National Consultant on Gender-Responsive Municipal Energy and Climate Planning

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is an entity of the United Nations established in July 2010, 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 the area of gender equality. UN Women merges the work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system that focused on 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. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UN Women is actively involved in implementing projects that address gender-responsive approaches to energy poverty and climate resilience, funded by the Government of Sweden, and aims to strengthen women's capacities and promote their participation in local energy and climate planning processes.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant on Gender-Responsive Municipal Energy and Climate Planning will play a crucial role in supporting UN Women’s initiatives aimed at enhancing women's participation in municipal energy and climate planning. This position involves leading the design, preparation, and delivery of municipal engagement activities that are part of a broader project focused on gender-responsive energy poverty assessment and capacity development. The consultant will work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of national consultants, contributing technical expertise to ensure coherence across activities. The consultant will be responsible for facilitating dialogues and workshops that engage various stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, and community representatives, to discuss energy poverty and climate resilience from a gender perspective. The role requires a strong understanding of municipal planning processes and the ability to translate evidence and stakeholder inputs into practical engagement methodologies.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for several key components:

• Technical Input to Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Dialogue: Contributing technical expertise to Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues, co-facilitating discussions, and identifying opportunities for enhancing women's participation in municipal energy and climate planning.
• Technical Input to Gender-Responsive Green Skills and Capacity Development: Designing and delivering a capacity development program aimed at strengthening women's knowledge and skills related to climate resilience and energy poverty.
• Technical Leadership for Municipal Energy and Climate Planning: Leading the design and implementation of municipal engagement activities, developing methodologies, session plans, and facilitation guidance, and ensuring that women's priorities are articulated and integrated into municipal planning processes. The consultant will also prepare summary reports documenting key issues and recommendations from the engagement sessions.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in relevant fields such as Environmental Studies, Climate Change, Sustainable Energy, Urban Planning, or Gender Studies. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted. The consultant should have a minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in municipal energy and climate planning, including local development planning processes, and at least three years of experience in developing methodologies and facilitating participatory planning processes. Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate complex technical information into practical guidance are essential.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, Climate Change, Sustainable Energy, Urban or Spatial Planning, Public Administration, Public Policy, Sustainable Development, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in a relevant field, combined with two additional years of qualifying experience, may also be accepted.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of experience in municipal energy and climate planning, including the development of local energy and climate planning instruments. Candidates should also have at least three years of experience in designing and facilitating participatory planning processes that involve municipal authorities and communities, with a focus on integrating gender equality and social inclusion into these processes.

Languages:
Fluency in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian is mandatory, as well as fluency in English. These language skills are essential for effective communication and engagement with stakeholders and for the preparation of reports and materials.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based but requires travel within Bosnia and Herzegovina for various workshops and dialogues. The consultant will be expected to participate in three Gender and Energy Poverty Dialogues, capacity development workshops, and municipal engagement sessions. All travel expenses will be covered by UN Women. The position is part-time and will involve collaboration with other national consultants and UN Women personnel. The consultant will be expected to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines and will receive support from UN Women in terms of project documentation, technical guidance, and logistical arrangements.