National Consultant on Gender-Responsive Green Skills and Capacity Development, NOC, Sarajevo, BiH

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.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN Women is implementing activities under the UN Women–UNDP UN-to-UN Agreement “Understanding the Challenges and Current State of Energy Poverty”, under Pillar 1 – Decarbonization and Climate Resilience of the Green Transition Portfolio, funded by the Government of Sweden. The intervention contributes to a just and inclusive green transition by strengthening the evidence base on gender-responsive approaches to energy poverty, enhancing women's capacities for climate resilience and green transition, and promoting women's meaningful participation in local energy and climate planning processes.

To achieve these objectives, UN Women is implementing three mutually reinforcing activities:

• Activity 1: Conduct gender-responsive energy poverty assessment; 
• Activity 2: Deliver gender-responsive training for women on climate resilience, green job skills, environmental awareness related to sustainable practices and community health; 
• Activity 3: Facilitate women's engagement in municipal energy/climate planning. 

These activities are designed as an integrated intervention, with evidence and stakeholder inputs generated under Activity 1 informing the design and implementation of Activities 2 and 3. The specific scope, sequencing and implementation arrangements for the activities supported under this consultancy are described in the Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work below.

To support the implementation of Activities, UN Women will engage an interdisciplinary team of three national consultants with complementary expertise in gender equality, vulnerability and social inclusion in energy poverty policy, gender-responsive green skills and capacity development, and gender-responsive municipal energy and climate planning. While each consultant will assume lead responsibility for a specific technical area, all three consultants are expected to work collaboratively throughout the assignment to ensure coherence across activities and contribute to integrated technical outputs, under the overall UN Women leadership and coordination.

The National Consultant on Gender-Responsive Green Skills and Capacity Development will serve as the technical lead for Activity 2. The consultant will contribute technical expertise on climate resilience, sustainable energy practices and green skills to the Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues under Activity 1 and use relevant evidence and stakeholder inputs to inform the design of the capacity development programme. The consultant will lead the design, preparation and delivery of the capacity development programme, including its curriculum, learning methodology and materials, and contribute to subsequent municipal engagement activities under Activity 3, working closely with the other national consultants to ensure consistency and complementarity across the assignment.

The consultant will report to the UN Women Programme Analyst – Gender-Responsive Climate Action, under the overall supervision of the Programme Management Specialist, who will provide direct technical supervision, coordinate the consultant's work with the other national consultants and relevant UN Women and UNDP personnel, and review and approve deliverables. Programme Assistant will serve as the focal point for contractual and payment-related matters.

Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work

The overall objective of this consultancy is to provide technical leadership for the design, preparation and delivery of the gender-responsive green skills and capacity development programme under Activity 2., drawing on available evidence and stakeholder inputs to ensure that the programme responds to identified needs, priorities and learning gaps.

The consultant will work as part of an interdisciplinary team of three national consultants supporting all Activities. While assuming lead responsibility for Activity 2, the consultant will contribute technical expertise to the preparation and facilitation of the Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues under Activity 1 and identify relevant learning needs and priorities emerging from the dialogues to inform the capacity development programme. The consultant will also contribute to the design and delivery of municipal engagement activities under Activity 3 within the consultant's area of expertise.

Component 1: Technical Input to Stakeholder Engagement

The consultant will contribute technical expertise to three in-person Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues (Dialogues) planned for 28–30 September 2026, to be held in Zenica, Mrkonić Grad and Brčko, for approximately 30 participants per dialogue. Participants will include representatives of relevant government institutions and local authorities, civil society organizations, academia, social service providers, organizations representing vulnerable and marginalized groups, development partners, and women and men with lived experience of energy poverty.

The dialogues will provide a platform for discussing available and emerging evidence on inclusive energy poverty alongside stakeholder perspectives and lived experiences, and for considering their implications for relevant policy and institutional frameworks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussions will address, as relevant, energy and climate policy, social protection, just transition, local energy and climate planning, and relevant strategies and legislation, and will generate stakeholder inputs and recommendations to inform subsequent activities under the Green Transition Portfolio.

The consultant will:

1. Contribute technical inputs and materials on climate resilience, sustainable energy practices, green skills and capacity development to the preparation of the dialogues; 
2. Co-facilitate the Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues, in coordination with the consultant leading Activity 1; 
3. Identify relevant learning needs and priorities emerging from the dialogues to inform the capacity development programme under Activity 2; and 
4. Contribute inputs to the Dialogue Summary Report, particularly those relevant to Activity 2; and
5. Participate in the national policy dialogue during SDG Week 2026 and identify relevant implications for the capacity development programme under Activity 2.

Component 2: Technical Leadership for Gender-Responsive Capacity Development

The consultant will lead the design, preparation and delivery of the gender-responsive capacity development programme under Activity 2. The programme will comprise three two-day capacity development workshops for approximately 50 women from selected municipalities, indicatively planned for March–April 2027, to be delivered in three locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina – one in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Republika Srpska and one in Brčko District – with the specific locations determined based on the participating municipalities. The workshops are will strengthen women's knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in and benefit from the green transition. The programme will address gender perspectives in climate resilience, energy poverty, sustainable practices, environmental awareness and community health, green economy and green job opportunities, and women's participation in local climate and energy governance. The programme will include participant assessment and a competency-based certification approach, enabling participating women to demonstrate and receive recognition for the knowledge and competencies acquired through the programme.

The workshops will use participatory and learner-centred approaches, combining technical learning with practical exercises, facilitated discussion, group work and peer learning. Particular emphasis will be placed on enabling participants to identify local energy and climate challenges, articulate priorities and potential solutions from the perspective of women and their communities, and strengthen the knowledge and confidence required for constructive engagement with municipal stakeholders.

The programme will be informed by available evidence generated under Activity 1 and relevant stakeholder inputs and will serve as a preparatory step for women's subsequent participation in municipal energy and climate planning under Activity 3. Where feasible, each capacity development workshop will be followed by the corresponding municipal engagement session under Activity 3, allowing participants to apply the knowledge and priorities developed through the capacity development process in structured engagement with relevant municipal stakeholders. Municipality and participant selection will seek to reflect identified local needs and vulnerabilities and ensure an inclusive and diverse group of women, while implementation arrangements will take account of barriers that may affect women's participation.

Working in collaboration with the other national consultants, the consultant will lead the overall curriculum, learning methodology and programme design and integrate their respective technical contributions into a coherent capacity development programme.

The consultant will:

1. Develop the capacity development programme, including the curriculum, learning methodology, learning objectives and overall programme structure; 
2. Develop the facilitator's guide, session plans, participant learning materials and participant assessment tools, integrating technical contributions from the other national consultants; 
3. Develop recommendations for a competency-based certification approach, including learning outcomes, participant assessment methods and certification requirements appropriate to the programme; 
4. Develop and deliver technical content within the consultant's area of expertise, including climate resilience, green job skills, environmental sustainability, sustainable practices and community health, integrating relevant gender equality and social inclusion perspectives and inputs; 
5. Lead and facilitate the capacity development workshops; 
6. Assess participant learning; and 
7. Prepare the Capacity Development Summary Report, with inputs from the other national consultants, including key results, participant assessment and feedback, lessons learned, and relevant findings and recommendations for subsequent municipal engagement under Activity 3.

Component 3: Technical Input to Municipal Energy and Climate Planning

The consultant will contribute technical expertise on capacity development, adult learning and participatory learning approaches to the design and delivery of municipal engagement activities under Activity 3. The activities will comprise three municipal engagement sessions in selected municipalities, to be delivered in three locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina – one in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Republika Srpska and one in Brčko District – with the specific locations determined based on the participating municipalities. The workshops are indicatively planned for April–May 2027, designed to support women’s meaningful participation in municipal energy and climate planning and decision-making processes. The sessions will provide structured opportunities for participating women to engage with relevant municipal stakeholders, bring forward their priorities, perspectives and recommendations, and contribute to discussions on local energy and climate priorities and planning processes.

The municipal engagement sessions will build on the corresponding capacity development workshops under Activity 2. Where feasible, each municipal engagement session will follow the corresponding two-day capacity development workshop, enabling participating women to apply the knowledge and priorities developed through the capacity development process in structured engagement with relevant municipal stakeholders. The sessions will also draw on relevant evidence and stakeholder inputs generated under Activity 1.

The municipal engagement activities will, where feasible, be linked to existing or planned municipal energy and climate planning processes, rather than creating parallel consultation mechanisms. The engagement approach will promote inclusive participation and take account of barriers that may limit the participation of women and underrepresented groups.

Working in collaboration with the consultant responsible for municipal energy and climate planning (Activity 3), the consultant will provide substantive inputs within the consultant's area of expertise, while the municipal energy and climate planning consultant will lead the overall methodology, preparation, delivery and reporting of the municipal engagement process.

The consultant will:

1. Contribute relevant perspectives and learning from the capacity development programme to the overall design and preparation of the municipal engagement activities; 
2. Develop and deliver technical content and materials on climate resilience, sustainable energy practices and green skills relevant to municipal energy and climate planning, integrating relevant gender equality and social inclusion perspectives and inputs; 
3. Co-facilitate the municipal engagement sessions; and 
4. Contribute substantive inputs within the consultant's area of expertise to the Municipal Engagement Summary Report prepared by the municipal energy and climate planning consultant.

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following outputs in accordance with the indicative timeframe:

Reporting Requirements

All narrative reports, technical documents and other knowledge products shall be submitted in English, unless otherwise agreed with UN Women. Training curricula, facilitator's guides, participant learning materials and other materials intended for programme implementation will be prepared in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.

UN Women Support

To facilitate delivery of the above outputs, UN Women will provide the consultant with:

• Relevant project documentation and background materials related to the Green Transition Portfolio, including methodology, data and findings from the Gender-responsive Energy Poverty Assessment, as available; 
• Existing UN Women capacity assessments and other relevant evidence to inform the design of the capacity development programme; 
• Technical guidance and feedback on deliverables; 
• Coordination with relevant project partners, national counterparts and other stakeholders, as required; 
• Logistical and administrative support for meetings, dialogues, workshops and other project activities; and 
• Relevant data, reports and other materials developed under the project, as available. 

Consultant's Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy requiring travel within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The consultant is expected to travel to and participate in:

• the three Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues which will be held in Zenica, Mrkonjić Grad, and Brčko; 
• the national policy dialogue organized as part of SDG Week 2026 in Sarajevo; 
• the three capacity development workshops under Activity 2, to be delivered in three locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina – one in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Republika Srpska and one in Brčko District – with the specific locations determined based on the participating municipalities; and 
• the three municipal engagement sessions under Activity 3, to be delivered in three locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina – one in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Republika Srpska and one in Brčko District – with the specific locations determined based on the participating municipalities 

Any travel to field locations will be pre-arranged and approved in consultation with the supervisor, with all travel expenses covered by UN Women.

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:

Knowledge Management and Learning
•    Demonstrates sound technical understanding of climate resilience, sustainable energy practices, green skills, environmental sustainability and their gender dimensions.
•    Demonstrates sound analytical skills and the ability to translate evidence and stakeholder inputs into practical learning approaches and capacity development interventions. 
•    Demonstrates knowledge of adult learning principles, competency-based learning and participatory training methodologies. 
•    Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to interdisciplinary learning and collaboration. 
•    Seeks and applies relevant national and international good practices related to gender equality, climate action, sustainable energy, capacity development and adult learning. 
•    Demonstrates commitment to continuous learning and professional development. 
 

Development and Operational Effectiveness
•    Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to develop high-quality curricula, learning materials, facilitator's guides and other capacity development resources. 
•    Demonstrates strong facilitation and training skills, including the ability to engage diverse groups of participants using participatory learning approaches. 
•    Demonstrates the ability to design competency-based learning programmes, participant assessment methods and practical learning exercises. 
•    Ability to synthesize complex technical information and translate it into accessible and practical learning content for diverse audiences. 
•    Ability to coordinate multiple technical workstreams, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines. 
•    Uses information technology effectively as a tool for collaboration, knowledge management and capacity development. 

Leadership and Self-Management
•    Focuses on achieving high-quality results and responds positively to feedback. 
•    Demonstrates initiative, sound judgement and a proactive, solution-oriented approach to problem solving. 
•    Remains calm, organized and effective when working under pressure and managing multiple assignments. 
•    Builds and maintains effective working relationships with government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, training providers and other stakeholders. 
•    Demonstrates professionalism, integrity and commitment to UN Women's mandate and values. 
 

Education and Certification

•    Master's degree in Education, Adult Learning, Human Resource Development, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, Economics, Energy Policy, or another discipline relevant to the requirements of this ToR or a first-level university degree in a relevant field in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted. PASS/FAIL

Experience

•    Minimum five (5) years of demonstrated experience in designing and implementing capacity development programmes, training curricula or competency-based learning programmes for adult learners, including the development of training materials, facilitator’s guides, learning resources and/or participant assessment methodologies. (40 pts) 
•    Minimum three (3) years of demonstrated experience in climate resilience, sustainable energy practices, green skills, environmental sustainability, community health or other relevant dimensions of the green transition. (30 pts) 
Minimum five (5) years of demonstrated experience in designing and delivering participatory and inclusive capacity development programmes, workshops or other learning activities for diverse stakeholder groups, including integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations and engagement with government institutions, local authorities, international organizations and/or development partners. (30 pts)
 

Language
•    Fluency in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian is required. PASS/FAIL
•    Fluency in English is required. PASS/FAIL
 

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.