Consultant to Support UN Trust Fund Strategy and Development

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

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.

The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) was established through the UN General Assembly Resolution 50/166 in 1996 with UN Women as its Administrator on behalf of the UN system. The UN Trust Fund (UNTF) is a global multi-lateral grant-making mechanism supporting national efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls, one of the world's most widespread human rights violations. The UN Trust Fund provides technical assistance and funding to advance the development of innovative models and strategic interventions in ending violence against women and girls. The UN Trust Fund’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025 is grounded in the right of all women and girls to live free of violence. It seeks to achieve this goal through global solidarity and partnerships that enable civil society organizations, especially women’s rights organizations, to deliver survivor-centred and demand-driven initiatives to help feminist movements grow globally. The UN Trust Fund Strategic Plan aims to increase flexible funding and more grants that cover longer periods; advance opportunities to pilot and test innovative approaches to ending violence against women and girls; increase resources to support and build the capacity of civil society organizations and women’s rights organizations; and create more space for knowledge-sharing, learning and dialogue among grantees.

Purpose of this Consultancy

The UN Trust Fund recently conducted a Mid-Term Review of the UN Trust Fund Strategic Plan (2021-2025) and is actively seeking to engage the services of a consultant to support key recommendations noted within the review[1]. In particular, the consultant will assess the Trust Fund’s current engagement strategies with a diverse array of stakeholders, including partners, donors, and sister UN agencies to identify areas of strength, pinpoint potential areas for improvement, and propose innovative strategies to strengthen collaboration, enhance communication, and optimize strategic engagements. Through this body of work, the Consultant will add to the existing analysis, documentation, and strategic insight within the UN Trust Fund to inform our strategies and actions for the duration of the Strategic Plan, especially in relation to partnership strategies, positionality as a grant maker within the feminist grantmaking ecosystem and the UN System, and reviewing its grant selection process to identify areas for improving effectiveness and efficiency, while maintaining core principles of fairness and transparency.

Furthermore, this consultancy aims to coordinate closely with the UN Women EVAW Section and provide, as needed, strategic and/or technical support to both HQ, regional and/or country programmes.

The consultant will report to the UN Trust Fund Chief.

[1] MTR Report to be finalized in by February 15th, 2024, with draft findings and recommendations completed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Deliver a comprehensive report that outlines the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, the proposed methodology, and a detailed work plan for the duration of the consultancy.

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the UN Trust Fund’s value, understanding and position within the feminist philanthropy and UN EVAW and grant-making funding space over the last five years, with a focus on its commitment to providing core and flexible funding to Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Compare the Trust Fund’s practices and policies against those of similar feminist philanthropic funders and a sample of UN Grant Making entities, based on criteria such as: eligibility requirements, grant size, application process, and geographic focus. Highlight areas where the Trust Fund excels as a feminist grant maker within the UN System and provide specific recommendations for how the UN Trust Fund can draw on its 20-year history to influence grant-making practices within the UN system. Provide strategic recommendations for enhancing collaboration with other feminist grant-makers and offer recommendations for enhancing its coordination and convening power within the field of EVAW. The analysis should be presented in a detailed report, not exceeding 20 pages, and will be used to inform the Chief’s strategic engagement with internal and external partners/stakeholders.

• Conduct a thorough assessment of the UN Trust Fund Secretariat’s governance approach, in particular the role of the RPAC/GPAC and explore how best to strengthen the UN Trust Fund’s Governance can be elevated and strengthened to reflect its innovation as a longstanding United Nations, Member States and Civil Society partnership. Evaluate the existing governance structure of the UN Trust Fund; assess the roles, responsibilities, and effectiveness of RPAC and GPAC; identify any gaps or weaknesses in the current governance framework; provide concrete recommendations to strengthen governance and coordination structures within the Trust Fund.

• Conduct an assessment of the UN Trust Fund’s grant selection process over the past three years, with a specific focus on evaluating the roles, responsibilities, and decision-making practices of the Regional Programme Advisory Committees (RPACs) and the Global Programme Advisory Committee (GPAC) and specifically identifying ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the selection process. Utilize a mixed-methods approach, incorporating analysis of internal selection documents, interviews with UN Trust Fund team members and technical reviewers. Identify areas of strength, as well as opportunities for improvement, in the current grant selection process and operations. Present the findings and recommendations in a detailed report, not exceeding 20 pages.

• Based on the findings on the above two reports and internal analysis conducted by the UN Trust Fund, work closely with the team to develop actionable recommendations to be aligned with the UN Trust Fund management response to the Mid-Term Strategic Plan to further guide the Trust Fund in its final years of Strategic Plan implementation. Present the recommendations and roll-out plan in a high-quality slide deck, accompanied by a short, high level report, not exceeding 8 pages.

• An agreed set number of days providing technical support to the UN Women EVAW section.

• [If time permits] Based on the findings of the MTR in the areas of divergent perceptions, support an internal examination of why varied understandings and perceptions of the Trust Fund persist and offer recommendations for improving communication and engagement practices. Deliver a detailed report outlining concrete recommendations on how to enhance collaboration and communication across diverse stakeholders, ensuring recommendations are practical, actionable, and tailored to the specific needs and expectations of each stakeholder group.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Gender and Gender Based Violence Expertise
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

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

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Possesses comprehensive knowledge and skills related to ending violence against women, gender-based violence, and working on addressing gender-based violence across the humanitarian-peace-development nexus. Demonstrating a deep understanding of the issues, challenges, and best practices in these areas
• Demonstrates strategic thinking, analytics and writing skills, as evidenced by Senior Strategist and/or Leadership positions within the EVAW space.
• Possess direct experience with grantmaking and feminist philanthropy to advance gender equality and women's rights.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Gender, Social Work, International Development or a related field is required.

• A [project/programme management] certification would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible work experience in Gender Based Violence and Gender Mainstreaming
• At least 10 years specifically managing grants and programmes on GBV, GBViE and EVAW in international contexts.
• Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently.
• Experience supporting a UN Agency on advancing EVAW and/or gender strategies preferable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.

• Knowledge other UN official is an asset.

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