Facilitation of a Vision and Strategy Development Exercise

Result of ServiceExpected Deliverables Inception Note (Methodology, timeline, consultation plan). Desk Review Summary (Key insights aligned with UN80, existing ESCWA materials, regional trends relevant to ESCWA, etc.) Retreat Design and Agenda Facilitation of the Two-Day Retreat (Full delivery of sessions, synthesis, and reporting.) Draft Strategic Direction Package • Vision statement • Strategy map • Strategic focus areas and sub-areas • Next steps for operationalizing the Strategy Work LocationRemote Expected duration2 months Duties and Responsibilities1. Background and Objective The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)’s mandate is to foster comprehensive, equitable, integrated and sustainable development through effective economic and social cooperation in the region. It assists its 21 Arab Member States in introducing policy reform and enhancing capacities to address inequalities and uses its convening power to provide a forum for that. The Commission’s mandate is delivered through three interrelated core functions: (a) serving as a regional forum and consensus builder on regional and thematic development issues; (b) providing analysis, research and evidence‐based policy alternatives; and (c) providing advisory services to facilitate the formulation, adoption and implementation of development policies. About the Vision and Strategy Development Exercise Under the leadership of the current Executive Secretary, ESCWA is working on developing a programme Vision and Strategy for the organization, in line with the UN Department of Operational Support (DOS) Strategic Planning Guide and building on work already done under the ESCWA 2.0 transformation exercise and the UN80 realignment process. The overall goal of the initiative is to establish a Strategic Direction – a Vision (the long-term destination), a Strategy (the pathway and priorities) and strategic focus areas – that ensures ESCWA delivers coherent, anticipatory and transformative support to its member States, improves ESCWA’s performance and visibility, and to motivate and empower staff. By developing the programme Vision and Strategy, ESCWA will have one unified message stating what change it intends to contribute to, why this change is needed and how ESCWA envisions this change to happen. 2. Duties and Responsibilities The objective of the consultancy is to: prepare a draft Vision and Strategy Map (covering Client Outcomes, Services, Processes, People/Knowledge, and Finance), following DOS Strategic Planning Guidance. In order to complete this task, the consultant will hold focus group discussions with selected Project Coordinators and interviews with Cluster Leaders regarding their experiences and expectations for the Vision and Strategy; design a concept note and agenda for a two day Strategic Planning Retreat with Senior Management, to be organized in January 2026; facilitate the Strategic Planning Retreat with Senior Management, and; based on the discussions at the Strategic Planning Retreat, propose the vision and strategy map including strategic focus areas Qualifications/special skillsMaster’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, development studies, management, international relations, economics or any other related field is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Previous experience facilitating leadership retreats is required. Five years of experience in conducting strategic planning and/or development work, organizational strategy, institutional reform, or change management is required. Excellent knowledge of the UN system architecture and its different entities is required. Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills and experience in developing organizational strategies is required. Experience with strategic planning tools (RBM, strategy maps, theories of change) is required. Excellent drafting skills to convey complex messages in a simple yet precise way is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required . Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.