Job description

The Position:

Expert consultant on empowerment of marginalized groups and referral coordination (Phase I) 

You will report to:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the designated UNFPA Programme Analyst. 

 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the establishment and operationalization of a referral coordination mechanism for women's economic empowerment and to play a central role in designing and launching the Investment Facility for Economic Empowerment. The consultant will strengthen institutional coordination among government institutions, employment services, private sector partners, financial actors, and women's support organizations, and will accompany beneficiaries and employers from consultation and design through application, award, and post-award implementation. This first phase of the engagement covers the consultations in RS and Brčko District, the validation conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, the launch of the Investment Facility, the establishment of the referral coordination framework and the initial pipeline of beneficiaries, support to the Employment Bureau co-financing round of March and April 2027, and initial post-award support to awarded businesses and employment placements. The assignment consists of two interconnected workstreams: • Supporting self-employment pathways for inactive and marginalized women, including survivors of GBV. • Supporting preferential employment pathways for inactive and marginalized women, including survivors of GBV. 

You would be responsible for:

  • Workstream 1. Investment Facility for Economic Empowerment and the self-employment pathway 

    The consultant will: 

  • • Liaise with the RS Gender Equality Centre to coordinate the consultation process on the design of the Investment Facility. 
  • • Plan and organize consultation meetings with relevant stakeholders, applying the consultation methodology implemented in FBiH and adapting it to the centralized institutional structure of RS.
  •  Coordinate all logistical arrangements required for the consultations.
  •   Jointly facilitate the consultations with representatives of the RS Gender Equality Centre. 

  •  Organize and facilitate consultations with: 

    - Relevant ministries in Republika Srpska. 

    - Employment Bureau representatives. 

    - Chambers of commerce and business associations. 

    - Startup incubators. 

    - Impact investors. 

    - Selected private sector companies. 

    - Employment Bureau branch offices in Trebinje, Bijeljina, Modriča, Doboj, and Prijedor.

     • Prepare a consultation report following each meeting, summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving the design and governance of the Investment Facility. 

    • Replicate the consultation methodology in Brčko District and consolidate the findings from FBiH, RS, and Brčko District into one integrated investment model. 

    • Refine the design of the Investment Facility on the basis of stakeholder feedback.

     Workstream 2. Preferential employment pathway 

    The consultant will support the establishment of referral pathways connecting inactive and marginalized women with employers participating in preferential employment schemes. This includes:

     • Engaging employers to identify workforce needs and employment opportunities. 

    • Coordinating with Employment Bureaus and relevant institutions at all administrative levels. 

    • Establishing and supporting referral pathways between women's shelters, employment services, municipalities, and employers. 

    • Identifying barriers to employment and proposing practical solutions. 

    • Supporting the preparation of co-financing applications under Employment Bureau employment programmes. 

    • Advising institutions and employers on sustainable employment pathways for project beneficiaries. 

    Investment Facility validation conferences 

    The consultant will support the organization and implementation of two stakeholder validation conferences: in Sarajevo, for stakeholders from FBiH, and in Banja Luka, for stakeholders from RS. The conferences will present the proposed Investment Facility, validate the consultation findings, and build institutional ownership among partner institutions. Participation will be by invitation only. In light of the October 2026 election period, the conferences will not be open to the media. 

  • Indicative implementation timeline
  •  September 2026. Coordinate and facilitate consultations across RS together with the RS Center for Equality; support the organization and implementation of the validation conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka; finalize the consultation reports; consolidate recommendations into the proposed Investment Facility design. 
  • October 2026. Support the official launch of the Investment Facility; establish operational cooperation mechanisms with ministries, employment services, women's shelters, municipal partners, private sector companies, and other referral partners. 
  • November 2026. Establish the initial pipeline of beneficiaries for the self-employment and preferential employment pathways; coordinate referrals from partner institutions; verify beneficiary eligibility. 
  • December 2026 to February 2027. Support women and employers in preparing for implementation by identifying viable business ideas and market niches, refining business concepts, providing entrepreneurship mentoring, mapping company workforce needs, preparing women for preferential employment, and supporting the preparation of Employment Bureau co-financing applications expected to open in March and April 2027. 
  • March 2027. Provide technical support throughout the application process by reviewing application packages, providing individual mentoring to applicants, advising participating companies, coordinating with Employment Bureaus, and improving the quality and competitiveness of submitted applications. 
  • April to July 2027. Provide continuous post-award technical support through regular mentoring and coaching sessions; monitoring of business development and employment outcomes; business counselling and troubleshooting; support to employers participating in preferential employment pathways; linking promising businesses with additional funding opportunities, including grants, accelerators, incubators, commercial finance, and impact investors; preparation of periodic progress reports; and assessment of beneficiary performance. By the end of the assignment, the consultant will document the status of each supported business and employment placement, together with the mentoring and monitoring arrangements required in the subsequent period. 

All deliverables will be submitted electronically, in English and in editable format, to the supervising UNFPA Programme Analyst. 

The consultant will produce, at a minimum:

 1. Consultation methodology and work plan. Consultation methodology and detailed work plan for RS and Brčko District, adapting the approach implemented in FBiH to the centralized institutional structure of RS.  Timeline: August and first half of September 2026. 

2. Consultation reports for all stakeholder meetings. Individual reports summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations, submitted within five working days of each meeting.  Timeline: September to October 2026.

 3. Support for the organization of two stakeholder validation conferences. Agendas, invitation lists, facilitation inputs, and summary reports for the conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.  Timeline: September 2026. 

4. Consolidated consultation report with recommendations. One integrated report consolidating the findings from FBiH, RS, and Brčko District.  Timeline: October 2026.

 5. Final design recommendations for the Investment Facility. Refined design and governance recommendations reflecting stakeholder feedback, supporting the official launch.  Timeline: October 2026. 

6. Referral coordination framework for economic empowerment. Operational cooperation arrangements with ministries, employment services, women's shelters, municipal partners, private sector companies, and other referral partners.  Timeline: November 2026. 

7. Pipeline of eligible beneficiaries. Initial pipeline for the self-employment and preferential employment pathways, with coordinated referrals from partner institutions and verified eligibility.  Timeline: November to December 2026. 8. Technical support for Employment Bureau applications. Documented support to beneficiaries and employers, including reviewed application packages, mentoring records, and coordination with Employment Bureaus.  Timeline: December 2026 to April 2027. 

9. Periodic mentoring and monitoring reports. Reports covering mentoring and coaching delivered, business development and employment outcomes, and beneficiary performance assessments.  Timeline: quarterly, April to July 2027. 

10. Progress reports. Reports documenting implementation, beneficiary performance, lessons learned, and recommendations for programme improvement, including a final assignment report.  Timeline: quarterly; final report by 31 July 2027. 

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