UN Women: National Consultant for private sector engagement, Tirana, Albania, Consultant Contract/Retainer

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, empowerment of women, and 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, 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 Albania is currently implementing its Strategic Note (SN) 2022-2026 which aims to ensure that “All Women and girls enjoy and exercise their human rights in a gender equal society and meaningfully contribute to Albania’s sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development and EU integration”. To achieve such result, UN Women will focus on three outcomes, which mirror verbatim the areas of focus of the United Nations Albania[1]:

• Increased and more equitable investment in people to remove barriers and create opportunities for those at risk of exclusion.
• Innovative and integrated policy solutions that accelerate sustainable, productive and inclusive development.
• Gender-responsive governance that strengthens equality and non-discrimination.

This approach aims to support the Government of Albania to implement its commitments on human rights and gender equality, in line with its National Strategy on gender Equality (NSGE) 2021-2030, and the EU Acquis Communautaire. All interventions undertaken by the Country Office aim to address structural causes of gender inequality, addressing discriminatory practices and reach women and girls who are at greatest risk of being left behind. 

As part of the implementation of its Strategic Note, UN Women will continue strengthening and expanding its outreach to non-traditional partners including private sector companies in Albania under the framework of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The WEPs are a global community of almost 12.300 like-minded companies that aim to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment within their companies as well as in the community where they operate. In Albania, 87 companies have currently signed the WEPs. Over the years, companies have made an increased contribution to the gender equality agenda in Albania, including through in-kind and pro-bono support to women’s CSOs and to survivors of violence as well as on raising public awareness on women’s empowerment and on ending violence against women.

In this context and with the view of continuing to strengthen engagement of private sector the Country Office is looking to: i) continue expanding this network and reach out to more private sector companies as well as cooperatives, ii) identify avenues in which existing and perspective WEPs signatories can actively be engaged and support financially and technically UN Women programming, in line with the companies’ mandate, iii) ensure adequate relationship management and follow up with key existing and perspective signatories, including through communications activities and initiatives; iv) ensure timely and quality engagement of the companies during international days and campaigns such as the 16 Days, the International Women’s Days and other important initiatives led by the country office, including the Regional EXPO on Women Entrepreneurship.

In this context, the Country Office seeks to engage a national consultant to support strategic private sector outreach and communications, and to further strengthen the WEPs initiative in Albania. The consultant will provide technical advice on engaging companies across key sectors, identifying concrete opportunities for their contribution to UN Women’s thematic priorities. The consultant will also support the development and implementation of engagement activities, including organizing events, preparing company briefs, and contributing to reports and knowledge products.

The consultant will be responsible for managing relationships with private sector partners at both technical and senior levels, with a view to strengthening their commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment within their operations and communities.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Under the overall supervision of the WEPs focal point and in close coordination with the UN Women Country Office programme team, the consultant will provide technical support to strengthen strategic engagement with the private sector in Albania. This includes identifying and assessing potential partner companies across key economic sectors, facilitating outreach and high-level engagement opportunities, and supporting the development of partnerships aligned with UN Women priorities.

The consultant will contribute to sustaining and deepening engagement with existing partners by advising on practical actions to advance gender equality within companies and their communities, supporting their participation in UN Women campaigns and initiatives, and identifying opportunities for increased visibility and contribution to programme results. The consultant will also support company-level assessments and partnership due diligence, as well as the identification of tailored collaboration opportunities, including within initiatives related to women’s entrepreneurship.

Possible duties and responsibilities include (non-inclusive list):

• Maintain and regularly update a mapping of private sector actors in Albania, identifying potential partners across key sectors and opportunities for engagement. 
• Conduct sector and company-level analyses identify entry points for advancing gender equality within different industries. 
• Identify tailored collaboration opportunities in order to strengthen engagement with existing partners by, supporting their participation in UN Women initiatives, and advising on practical gender equality actions. 
• Conduct company due diligence and assessments in line with UN standards, including partner screening, profiling, and risk analysis. 
• Provide technical advice to companies on integrating gender equality into business practices, including internal policies, workplace practices, gender action plans, and CSR initiatives. 
• Develop and implement targeted outreach and engagement plans, including preparation of company briefs and coordination of meetings with partners. 
• Organize and support events and workshops with private sector partners, ensuring effective communication and visibility. 
• Maintain a tracking system of partnerships and engagements, including contacts, activities, and follow-up actions. 
• Prepare briefs, reports, and other written outputs as required. 
• Other duties related to engagement with private sector.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there will be missions to target municipalities of the project.

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 analytical skills, including the ability to assess gender-related issues within socio-economic contexts. 
• Ability to identify and analyze relevant stakeholders and assess their roles and influence. 
• Experience in conducting organizational or institutional assessments and applying due diligence processes. 
• Ability to provide technical advice on integrating gender equality considerations into policies, programmes, or operations. 
• Good understanding of institutional and organizational drivers, with the ability to link them to gender equality objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to translate gender equality principles into practical, business-relevant actions for companies across different sectors.
• Excellent communications, social media and writing skills and previous experience in managing communications initiatives, including on the topic of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Strong initiative-taker and aability to work independently.
• Strong interpersonal skills and time management skills;

Education and Certification:

Master’s degree in business administration, economics, international development, public administration, gender studies, communications, or other relevant social sciences.

A first-level university degree in business administration, economics, international development in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience or engagement with private sector actors in Albania, with knowledge of key economic sectors, including but not limited to: banking and financial services; tourism and hospitality; manufacturing, ICT and communication services, etc. 
• At least 5 years of professional experience engaging with or analyzing the Albanian private sector, demonstrating knowledge of key market actors across sectors and understanding of sector dynamics, trends, and challenges, as well as the ability to identify opportunities for strategic partnerships. 
• Demonstrated experience in conducting company-level assessments and due diligence;
• Prior work experience in integration of gender equality into organizational policies and practices, including workplace measures, action planning, and alignment with broader social responsibility frameworks.
• Previous experience or familiarity with the UN system or other international organizations.

Languages:

Fluency in English and Albanian, both oral and written, is required.

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.