National Consultant for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women, established in July 2010, is the United Nations Entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was created as part of the UN reform agenda to consolidate resources and mandates for greater impact in promoting women's rights and gender equality globally. UN Women operates in multiple countries, providing leadership and coordination for the UN system's efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality translate into action. The organization works closely with Member States, civil society, and other stakeholders to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between genders. UN Women Albania is currently implementing its Strategic Note for 2022-2026, focusing on ensuring that all women and girls enjoy their human rights in a gender-equal society, contributing to Albania's sustainable development and EU integration.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant will play a crucial role in supporting UN Women Albania's initiatives related to gender equality, social inclusion, and gender-responsive planning and budgeting. This position requires providing expert legal, policy, and technical support to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) and other relevant institutions. The consultant will assist in fulfilling the MoHSW's mandate and reporting commitments on gender equality and social protection, advising on necessary policy reforms, and ensuring compliance with national and international frameworks. The consultant will also work to address intersectional vulnerabilities and strengthen gender-responsive policy and budgeting systems across Albania. This role is essential for advancing the national gender equality agenda and ensuring that gender considerations are integrated into social protection policies and practices.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's responsibilities include providing legal, policy, and technical assistance on gender equality and gender-responsive planning and budgeting. Specific duties involve supporting the implementation of the Gender Equality Law (GEL), completing secondary legislation under Law No. 64/2025, and advising on gender-related policy reforms. The consultant will strengthen institutional capacities of MoHSP and other relevant institutions, ensuring integration of gender priorities in planning and budgeting processes. Additionally, the consultant will support the MoHSW in implementing joint work plans with UN Women, provide technical assistance to civil society organizations, and contribute to the institutionalization of gender-responsive budgeting processes. Other responsibilities include drafting reports, conducting research, preparing policy briefs, and participating in relevant meetings and events.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in law, human rights, development studies, gender studies, or a related field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. The position requires a minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience in gender equality and women's empowerment, including experience in legal and social policy development, gender-responsive planning, and budgeting. Proven experience in working with national and international legal frameworks related to gender equality is essential, as well as experience in training and mentoring public administration officials and stakeholders involved in policy processes.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in law, human rights, development studies, gender studies, or a similar discipline. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in law or human rights, combined with two additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted. This educational foundation is crucial for understanding the complexities of gender equality and social inclusion policies.

Experience:
The consultant must have at least 15 years of relevant professional experience in the fields of gender equality and women's empowerment. This includes demonstrated experience in designing and implementing initiatives related to legal and social policy development, social inclusion, and gender-responsive policy planning and budgeting at both national and local levels. Experience in collaborating with various stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, and international bodies, is also required. Familiarity with the UN system or other international organizations will be considered an asset.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Albanian is mandatory for this position. Strong writing skills in both languages are essential for drafting reports, policy briefs, and other documentation. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an advantage but is not required.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, with a contract duration of up to 240 working days. The position is a retainer contract, meaning there is no guarantee of a minimum number of days of engagement. If additional days are required, they will be arranged through a separate contract extension. The consultant is expected to work using their own computer and will receive background materials related to the assignment from UN Women and the MoHSW. Quality of relationships with partners is crucial for success, and the consultant's performance will be assessed based on this criterion.