Local Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance the impact of gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives. The organization merges the efforts of four previously distinct parts of the UN system focused on gender issues, namely DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM. UN Women operates globally, advocating for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving gender equality. The organization works closely with Member States, civil society, and other stakeholders to ensure that commitments to gender equality translate into action. UN Women has a diverse workforce and is committed to creating an inclusive environment that respects diversity and promotes mutual respect among its employees.

Job Overview:
The position of Local Consultant is crucial for leading the baseline survey for the project titled 'Empowering Communities Through Gender-Responsive Local Governance: Building Institutional Capacity for Inclusive Service Delivery.' This project, funded by the Embassy of Iceland, spans three years from December 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028, with a budget of $1.8 million. The overarching goal of the project is to ensure that women, youth, and girls, especially those from vulnerable and marginalized groups, have equal access to quality services and resources in their local communities. The consultant will be responsible for developing a comprehensive inception report, conducting field data collection, ensuring data quality, and producing a final baseline report that incorporates feedback from stakeholders. The consultant will also facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions to disseminate findings and engage with various stakeholders, including government representatives and civil society organizations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's primary responsibilities include leading the conduct of the baseline survey, which involves several key tasks:

• Developing an inception report that outlines the baseline objectives, methodology, survey instruments, data analysis methods, and work plan.
• Hosting inception meetings with project stakeholders to finalize the inception report.
• Training and deploying enumerators for data collection, ensuring adherence to quality assurance protocols.
• Cleaning and validating datasets, producing a draft baseline report that highlights key findings and recommendations.
• Engaging with national partners to validate the draft report and incorporate their feedback into the final report.
• Creating knowledge transition materials, including presentations and infographics, to facilitate understanding of the results among stakeholders.
• Conducting at least two knowledge-sharing sessions to present the results to stakeholders, including donors and civil society organizations.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate must possess a master's degree in economics, sociology, international development, gender/women studies, or related fields. Special training in Monitoring and Results-Based Management is considered an asset. The candidate should have at least 10-15 years of practical experience in conducting baselines and evaluations of international policies and programs, utilizing various approaches and methods. Extensive experience as a team leader for complex evaluations is essential, along with a proven ability to manage a diverse team. Previous experience in gender and women's empowerment evaluations is highly desirable. The candidate should also have excellent knowledge of the UN system, particularly UN Women programming, and experience in development and conflict/post-conflict contexts.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold at least a master's degree in a relevant field such as economics, sociology, international development, or gender studies. Additional training in Monitoring and Results-Based Management is advantageous and will enhance the candidate's qualifications for this role.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 10-15 years of relevant experience in conducting baselines and evaluations, particularly in the context of international development and gender issues. Experience in leading teams and managing complex evaluations is critical, as is familiarity with gender-responsive methodologies and human rights-based approaches.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of other official UN languages is considered a valuable asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, but the consultant is expected to travel to various project locations, including Bonthe, Kambia, Moyamba, Port Loko, and Western Area Rural, to engage with target respondents. The consultancy is structured around specific deliverables with set deadlines, totaling 32 working days. The consultant will collaborate closely with project stakeholders, including civil society organizations and government personnel, to ensure successful project implementation. UN Women emphasizes a zero-tolerance policy on misconduct and expects all selected candidates to adhere to its standards of conduct.