Consultant for Barbershop Toolkit

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance gender equality and women's empowerment globally. The organization aims to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. UN Women operates in multiple countries and employs a diverse workforce dedicated to its mission of promoting gender equality. The organization engages with various stakeholders, including the private sector, to drive initiatives such as HeForShe, Women's Empowerment Principles, and the Unstereotype Alliance. UN Women is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications and organizational needs.

Job Overview:
The Consultant for the Barbershop Toolkit will play a crucial role in delivering Barbershop sessions aimed at engaging men and boys in discussions about gender equality and equitable masculinities. This position is part of the Private Sector Partnerships Section within UN Women, which focuses on building impactful partnerships to advance gender equality. The consultant will be responsible for preparing and delivering contextualized Barbershop sessions, adhering to the established methodology and facilitation standards. The role requires independent work, with the consultant expected to adapt content to local contexts and participate in mandatory onboarding webinars. The sessions are set to commence in Q4 2026, and the consultant will be part of a pre-vetted roster of experts, allowing for rapid deployment based on program needs. The consultant will report to the Partnerships Engagement and Special Initiatives Advisor and the Global Head of HeForShe, who will oversee contractual and payment matters.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Attend at least 80% of mandatory Barbershop Orientation and Coordination Webinars to ensure alignment with methodology and standards.
• Review and adapt the standard Barbershop curriculum to fit local languages, socio-cultural contexts, and participant profiles.
• Conduct Barbershop sessions for groups of men and boys, facilitating discussions on gender equality and equitable masculinities.
• Maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment during sessions.
• Submit a structured Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) report summarizing delivery, participation, and outcomes after each workshop.
• Share insights and lessons learned through community of practice platforms and contribute to guidance notes and supplementary materials.
• Provide recommendations for improving future Barbershop sessions and implementation approaches.
• Participate in short-term in-person facilitation assignments or field missions as required, depending on program needs.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of gender equality concepts, equitable masculinities, and social norm change approaches.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, including conflict resolution and group management.
• Cultural sensitivity and experience working in diverse contexts.
• Ability to adapt content to different languages and literacy levels.
• Experience in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of training or community engagement programs is an asset.
• Familiarity with the UN system and inter-governmental processes is an asset.
• Knowledge of the HeForShe Initiative and Barbershop Toolkit is an asset.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Human Rights, Gender/Women’s Studies, International Development, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of work experience is required, specifically in facilitating trainings, workshops, or dialogue-based programs focused on gender equality, male allyship, and equitable masculinities.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is required. Fluency in an additional language is highly desirable, particularly if it assists in adapting the Barbershop toolkit and materials to regional or local contexts.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based under the UN Women Consultants Roster modality, allowing for flexible deployment based on program needs. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee assignment, as engagements depend on partner requests and available resources. Consultants will primarily work remotely and may have short-term in-person assignments as needed. The consultancy may involve travel, determined on a case-by-case basis, to support Barbershop sessions.