Background
UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to implement these standards. It stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas: (1) increasing women’s leadership and participation; (2) ending violence against women; (3) engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes; (4) enhancing women’s economic empowerment; and (5) making gender equality central to national development planning and budgeting. UN Women coordinates and promotes the UN system’s work in advancing gender equality.
The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia developed and established its regional website. The website is a platform where UN Women’s work in the region are showcased. Each Country and Programme Office have its own page where their Programmes, Publications and other communications materials can be viewed. The website informs the general public as well as specific stakeholders, such as the government, civil society and donors about UN Women News from the region, its programmatic work, and key achievements. The Regional Office also produces other Communications Products such as brochures, factsheets, newsletters feature stories, publications etc.
Under the supervision of the Regional Communications and Advocacy Specialist and in close collaboration with UN Women’s field-based presences and relevant HQ units, the writer/editor will copy-write and copy-edit the content for the website. The Writer/Editor will collaborate with the Multi-Country Office and Country Offices’ (MCO/CO) colleagues under the supervision of the Regional Communications and Advocacy Specialist to ensure the content provided is up-to-date and relevant, s/he may ask for more information, key results, and additional materials from these offices. s/he will:
- Review the content provided by field offices and the Regional Office and identify key programmatic and other information and results to be highlighted.
- Undertake the initial editing of the content that is provided.
- Copy-write new content where necessary, identifying catchy titles when needed.
- Liaise with UN Women Communications and Advocacy Specialist and staff in field offices for review and finalization of text
- Deliver final, approved script for lay-out
As most of the content provided from field offices are written by people whose native language is not English, copy-editing this content into proper English is extremely important for the Regional Office.
The writer/editor will also be expected to make the website as marketable as possible, along with catchy language, titles etc. that would attract the attention of the general population as well as other relevant stakeholders.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Review the content provided by field offices and the Regional Office and identify key information and results to be highlighted. Get in touch with the offices for more information, results, background etc. when/if necessary;
- Undertake a substantive editing of the content that is provided ensuring internal consistency, both intellectual and stylistic; general readability and accessibility to a broad readership worldwide;
- This would require, in some cases, significantly cutting down the text provided by offices. The editor will have to evaluate and select the key and most important information to be highlighted for the website in these cases;
- It will be crucial to use catchy, attractive language and identify titles which would make the communications tools more marketable;
- Liaise with UN Women Communications and Advocacy Specialist and staff in field offices for review and finalization of text;
- Deliver final, approved script for lay-out
Expected Deliverables:
The writer/editor will provide the following deliverables:
1st batch of documents, Approximately 2-3 days*:
Substantive editing of updated website content to include but not limited to program information, background for offices, situational context etc. + copy-editing the general information about the publications.
2nd batch of documents, Approximately 2-3 days*:
Substantive editing of any updated website content from offices (this could involve any remaining country program information + substantive editing of feature stories to be highlighted on the website)
Payment will be made to the writer/editor once each batch is reviewed and accepted by the Project Manager.
* The exact number of days required may change depending on the needs of the Regional Office and the contractor and the contractor must inform the Regional Office of any foreseen change in the timely delivery of the final product.
Duration of Assignment:
The time required for the consultancy is estimated up to 40 working days within the period from 3 February 2016 to 2 February 2018. The consultant will be engaged under a retainer contract, which facilitates direct engagement of the consultant depending on need and availability within the contract period for a pre-agreed fee.
Competencies
Core Values:
- Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct;
- Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work;
- Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.
Core Competencies:
- Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
- Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative;
- Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication;
- Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behaviour towards others;
- Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.
Functional Competencies:
- Excellent communication skills. Communicates sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
- Excellent writing and editing skills. Writes effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
- Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy;
- Ability to generate interest in UN Women’s mandate;
- Strong initiative-taker;
- Very effective at multi-tasking;
- Focuses on impact and results for the client;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates exceptional ability to remain calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure and tight deadlines;
- Excellent organizational and coordination skills and attention to detail;
- Pro-active, self-directed, enthusiastic.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree is required.
- Bachelor’s Degree on social sciences, communications or any relevant field is desired.
Experience:
- Minimum 7 years of experience as an editor, writer, with outstanding writing skills;
- Extensive experience in creating and editing website content;
- Minimum 2 years of experience in editing materials for human rights-related international organizations;
- UN experience is an asset;
- Proven record or writing and/or editing in the area of gender equality and women empowerment is an asset;
- Proven record or writing and/or editing in the area of feature stories.
Language Requirements:
- Native English speaker with excellent command of the language – both written and spoken.
Application procedure:
The following documents should be submitted as part of the application:
- Cover letter to include a brief overview about which of your previous experiences makes you the most suitable candidate for the advertised position;
- Financial Proposal ;
- The financial proposal shall include a daily rate for completing these expected deliverables and the number of working days indicated. This daily rate should include any and all expenses that the consultant would incur to complete the scope of work/deliverables. UN Women will not be covering any extra or exceptional costs outside of the payment for this daily rate.
- P11 including past experience in similar assignments; can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment
Payment schedule:
Total amount specified in the Financial Proposal will be disbursed upon the submission and approval of all deliverables by the UN Women Hiring Manager at the Istanbul Regional Office.
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 receives the highest score out of below defined technical and financial criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.
Criteria Total points Max. Points
Technical Evaluation (70%) 70
Relevant education 10
Experience in areas related to the tasks as described in this TOR 30
Knowledge of relevant standards and context 30
Financial Evaluation (30%) 30
TOTAL 100
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. A suggested formula is as follows:
- p = 30 (µ/z)
- Using the following values:
- p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
- µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
- z = price of the proposal being evaluated