National Consultant – Project Assistant (home-based, full-time basis)

Background:

UN Women (UNW), 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 centre of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the 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’s triple mandate, along with its global network and deep policy and programming expertise, continues to endow the Entity with a unique capacity to: (i) support Member States to strengthen global norms and standards for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and mainstream gender perspectives in other thematic areas; (ii) promote coordination and coherence across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment; and (iii) undertake operational activities to support Member States, upon their request, in translating global norms and standards into legislation, policies and strategies at country level.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the State of Palestine since its inception in 1997 (as UNIFEM). In line with the national priorities, the work of UN Women for the period 2023-2025 is aligned with three of the Palestine United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCF) outcomes:

• Palestinians have greater access to economic opportunities that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, including decent employment and livelihoods opportunities in an empowered private sector.
• Palestinians, including the most vulnerable, have equal access to sustainable, inclusive, gender responsive and quality social services, social protection, and affordable utilities.
• Palestinian governance institutions, processes, and mechanisms at all levels are more democratic, rights-based, inclusive, and accountable.

Its three-year Strategic Note supports the efforts to achieve measurable results in country in terms of four UN Women global Strategic Plan impacts (2022-2025): (SP Impact 1). Governance and participation in public life; (SP Impact 2). Women’s Economic Empowerment; (SP Impact 3). Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and; SP Impact 4. Women peace and security, Humanitarian & Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Global Disability Fund (GDF) is funding Project, “Enabling a Disability-Inclusive and Equitable International Response in OPT,” that is implemented jointly by UN Women and OHCHR under the UNCT Diversity and Inclusion Group. This initiative aims to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in national and international policy-making processes, fostering an equitable approach that aligns with international human rights standards. It also aims to enhance the capacity of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to engage in the recovery process and ensure disability inclusion (DI) in both humanitarian responses and all recovery efforts.

The project includes collaboration with various stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and UN agencies. Hence, under the GDF joint project, UN Women is seeking to hire a Project Assistant on full-time basis to support the project’s team.

Objective of Consultancy:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to support the management and implementation of the GDF Project by providing support to the members of the Programme Team in the development and effective implementation of the programme consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. The Project Assistant contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Project Assistant works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in UN Women Palestine Country Office as required.

The consultant will report to the Programme Coordinator/Specialist for Normative and Intergovernmental Engagement, and will be supported by the EVAW Analyst, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The consultant will undertake the following key tasks:

1. Provide targeted administrative, logistical and technical support to the implementation of ongoing project activities

• Provide support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals Related to the current programmer phase.
• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for the organization of meetings, workshops, events, and missions related to GDF work, including coordination of travel and accommodation for participants, as needed.
• Draft formal correspondence, in both Arabic and English, as needed.
• Organize and coordinate project-related meetings for programme partners; attend meetings and take meeting minutes and draft short reports as needed.
• Support the project teams in collecting data for reporting.
• Assist the GDF project teams in reviewing and preparing documentation on the procurement of goods and services, and support contract tracking.
• Create and maintain files of correspondence/documents and electronically received information and ensure up-to- date filing. Maintain organized digital records related to the consultant’s scope of work
• Provide time-bound budgetary and financial support for project implementation, including support in the preparation, monitoring, and reporting of financial resources in compliance with organizational rules and procedures.
• Support the GDF project team in the financial management of activities conducted during the consultancy period including create projects in Quantum system, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project.
• Prepare supporting documents for payments and financial reports.
• Maintain internal expenditures control system.
• Create requisitions in Quantum system; register good receipts in Quantum system; and
• Organize, compile, and process documentation and information from donors, and programme team as inputs to various databases and documents.
• Provide support to other GDF-related or UN Women projects, as required and within the consultancy period,

2. Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Support the preparation and dissemination of of knowledge products developed during the consultancy period.
• Keep up to date with the latest advancement in the field of information and knowledge sharing.
• Gather lessons learned and best practices from supported activities and share them with the UN Women GDF project team.

3. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Reporting on the assignment

• The consultant is expected to work full-time under the direct supervision of UN Women Programme Coordinator/Specialist for Normative and Intergovernmental Engagement.
• The consultant will submit a monthly report to the supervisor outlining the key deliverables.

Deliverables

The consultancy has the below main deliverables:

Deliverable

Expected completion time (due day)

A detailed workplan for the assignment, outlining key tasks and deliverables, to be formulated and agreed upon between the consultant and the Supervisor.

August 2025

Monthly update reports submitted to the supervisor, summarizing progress and outlining deliverables completed as per the approved workplan

End of month from August-December 2025

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy that requires continuous communication with the team in Palestine Office based on the office working hours

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:

• Sound knowledge of Disability Inclusion and Intersectional Approach in humanitarian action.
• Sound commitment to gender equality, women’s empowerment, women’s rights, and social justice issues.
• Excellent facilitation skills among various national and international stakeholders.
• Excellent skills in Disability inclusion capacity building facilitation.
• Excellent knowledge of the humanitarian context in the OPT.
• Ability to meet deadlines and respond positively to feedback.

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, business administration or any other related fields.
• Completion of secondary education in combination with three additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in programme support functions; including programme implementation, coordination, monitoring, and financial management support of Human Rights programs, gender, or other related field.
• Experience in coordination among stakeholders and partners Is required.
• Experience in gender equality and provision of gender projects support is required.
• Experience in DI in OPT, including key sector priorities related to women and girls is required.
• Familiarity with the OPT context and familiarity of DI sector in OPT including partners, strategies and networks is required.
• Previous experience with the UN, mainly on programme support, is desirable.
• Provide two samples of previous work, including project reports or workplans that should be submitted as part of the application.

Languages:

• Fluency in Arabic language is required.
• Proficiency of English language is desirable.

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.

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