the result of a collaboration between UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact. The Principles emphasize the business case for corporate action to promote gender equality and women's empowerment and are informed by real-life business practices and input gathered from across the globe. Women's Empowerment Principles seek to point the way to best practice by elaborating the gender dimension of good corporate citizenship and business' role in sustainable development. As well as being a useful guide for business, it is hoped that the Principles will inform other stakeholders, including governments, in their engagement with business.

These Principles also reflect the interests of the Albanian Government and civil society, and will support interactions among stakeholders as achieving gender equality requires the participation of all actors. In 2015 UN Women in Albania initiated a National Study on Women’s Representation at Board and Senior Management Levels of Companies in Albania which provides thorough information on state of gender diversity on boards and in senior management and explains practices as well as business views on the topic.

In parallel in 2016, UN Women intends to launch for the first time the Women Empowerment Principals in Tirana. The effort will initially concentrate in Tirana, considering the density of the corporate sector and the fact that most of corporate headquarters are located on this area. The initiative will have the support of Tirana Municipality which jointly with UN Women will advocate to the business sector operating in Tirana for their recognition and endorsement of WEPs. As part of this initiative UN Women is looking for a National Consultant to support the Municipality in organizing a series of workshops to promote WEPs to the corporate sector in Tirana, identifying existing good pro-women practices, and achieve commitment of interested corporations/businesses to officially sign the WEPs.

Overall objective:

The overall objective of the national consultant to support the Municipality in organizing a series of workshops to promote WEPs to the corporate sector in Tirana, identifying existing good pro-women practices, and achieve commitment of interested corporations/businesses to officially sign the WEPs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of UN Women National Programme Coordinator, based on the programmatic input of UN Women, in coordination with the Ministry of Economic Development Trade Tourism and Entrepreneurship and in close cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana the Consultant will be responsible to develop a series of consultations and workshops to promote WEPs to the corporate sector in Tirana, identify good pro-women corporate practices and achieve commitment in formally signing WEPs. The consultant will also develop a questionnaire which will be based on the Women Empowerment Principles. Under each of the principle, the questionnaire will offer questions, guiding notes and the examples that will steer the process of identifying already existing good practices and possible directions for improvement of existing or introduction of new practices, which better reflect women and corporate interests.

The National Consultant is expected to work closely with UN Women National Programme Coordinator as well as coordinate very closely with the Municipality of Tirana and Ministry of Economic Development Trade Tourism and Entrepreneurship Specifically, the consultant will have to:

Desktop review of key documents (UN Women studies, WEPs, Gender Diversity in Companies and Corporate Social Responsibility Studies and Cases etc.)
Conduct a Mapping of corporates and big companies operating in Tirana. In doing so the consultant will work closely with the Municipality of Tirana during mapping and selection process;
Draft and disseminate a questionnaire to identify already existing good practices and possible directions for improvement which better reflect women and corporate interests.
Conduct a series of workshops with selected corporates and companies for promoting WEPs;
Lead the signature process of those corporates/companies that will commit to WEPs;
Support the conceptualization and organization of a launching event in cooperation with Tirana Municipality;
Prepare a final report in English and Albanian for the work done during the whole consultancy.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

Detailed work plan for the consultancy and description of methodology to be employed (agreed with UN Women);
Mapping of corporates/big companies in Tirana and final list in place;
Outline of the questionnaire; First draft of questionnaire; Final version of questionnaire.
A report with findings and recommendations for companies to introduce or improve practices, which better reflect women and corporate interests.
Various communication documents introducing WEPs as indicated by the UN Women team as per the WEPs methodology;
Final Assessment with Findings and recommendations for existing good practices
Copies of presentations/workshop materials produced under the consultancy
Final report in English and Albanian for the work done during the whole consultancy.

Competencies

Core values:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

Core competencies:

Communication: Excellent communication skills, including the ability to pose questions, listen, evaluate and capture opinions, suggestions and comments, both orally and in writing, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different stakeholders.
Client orientation: Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with national partners and pro-activeness in identifying of beneficiaries and partners’ needs, and matching them to appropriate solutions.

Required Skills and Experience

Education/Academic Qualification:

Advanced degree in the areas of humanities, law, social sciences , economy, gender studies or similar;

Work Experience:

Over 5 years of Relevant work experience with particular emphasis on corporate social responsibility and gender equality;
Knowledge and in depth understanding of pro-women corporate social responsibility. Familiarity with Women Empowerment Principles is desirable;
The expert should be proactive and have the ability to discuss openly with all senior executives of corporates and large companies; key public and private stakeholders and development partners;
Strong inter-personal, communication and public presentation (oral and written) skills, efficiency in a multi-tasking and multi-cultural environment;
Ability to work and adapt to a dynamic working environment, judgment, results-orientation, and ability to perform under pressure.

Language requirements:

Full working knowledge of Albanian and English, including excellent drafting and presentation skills.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The financial proposal specifying the daily fee and the overall amount in Albanian Lek for the tasks and anticipated number of days specified in this announcement. Given the nature of the work payments will be based upon a) delivery of the services specified in the TORs, and b) certification of performance.

Payment will be made as per the payment schedule in the contract upon (i) satisfactory completion of tasks; (ii) provision of deliverables specified in the ToRs; (iii) submission of and approval of final report; and (iv) submission of the respective time-sheet and invoice.

Evaluation of applicants:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal. Contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Applications will be assessed according to the following technical criteria:

Advanced degree in the areas of humanities, law, social sciences , economy, gender studies or similar (weight 15, max. points 15);
Over 5 years of Relevant work experience with particular emphasis on corporate social responsibility and gender equality (weight 25, max. points 25);
Knowledge and in depth understanding of pro-women corporate social responsibility. Familiarity with Women Empowerment Principles is desirable (weight 20, max. points 20);
Full working knowledge of Albanian and English, including excellent drafting and presentation skills. (weight 10, max. points 10);

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. The calculation formula applied is as follow:

p = 30 (µ/z); where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated; µ = price of the lowest priced proposal; z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

Financial Weight 30% Max. Point 30

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

Application procedures:

Interested individual consultants are requested to apply electronically through the following link: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.cfm no later than February 29th, 2016 and to submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

A Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability including a brief description explaining why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how the assignment will be approached and completed.
P11 including past experience in similar assignment. Can be downloaded at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
Financial Proposal specifying the daily fee and the overall amount in Albanian Lek for the tasks and anticipated number of days specified in this assignment.