International consultant – Expert in Workplace Standards and Women’s Empowerment Principles

Consultant

Contract

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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.

Since 2015, UN Women, UNDP and UNICEF have been supporting IT Girls - a joint UN initiative that aims to bridge the digital gender gap and promotes equal opportunities for women and men in education and career in the information and communication technologies (ICT). Through the promotion of gender equality and equality of opportunities, adolescent girls aged 13-18 have benefited from advanced and targeted interventions aimed at acquiring digital skills and increasing their knowledge about the importance of their greater participation in the field of ICT. Young female ICT professionals have been included as role models for younger generations, and as part of ongoing awareness raising and advocacy towards increasing opportunities for girls and women in ICT.

IT Girls aims to build a wide network of partnerships in the public and private sectors. IT Girls has made important private sector partnerships as well. IT companies are an important driver of change with their rising share in the economies in the region, and their recruitment and human resource management policies can shape the sector’s demographic structure and dynamics and provide important example for the other sectors. IT Girls has established strategic collaboration with the association of IT companies in BiH – Bit Alliance, partnering on specific interventions such as the crowdfunding campaign (2018) and work in schools, building a network of successful women in ICT and behavioral insights research on women and girls’ education and career choices. Through the work on promoting equal opportunities in the IT sector, IT Girls aims to widen the scope of collaboration with IT companies and associations, developing this sector’s potential to model a business case for equality.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) is a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact. The Principles present seven steps that business and other sectors can take to advance and empower women. The WEPs elaborate the gender dimension of corporate social responsibility and business' role in sustainable development and were designed for companies to review their policies on empowerment of women, to acknowledge and to start making changes. They represent the global standard that has been accepted all around the world and provide seven principles that all companies can subscribe to. Since the launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles in 2010, over 3,000 CEOs from around the world have signed the CEO Statement of Support for the WEPs, signaling their support for gender equality and the guidance provided by the Principles.

In 2020, IT Girls, in collaboration with Bit Alliance, mapped ten IT companies to embark on the path of implementation of Women’s Empowerment Principles. UN Women and the IT Girls Initiative aimed to leverage the WEPs to work with several companies from the IT industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina towards promoting workplace standards which uphold equal opportunities and anti-discrimination, as well as raising awareness about WEPs among businesses in BiH in general. Five companies were on board for WEPs implementation. The process started by filling out the WEPs questionnaire, conducting the WEPs Assessment, and designing five WEPs Action Plans. Four IT companies plan to integrate a three-year action plan into their internal practices, policies, and regulations, starting in 2021. Currently, UN Women is in the process of supporting these companies and seeking additional interested companies. The plan is to have a pool of interested companies on board, in time for the expert guidance designed to take them through the process of adjusting their companies’ policies to reflect equal opportunities better.

In order to provide expert guidance in the process of promoting and implementing WEPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for the purpose of supporting selected companies to adjust their workplace standards to better reflect global principles on equal opportunities and anti-discrimination, as well as providing support in WEPs integration, UN Women Country Office in BiH is seeking to engage an international consultant who specializes in Women’s Empowerment Principles and equal opportunities in the workplace.

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of the assignment is to support private companies in WEPs integration and UN Women’s work on the economic empowerment of women. The results and lessons learnt from this process will further inform strategic areas of intervention for the IT Girls initiative and three supporting UN agencies (UN Women, UNDP, and UNICEF) as well as UN Women’s programming and promotion of Women’s Empowerment Principles. Besides, it will formulate unified documents on WEPs implementation and integration for UN Women’s future use.

IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE

To implement WEPs in private companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to provide support to UN Women in designing and implementing WEPs questionnaire, assessment, and action plans. The international consultant will lead the process of designing training manuals on gender equality, WEPs, gender-responsive HR and marketing practices, as well as on violence against women and girls (domestic and in the workplace) and may give suggestions on who to contact to lead the training and support companies in WEPs integration by advising on internal policies’ revision.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the IT Girls Project Officer and overall supervision of the UN Women Programme Specialist, the International Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Expert guidance with companies interested in becoming WEPs signatories:

• Provide support to the capacity development of companies and their staff delegated to lead the process of implementation of WEPs over a period of 2 months (April and May).
• Support companies to develop individual company plans for implementation and monitoring of the WEPs (scope, concepts, indicators, areas of implementation, and action plans).
• Guide the IT Girls team that will more directly support IT companies in the process of implementing WEPs.
• Support UN Women in implementing WEPs questionnaire and assessment.

Provide guidance to UN Women BiH CO and WEPs signatories on the process of integration, implementation, and monitoring of WEPs in general:

• Support companies in the integration of WEPs action plans and guide internal regulations revision.
• Assist in formulating the official WEPs event, as well as two conferences where contact persons from IT companies would participate and then transfer their knowledge to other colleagues in companies using the developed manual.
• Design four manuals for two conferences on trainings including gender equality in the workplace, gender-responsive HR practices, gender-responsive marketing practices, domestic violence against women, and sexual harassment in the workplace.

Refining the roadmap and narrowing down candidates/Potential application of WEPs in other sectors

• Presentation of the roadmap which will list all steps companies need to fulfill on their path to become WEPs signatories to interested stakeholders (IT companies, other businesses).
• Facilitation of discussion with representatives of potential WEPs signatory companies to ensure their buy-in, support, interest, and understanding of possible next steps with regards to WEPs implementation and integration and engage in discussions on their needs and areas for further support in this area.
• Facilitate a round of meetings together with UN Women with representatives of BiH business associations to discuss the application of WEPs in other industries.

Review and take stock of the process of implementation of WEPs standards by WEPs signatories:

• Review of each of the WEPs signatory companies process to take stock of the progress, compare experiences and discuss ways forward.
• Report to UN Women with recommendations on next steps.

ACTIVITIES AND TIMEFRAME:

The following products and deliverables are expected to be completed by the International Consultant according to an agreed schedule:

Key deliverables

Estimated days

Tentative deadlines

1.

Initial meeting with UN Women to discuss the work methodology, WEPs calendar, and next steps; workplan for the entire consultancy developed, submitted, and approved by UN Women

2

20 April 2021

2.

WEPs questionnaire and WEPs assessment developed and performed; WEPs assessment reports submitted and approved by UN Women

10

15 May 2021

3.

WEPs Action Plans for the selected companies developed, submitted, and approved by UN Women

10

15 June 2021

4.

Round of meetings/workshops with companies to present the WEPs Action Plans; meeting notes from at least 5 meeting conducted, submitted, and approved by UN Women

7

2 July 2021

5.

Design of training manuals for the first conference on Gender Equality, WEPs, Gender-responsive HR and marketing practice. Training manuals submitted, and approved by UN Women

5

18 June 2021

7.

First interim progress report submitted and approved by UN Women

1

15 July 2021

8.

Design of training manuals for the second conference on Healthcare in the workplace, sexual harassment, and domestic violence against women and girls. Training manuals submitted, and approved by UN Women

5

25 August 2021

9.

Second interim progress report submitted and approved by UN Women

1

15 September 2021

10.

Presentation and expert guidance to companies on WEPs integration and the next steps; presen

2

15 November 2021

11.

Meeting minutes from the round of meetings with other businesses and report on WEPs application in other industries submitted and approved by UN Women

5

25 November 2021

12.

Review of the entire process and final report to UN Women with recommendations on next steps submitted and approved by UN Women

4

15 December 2021

TOTAL

52

Note: Due to the current COVID19 crisis, the work is envisaged to take place online. However, in the coming months, should the circumstances permit, the international consultant will be expected to take up to 3 missions (of around 3 days each) traveling to Bosnia and Herzegovina to Jahorina, Sarajevo, and Vlašic. The local travel would be organized for the consultant. All travel related expenses should be included and clearly categorized as travel in the financial offer.

REPORTING

All deliverables should be submitted to the IT Girls Project Officer and UN Women Programme Specialist. The Final report on the consultancy should be delivered by 15 December 2021 in English and should not exceed 10 pages.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

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 Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UN Women
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills
• Development and Operational Effectiveness
• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills. Communicates sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies
• Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy
• Ability to perform a variety of standard specialized and non-specialized tasks and work processes that are fully documented, researched, recorded and reported
• Ability to review a variety of data, identify and adjust discrepancies, identify and resolve operational problems
• Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Proven networking skills and ability to generate interest in UN Women’s mandate
• Identifies opportunities and builds strong partnerships with clients and partners

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in International Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Gender Studies, or a related field in Social Sciences; A Master’s Degree would be considered as an asset. – 10 points

Skills and Experience:

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience at international level in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility, human rights or gender equality - 15 points
• At least 3 years of experience in labour rights and women’s economic empowerment issues - 15 points
• At least 2 years of experience in providing advisory services to private sector companies - 15 points
• At least 2 years experience in working with international organizations (successful experience in working with UN agencies is an asset). – 10 points
• Fluency in written and oral English are required- 5 points

EVALUATION OF OFFERS

UN Women applies a fair and transparent selection process that takes into account both the technical qualification of potential consultants as well as the financial proposals submitted in support of consultant applications. Candidate applications will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of applicant qualifications and financial proposal. The 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, interview and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical evaluation will be considered for an interview. Top 3 candidates (with highest number of points in the technical evaluation) will be interviewed. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest price proposal among those candidates who have reached at least 5 points in the interview. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion.

Criteria:

Technical Evaluation (70%),

Financial Evaluation (30%)

Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 30

S - score received on financial evaluation;

Fmin - the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;

F - financial offer under the consideration.

Please note that travel costs should be covered by the consultant.

Qualified women and men and members of minorities are encouraged to apply. UN Women applies fair and transparent selection process that would take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents:

1. Expression of interest
2. Detailed financial proposal inclusive of all costs (which includes consultancy fees, travel if applicable, accommodation)
3. Completed UN Women Personal History (P11) form, that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment

Applications that are not complete will not be considered.

For any additional information, please contact unwomen.bih@unwomen.org

How to Submit the Application: To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Download and complete the UN Women Personal History Form (P11)- http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
• Merge your UN Women Personal History Form (P11), the Financial Proposal, and Expression of Interest into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click 'Apply Now' button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click 'Submit Application;'
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

Apply now

Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org