UN Women: Communications for WEE and Migration, Home-based, Retainer International Consultant

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security. Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. UN Women is mandated to lead, coordinate, and promote accountability for the implementation of gender equality commitments across the UN System. 

Across Asia and the Pacific, UN Women promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women implements programs (including normative and advocacy) in 41 Member States in the region, including Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam, through direct implementation as well as implementing partners, which include government entities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, UN agencies, and non-UN intergovernmental organizations. 

The economic empowerment of women (WEE) – to succeed and advance economically and to make and act on economic decisions – is a prerequisite for realizing gender equality and empowering women in all areas of life. It is also a cornerstone for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. UN Women has recently launched its global Economic Empowerment Strategy  which is translated into the Regional Asia and the Pacific WEE Strategy focusing on the key strategic priorities, namely:

1. Advancing Gender-Responsive Business Conduct and Creating More Decent Work Opportunities (WEPs)
2. Accelerating Gender-Responsive Entrepreneurship for (M)SMEs (i.e. Gender-Responsive Procurement & strengthening women’s entrepreneurship)
3. Progressing Safe Migration to Decent Employment
4. Transforming Care Systems

Under these strategic priorities the ROAP WEE team is currently implementing a series of different projects: 

• WeRise Together,
• UN Women Care and Climate Entrepreneurship Accelerator
• UN Women WEPs Asia-Pacific Gender Action Lab (GAL) – Innovation for Impact
•  #TransformCare Initiative and others.

These programmes are underpinned by a series of advocacy campaigns in the related areas, such as, but not limited to: 

• #BuyForEqual – aiming to prompt procurement professionals to evaluate and select suppliers who uphold gender equality principles, while urging consumers to patronize businesses supporting women's initiatives. The campaign seeks to achieve three main objectives: 
• Educate on the impact of gender-inclusive procurement practices. 
• Encourage procurement officers to consider gender equality in decision-making. 
• Motivate consumers to support businesses that champion gender equality
• #Transform Care a movement to catalyze actions to transform care systems to advance women’s economic empowerment. This is done in partnership with other actors, such as the Global Alliance for Care (GAC) – a global multi-stakeholder community that facilitates and fosters spaces for collective action, advocacy, communication, and learning about care, its recognition as a need, as work, and as a right

In addition, the implementation of the WEE Strategy produces a various thought leadership and knowledge products, organizes large scale events, such as for example the WEPs Forum, WEPs Awars, the yearly Asia Pacific Care Forum and many other events. 

The ROAP WEE Unit has been expanding rapidly over the last two years and with this communication needs evolved and require a more strategic and cohesive communications strategy connecting the different thematic areas with an implementation approach that ensures that all programmes are implemented in accordance to the donor requirements. At the same time, it will be important to ensure that the communications strategy across different channels creates measurable results to catalyze more actions and resources towards women’s economic empowerment.

Reporting to the Regional Programme Manager for WEE and Migration, the consultant is responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of the WEE and Migration communications and advocacy strategies to increase the standing and awareness of UN Women with partners, the media and the public. 

The consultant works in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations and technical teams in the Regional office, country offices, HQ/Regional communications teams, staff of other UN Agencies, Government officials, media, multilateral and bilateral donors and civil society.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Under the supervision and guidance of the Regional Programme Manager for WEE and Migration, the consultant will support the implementation of communications activities for the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) portfolio, providing content, coordination, administrative, and digital communications support.

 The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Communications Content Development and Digital Communication support: 

• Execute outlined activities in and maintain documentation of existing communication, campaign, project and social media plans, and update content schedules.
• Draft social media captions and support content development for digital channels.  Format and schedule social media content across relevant platforms.
• Create basic visual assets for social media, presentations, emailers, and other communications products using Canva, PowerPoint, and related tools.
• Format PowerPoint presentations, email newsletters, reports, and other communications materials, ensuring consistency with UN Women templates and branding requirements.
• Support copyediting, proofreading, and formatting of communications materials.
• Support content quality assurance by checking links, formatting, layout, and document structure.
• Track website and digital content review cycles and coordinate feedback and revisions as required.

2. Communication Coordination and Administrative Support:

• Liaise with designers, consultants, vendors, and other service providers to support the production of communications materials.
• Organize and maintain files, folders, asset libraries, and shared workspaces (including SharePoint and other collaboration platforms).
• Collate, track, and process social media and digital communications analytics, preparing summary reports as required.
• Coordinate internal review and approval processes for communications and knowledge products and content.
• Support follow-up communications and dissemination activities related to campaigns, events, webinars, and meetings.

3. Event and Knowledge-Sharing Support

• Provide logistical and communications support for events, webinars, workshops, and meetings.
• Assist with the preparation and dissemination of event-related communications materials.
• Support post-event communications activities, including follow-up messaging, content organization, and documentation of outputs and results.
• Coordinate feedback collection and follow-up actions related to communications and knowledge-sharing activities

4. The consultant performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Expected Deliverables   

1. Timesheet or Certificate of Payment (COP) indicating days worked in table form.  

2. Interim report with summary of performed activities, with reflection on tasks as per ToR and administrative support provided.  

Duration of Assignment and Duty Station 

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. The consultant will be home-based. The service will be purchased during the term of the Agreement.

*Note: The service will be rendered “on call” basis. UN Women does not warrant that the maximum of contract amount will be purchased during the term of the agreement. While on retainer, there is no guarantee of work, and selected consultants retain the right to decline assignments based on their availability and expertise. 

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. The consultant may be required to travel to the Asia-Pacific region for the purpose of the assignment, where required by the Regional Lead, Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration. Travel will be arranged by UN Women following UN Women’s Travel Policy. 

SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

A daily rate will be paid upon submission of deliverables with an approval of the supervisor.

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:

• Strong judgement in reputational risk and demonstrated experience in crisis communications. 
• Proven ability to shape, develop, implement and optimize social media moderation strategies for an international organization that can be customized for a wide range of channels. 
• Knowledge in managing digital communication channels (especially social media channels) is needed. 
• Understanding of current trends and best practices in digital communication, social media engagement and best in class digital and social media platforms in both developing and developed regions. 
• An organized and agile team player with high attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks. 

• Comfortable working independently with flexible hours and managing one’s own time and responsibilities. 

   

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in digital communications, educational technology, journalism, public relations, or related fields.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 (two) years professional experience in the field of strategic communications, advocacy or online communications, web publishing, electronic networks, or related fields  
• Knowledge and expertise in UN Women’s mandate areas a distinct advantage. 
• Working experience with the UN is an advantage.
• Experience working in a multicultural, web-based environment, and graphic design.
• Experience in online applications development and management

Languages and writing skills:

• Strong proficiency in English. Other UN languages are an asset.
• Excellent English language writing and editing skills
• Excellent communication and advocacy skills.

How to Apply

Submission package includes
•    Fill in online application in Quantum 
•    A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) 
•    Writing sample and sample of communication project will be requested from the shortlisted candidates.

Payments

Payments for this consultancy (retainer) will be based on the number of days worked that each has been satisfactorily completed.

UN Women does not warrant that the maximum number of working days will be purchased during the term of the Agreement. The consultant can only be engaged through the issuance of Quantum Purchase Order, based on the agreed Contract every time the UN Women wishes to procure the service. 
 

UN Women 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.