Consultant: Support for the development of UN Women Regional Office Strategic Note-2026-2029

Position description

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security. By placing women’s rights at the center of its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates UN system coordination to ensure global commitments to gender equality are translated into concrete actions. It provides strong and coherent leadership while supporting Member States’ priorities and fostering effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
The UN Women Regional Office for the Asia-Pacific (ROAP) is located in a region that includes 42 UN Member States. It oversees and supports 20 countries across the region. The office focuses on several key areas: UN Coordination, Inter-governmental support, Women’s Economic Empowerment (including Migration), Ending Violence Against Women, Women, Peace and Security, Leadership and Governance, Gender Statistics, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Action. 
In accordance with UN Women’s Planning, Monitoring, and Reporting (PMR) Policy, ROAP is required to develop a coherent and forward-looking Strategic Note (SN), which is a multi-year business plan of a UN Women field office. This SN must align with the organization’s triple mandate, the UN Women corporate Strategic Plan (SP), and the principles of Results-Based Management (RBM), which include accountability, inclusiveness, adaptive management, and learning. To ensure its relevance and effectiveness, the SN must be informed by comprehensive regional context analysis, independent assessments including audits and evaluations, and thorough stakeholder consultations.

The consultant will report to the Head of Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Unit, UN Women ROAP.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

Under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Unit (PMRU), the consultant will provide support in developing high-quality documents for the UN Women ROAP SN (2026-2029). The consultant will closely work with the Regional Director (RD), Deputy Regional Director (DRD), PMRU staff, Coordination Unit and other ROAP units. The development of the SN should adhere to the corporate procedures and guidelines of UN Women, ensuring alignment with the organization’s global SP. 

Key responsibilities include: 

 

• The consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive desk review of UN Women’s policies and procedures, as preparation, ensuring that the ROAP SN is developed in accordance with corporate requirements and guidance.
• Finalize a detailed methodology and roadmap with clearly defined actions, timelines, and processes for the SN development, based on the inception meeting with the PMRU and RD/DRD.
• Conduct a socio-economic and political context analysis for the Asia Pacific region from a gender perspective, ensuring that the analysis accurately represents the region. The consultant will use updated statistics, analytical reports, and input from relevant internal and external stakeholders, including thematic units of the ROAP.
• Facilitate workshops and conduct interviews with key stakeholders, in close collaboration with ROAP PMRU.
• The consultant will be responsible for collecting information, data, and analytical pieces from the regional context analysis, findings from the regional workshops and interviews, informed by key statistics.
• After collecting the required information and statistics from the context analysis and consultations, the consultant will be responsible for compiling a ROAP SN package with input from ROAP thematic units and functions. A ROAP SN Integrated Results and Resource Framework (IRRF) will adopt impact/outcome statements and their indicators from the corporate Strategic Plan. Outputs and their indicators and key activities as well as additional outcome/output indicators will/could be proposed by ROAP units. Result-Based Management (RBM) standards need to be applied and realistic, yet ambitious baselines, milestones and targets (BMTs) should be in place. Where necessary, methodological notes should be drafted. This package will include the SN narrative section, IRRF, Partnership, Communications and Visibility Plan, and Social and Environmental Scan with support from relevant colleagues of the Regional Office. Additionally, the consultant might support relevant units of ROAP in developing the SN Risk Register, Human Resource plan, and Evaluation plan.

 

Support to SN quality assurance process:     
 

• The consultant will support quality assurance process for the SN by drafting presentations, following up on UN Women HQ comments, and addressing feedback in a timely manner.
  

Reporting and Documentation: 
    

• The consultant will be responsible for drafting an SN brochure in accordance with corporate procedures.
• A final consultancy report will be submitted by the consultation at the end of the consultation period.

 

Expected Deliverables:

2025 Deliverables (Total 58 number of days are estimated)

1. Updated and finalized methodology and detailed timeline for this assignment after familiarizing with UN Women guidance and requirements on SN development. Payment milestones: submission of: Updated and finalized methodology and detailed timeline agreed by the head of PMRU. Expected submission date: Within 3 days of commencement. Target payment date: No payment
2. Based on desk review of documents from consultations and a survey, evaluations/assessments, workshops and own research and interviews with staff, draft regional socio-economic and political context analysis from a gender and “leaving no one behind” perspectives. Payment milestones: submission of: Regional socio-economic and political context analysis report (long/short versions) and a regional gender equality profile (if required by HQ). Expected submission date: 10 May 2025. Target payment date: Payment #1: 31 May 2025.
3. Support the regional office in preparing presentations for joint strategic dialogue with relevant units of UN Women HQ. Payment milestones: submission of: PowerPoint slides or required documents (TBC). Expected submission date: Mid-May 2025 (TBC when UN Women HQ set a date for the strategic dialogue). Target payment date: Payment #1: 31 May 2025.
4. The first draft Strategic Note (SN) (based on input from units) with mandatory annexes* for review and validation by RO senior management, PMRU and the respective units of ROAP. (*It will be clarified at the beginning of the assignment). Payment milestones: submission of: The first draft Strategic Note (SN) with mandatory annexes. Expected submission date: 27 July 2025. Target payment date: Payment #2: 15 August 2025.
5. Incorporate feedback from RO senior managers, PMRU, and other units, update the SN with all mandatory annexes, and submit it for UN Women HQ review and feedback. Payment milestones: submission of: The second draft Strategic Note (SN) with mandatory annexes. Expected submission date: 24 August 2025 (TBC when HQ sets a deadline). Target payment date: No payment.
6. Support RO in preparing presentations for the UN Women HQ review of the draft SN. Payment milestones: submission of:  PowerPoint slides. Expected submission date: 31 August 2025 (TBC when HQ sets a deadline). Target payment date: Payment #3: 15 September 2025.
7. Finalization of the SN package by working closely with PMRU and senior management by addressing comments from HQ (two rounds), and support to resubmit it to UN Women HQ for approval. Payment milestones: submission of: Final version of Strategic Note (SN) with mandatory annexes. Expected submission date: 10 October 2025 (TBC when HQ sets a deadline). Target payment date: No payment.
8. Finalization of the ROAP SN and submission of consultancy report. Payment milestones: submission of: Final version of the SN package and the consultancy report. Expected submission date: 30 November 2025. Target payment date: Payment #4: 15 December 2025.

Consultant’s Workplace 
This is a home-based consultancy. Travel to Bangkok, Thailand might be encouraged during the SN drafting period (TBC) (travel cost will be covered by UN Women).
 

Schedule of Payment

Payment will be made as per the schedule above upon submission and approval of the above deliverables.

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:

• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Demonstrated experience in planning, results-based management and/or evaluation.
• Demonstrate responsiveness, objectivity, organization and have a good methodology in carrying out the work.
• Demonstrate an ability to produce quality deliverables on time and to work under pressure.
  

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:    

• Master’s degree in international relations, gender studies, sociology, business administration, economics, law or other related disciplines.
• 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:

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of international experience in analytical work, strategic planning, and results-based management in the areas of gender equality and international development.
  Proven expertise in working with gender statistics and conducting critical gender analysis across various thematic areas.
• Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality analytical reports and strategic planning documents for international organizations, preferably with the UN agencies in the past.
• Excellent and dynamic facilitation skills to lead and motivate diverse teams in forward-looking strategic planning and innovation processes, ensuring inclusive and collaborative engagement.
• Previous experience with UN Women in the Asia and Pacific region, which is highly diverse and complex, will be considered as an asset.
  

Languages:
 

• Proficiency in English language.
  

Evaluation:

Technical evaluation criteria:

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on the following technical qualification evaluation criteria:
 

• A) Education and experience, Obtainable Score : 40 points
• B) Language, Obtainable Score : 10 points
• C) Technical proposal, Obtainable Score : 40 points
• D) Writing and analytical skills,  Obtainable Score : 10 points
• Total Obtainable Score: 100 points

Interviews and reference check might be conducted for successful candidates. 

How to Apply:

Submission of an application:

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit an online application not later than 26 March 2025, with the following documents: 
 

• Cover letter outlining relevant work experience.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit a technical proposal that outlines how to carry out the assignment, methodology and a clear timeline and two writing samples to demonstrate the applicant’s analytical and writing skills in English and a technical proposal that outlines how to carry out the assignment, methodology and a clear timeline.
  

Application instructions

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