Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
The UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) is based in Pretoria, South Africa, and covers five countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. SAMCO collaborates with the government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Private Sector to contribute to gender equality by formulating and implementing norms, laws, policies, programs, and services that ensure the human rights of women and girls, as well as increase their economic participation. SAMCOโs responsive programs include increasing womenโs political participation and leadership, securing womenโs economic rights, strengthening women's involvement in peacebuilding, ending violence against women, and promoting gender-transformative policies in government budgets.
UN Women is implementing a program to advance Gender Transformative strategies in the Just Energy Transition.ย The projectย aims to ensure the inclusion of women in South Africa's just energy transition and climate change mitigation strategies, with a significant impact on the community. UN Women's Work recognizes that women are disproportionately affected by climate change, and evidence supports this, as seen in the impact of droughts and floods. Their livelihoods are severely affected, leading to loss of income and economic instability that can exacerbate gender inequalities. The multifaceted impact of climate change and the effect of the transition require specific considerations, placing women and their needs at the forefront of climate responses and transition solutions, as agreed in the Paris Agreement. The focus on green sectors, while ensuring a just transition in the energy sector, has significant potential for addressing gender inequalities.
The project aligns with initiatives such as South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development and a transition to low-carbon economies. In addition, the South African Renewable Energy Master Plan (SAREM) provides a compelling framework for inclusive industrialization, focusing on localization, skills development, and clean energy integration. ย
This work willย leverage National Womenโs Day with a focus on womenโs economic and financial inclusion.ย
The consultant will report to the Programme Specialist for Women's Economic Empowerment and receive overall guidance from the Deputy Representative.ย
Description of Responsibilities
The consultant's role is pivotal inย unlocking the full benefits of womenโs economic empowerment in the energy and electricity sector. The Consultant will develop policy recommendations to strengthen the integration of gender equality, women's economic leadership, and participation in the energy transition. The consultant will also coordinate a platform to influence industry leaders in both the private and the public sector.ย
Deliverables
Develop a work plan and present an Inception Report. Policy Brief High-level Panel eventย Final Reportย Deliverable No. of days/durationย ย Develop a work plan and present an Inception Report. 1 Day ย ย ย ย Produce a policy brief with key recommendationsย 5 days in September 2025 ย Plan and organize a one-day high-level panel with key industry leaders in the public and private sectors to share policy recommendations 3 days in September 2025 ย Produce a Final report with Policy recommendations that support gender equity, ensuring women participate and benefit from equal opportunities in the energy sector recommendations 2 days in October 2025 ย Total number of days 11 days ยConsultantโs Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy. The consultant will be required to travel to Mpumalanga as part of this assignment.ย
In case of any official trip, approved by the office, the travel-related costs will be covered per the associated duty travel policy.
Competencies:
Core Values:
Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework:ย
Functional Competencies:
Strong skills in programme formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Strong budget and finance skills Strong knowledge of Results Based Management Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports for management and strategic decision-making. Strong analytical skills Good knowledge of UN Programme management systemsRequired Qualifications
Education and Certification:
A masterโs degree or equivalent in social sciences, gender/women's studies, energy, climate change, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A project/programme management certification would be an added advantage.Experience:
At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in managing and implementing complex, multi-component programs and program interventions with national partners, preferably in the area of gender equality and women's economic empowerment. Experience and knowledge of energy transition, climate change mitigation, and adaptation programmes are required. Experience in working with womenโs associations and entrepreneurs in the energy sectorย Experience in coordinating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development programmes and projects is desirable. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, and experience in handling web-based management systems is required. Previous experience working in the UN system is desirableLanguages:
Fluency in English is requiredStatements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
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