UN Women National Consultant - Women's Economic Empowerment Expert

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women (UNW) is an entity of the United Nations dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Established in July 2010, UN Women was created as part of the UN reform agenda to consolidate and enhance the effectiveness of the UN's efforts in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. The organization operates globally, with a mission 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 leads and coordinates the UN system's efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality translate into action worldwide, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. The organization has a significant presence in various countries, including the State of Palestine, where it has been active since its inception, focusing on women's rights and economic empowerment.

Job Overview:
The position of National Consultant - Women's Economic Empowerment Expert at UN Women involves a critical role in advancing women's economic empowerment in Palestine. The consultant will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies and programs aimed at increasing women's labor force participation and creating job opportunities in key sectors such as the Green Economy, Care Economy, and STEM fields. This role is part of the Surging Women's Employment Flagship Initiative (SWEI), which aims to increase women's employment in the Arab States region by 5% by 203

• The consultant will work closely with the UN Women Palestine Deputy Special Representative and collaborate with various stakeholders, including government ministries, private sector actors, and international organizations, to ensure that all program activities contribute to measurable employment generation for women. The consultant will also provide technical expertise in the design and delivery of UN Women’s programming in Women's Economic Empowerment, ensuring alignment with national priorities and EU objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including:

• Technical expertise and programmatic design: Develop a workplan for the assignment in conjunction with the Palestine Country Office (PalCO) and Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS). Provide overall technical expertise for Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) programming in Palestine. Lead the finalization of Palestine's National Chapter, ensuring alignment with national priorities and EU programme objectives. Develop and implement comprehensive work plans for employment generation in Green, STEM, and Care economies in Palestine.
• Strategic Analysis and Programme Development: Conduct in-depth analysis of Palestine’s labor market dynamics, identifying opportunities and barriers for women's employment in target sectors. Develop evidence-based employment generation strategies that respond to Palestine’s specific economic and political context. Design innovative programme models for employment generation in Green Economy, Care Economy, and STEM fields.
• Resource Mobilization and Partnership Development: Support PalCO in building and managing strategic partnerships with national donors, international financial institutions, and financial institutions. Strengthen collaboration with government ministries, UN agencies, and humanitarian clusters to enhance the impact of employment generation initiatives.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master's degree or equivalent in economics, sustainable development, social sciences, or other relevant fields. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additionally, candidates must possess strong analytical skills, coordination and organization skills, and the ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports. Knowledge of women's economic empowerment and the Arab region is essential, along with the ability to write policy papers and briefings.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as economics, sustainable development, or social sciences. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in development and implementation, monitoring, and reporting on programmes related to women’s economic empowerment, employment, and/or the private sector is required. Experience in providing advisory support to the government and/or private sector on women’s economic empowerment is essential. Candidates should also have experience in conducting labor market and employment analyses, as well as experience in employment generation in the green, care, or STEM sectors. Experience working with the UN, international NGOs, or local NGOs is desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Arabic is required for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is office-based and may involve official travel. The position is full-time and focuses on the implementation of the EU-funded programme "Support to Women's Employment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region through Gender-Responsive Private Sector Development". UN Women is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history.