Legal Expert Consultant (Team Leader)

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda. Its mission is to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve gender equality. UN Women operates globally, leading and coordinating efforts within the United Nations system to ensure that commitments to gender equality translate into action. In Vietnam, UN Women aligns its strategies with the country's socio-economic development goals and the National Strategy for Gender Equality, contributing to the fulfillment of international commitments such as CEDAW and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The organization focuses on creating a safer environment, promoting inclusive economic transformation, and ensuring a just society that respects human rights and gender equality.

Job Overview:
The position of Legal Expert Consultant (Team Leader) involves leading the preparation and organization of an international conference on gender mainstreaming in legislation and policy development. The consultant will provide technical advice on the conference's content, agenda, and speakers, while collaborating closely with UN Women and Ha Noi Law University. The role requires a deep understanding of gender-responsive legislation and the ability to facilitate discussions that promote gender equality. The consultant will also be responsible for reviewing relevant literature and laws, identifying gaps, and generating actionable recommendations to strengthen Vietnam's legal and policy frameworks. This position is crucial for enhancing knowledge and practices related to gender mainstreaming in Vietnam's legislative processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Inception and Planning: Participate in an inception meeting with UN Women and Ha Noi Law University to clarify objectives, scope, roles, and responsibilities. Develop a detailed work plan and timeline for technical deliverables. Advise on the conference structure, thematic sessions, and agenda to align with the objectives.
• Background Review and Technical Inputs: Review relevant national and international literature, laws, policies, and practices on gender mainstreaming in legislation and policy development. Identify key issues, gaps, and opportunities to be addressed at the conference.
• Call for Papers: Design the call for papers, including themes, submission guidelines, and selection criteria. Review and evaluate submitted abstracts and full papers in consultation with UN Women and Ha Noi Law University. Provide technical feedback to authors on accepted papers to ensure quality and relevance.
• Speakers and Content Development: Identify and recommend suitable national and international speakers and panelists. Provide guidance to speakers on presentation topics to ensure relevance and quality. Review and provide technical inputs to all conference materials, ensuring they reflect gender-sensitive and rights-based approaches. Refine the conference agenda based on the confirmed papers, speakers, and moderators.
• Conference Delivery: Organize pre-conference briefing with speakers and moderators. Moderate or facilitate key sessions, as agreed. Ensure technical accuracy and coherence of presentations and discussions.
• Conference Proceedings: Oversee the compilation and editing of accepted papers into a conference proceeding. Ensure proceedings meet academic and professional standards and are ready for publication/dissemination.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, gender studies, public policy, international development, or a related field. Additionally, the candidate should have at least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in gender equality, legal and policy analysis, and/or gender mainstreaming in legislation and policy development. Demonstrated experience in organizing or contributing to high-level conferences, policy dialogues, or academic forums is essential. The candidate should also have a proven record of conducting technical reviews, drafting analytical papers, and producing high-quality publications. Familiarity with Vietnam’s legal and policy framework on gender equality and relevant international human rights standards, including CEDAW and the SDGs, is required. Experience in working with government agencies, academic institutions, and international organizations is also necessary.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have an advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, gender studies, public policy, international development, or a related field. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of gender issues within legal and policy frameworks.

Experience:
The position requires at least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in gender equality, legal and policy analysis, and/or gender mainstreaming in legislation and policy development. Candidates should have a strong background in organizing or contributing to high-level conferences, policy dialogues, or academic forums, as well as a proven record of conducting technical reviews and producing high-quality publications.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, both written and spoken, as the role involves extensive communication and documentation. Knowledge of Vietnamese is an advantage, as it may facilitate better engagement with local stakeholders and enhance the effectiveness of the consultant's work.

Additional Notes:
The position is a consultancy role, and the duration of the contract is not specified in the job ad. The consultant will work closely with UN Women and Ha Noi Law University, and the role is expected to be full-time during the preparation and execution of the conference. The position may involve international collaboration, and candidates should be prepared for potential travel or remote work arrangements as necessary. Compensation details are not provided, but candidates should be aware of UN Women’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices.