International Private Sector Engagement Consultant

Background

Background/Context

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.

UN Women China provides technical and financial assistance to innovative programmes and strategies for gender equality and women’s empowerment.  We work in partnership with governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies, donors, communities and networks to advance gender equality.  Placing the advancement of women’s human rights at the center of our work, UN Women China focuses on violence against women, leadership and political participation, economic empowerment and national planning and budgeting.

In China, UN Women is guided by the objectives and priorities set out in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in China (2021-2025), UN Women China’s Biennium Workplan (2024-2025) and other corporate strategies such as the UN Women Strategic Plan (2022-2025) and the UN Women’s Economic Empowerment Strategy and other key documents and other international conventions and commitments including The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. For the years 2024-2025, key strategic, development result outcomes for UN Women China include:

1. People’s lives in China are improved further as headway is made in ensuring access to childcare, education, healthcare services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance, and more people in China, including left-behind groups, benefit from equitable and public services and social protection systems as well as accelerated efforts to reduce gender inequality and other forms of social inequality throughout the life-course.
2. Relative poverty and multi-dimensional poverty are reduced, and more coordinated development leads to reduction in gaps between rural and urban areas and among regions, as more people in China, including left-behind groups, benefit from sustainable, innovation-driven and shared high-quality economic development, with enhanced access to  economic opportunities arising through innovation, entrepreneurship and rural revitalization, enjoying decent work, sustainable livelihoods, and the right to develop equally for both women and men.
3. China’s international financing, investments and business engagements, including through connectivity initiatives, programmes and projects, contribute to SDG attainment in partner countries.

To support the achievement of these outcomes, engagement with the private sector (including international and domestic companies, philanthropic organizations and high-net worth individuals) in China is crucial to ensuring the effective partnerships and resources to support UN Women China’s efforts. According to various estimates and studies, annual philanthropic giving in China is estimated to be approximately US$20 billion a year – including corporate and individual giving. Moreover, the private sector in China is increasingly becoming a key contributor to inclusive and sustainable national economic growth and plays an increasingly important role in the development and promotion of women’s economic empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and the community. Understanding the important role of the private sector, the UN Women’s Private Sector Engagement Strategy (PSES) 2023-2025 also outlines a framework for engaging with the private sector to advance the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE).

In China, UN Women has been engaging the private sector along multiple fronts, including increasing the number of signatories to over 400 companies in China that have committed to and supporting regional and national efforts to recognize leading companies in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Moreover, UN Women China has a history of mobilizing resources from the private sector in order to fund programmes and engage private sector entities to advance social norms and advocate for greater gender equality.

UN Women China Country Office is seeking a national/ international consultant who can support the full achievement of GEWE through private sector partnerships and resource mobilization. By closely collaborating with the public and private sector partnership team and programme teams, the consultant will play a key role in designing the private sector engagement strategy for UN Women China Country Office. The consultant will be reporting to the Public and Private Sector Partnership Specialist.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The consultant will work under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Public and Private Sector Partnership Specialist to develop and initiate the implementation of a national strategy for private sector engagement in line with UN Women China’s strategic priorities and UN Women’s Private Sector Engagement Strategy (2023-2025). In addition to the specific deliverables, the consultant may support on other tasks and activities that contribute to the achievement of these deliverables.

 

Deliverables

In particular, the consultant is expected to undertake the following functions and activities:

Deliverable	Expected completion time (due day)	Payment Schedule
Draft document of UN Women China’s multi-year, private sector engagement strategy that addresses the following guiding questions: What is the engagement strategy and go-forward plan with key private sector entities, individuals and high net worth individuals in China? How big is the opportunity for resource mobilization and what are specific entry points into target private sector entities? What are specific resource mobilization opportunities across the key private sector stakeholders? What are the appropriate funding modalities for each type of private sector stakeholder, as well as sustainable funding approaches? What are specific partnership opportunities to advance the adoption of more gender-sensitive business practices?	By 30 September 2024	40%
High-level analysis of WEPs signatory progress and draft document of a go-forward strategic engagement plan with WEPs signatories that addresses the following guiding questions: What progress has been made by WEPs signatories in China? What are key challenges and issues to achieving greater progress? How should we better engage WEPs signatories through existing UN and industry platforms / convenings? What are specific ways to monitor and report on the progress of WEPs signatories going forward?	By 30 November 2024	40%
Soft launch of strategic engagement plan – including an event with select WEPs signatories and UN partners; supporting documents to deliver include: Concept note, invitations, presentation materials, even report and other materials and documents for the soft launch event Draft communications content Other supporting documents as needed	By 31 January 2025	20%

 

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy, with possibility to present at the UN Women Office in China for meetings and consultations (schedule to be agreed later with supervisor). The consultant is required to undertake regular update meetings with the Public and Private Sector Partnerships Specialist. Broader meetings with the China Country Office programme team and other team members as well as other UN agencies will be required as well.

Competencies

Core Values: Respect for Diversity Integrity Professionalism   Core Competencies: Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues Accountability Creative Problem Solving Effective Communication Inclusive Collaboration Stakeholder Engagement Leading by Example Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: Functional Competencies: Strong conceptual and strategic thinking skills. Strong analytical, writing and presentation skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently. Ability to provide advice, coordination, and support across multiple workstream / pillars. Strong planning and organization skills. Good knowledge and understanding of international commitments on gender equality and SDGs. Good knowledge of the private sector context of China. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

 

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification: Master’s degree or equivalent in Business or Business Administration (finance, marketing, international business, etc.), Economics, Public Policy, 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. Experience: At least 2 years of work experience in or with private sector entities, preferred working in the areas of strategy consulting, investment banking, resource mobilization, business development and/or partnerships is required. At least 2 years of work experience in conducting industry / market research and analysis and designing strategies to advance partnerships and mobilize resources, especially with the private sector and through innovative financing mechanisms is required. At least 1 year of work experience in designing/structuring, coordinating and supporting multi-stakeholder engagements and convenings to advance strategic partnerships is required/desired. Experience working in the fields of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is an advantage. Experience in managing private sector relations in China is an advantage. Good analytical and writing skills in English are required. Languages: Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Chinese is an added advantage.   Criteria for Evaluation 1. Technical evalutaion criteria The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 100. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria: Obtainable Score Master’s degree or equivalent in Business or Business Administration (finance, marketing, international business, etc.), Economics, Public Policy, or a related field is required. 15 At least 2 years of work experience in or with private sector entities, preferred working in the areas of strategy consulting, investment banking, resource mobilization, business development and/or partnerships is required. 30 At least 2 years of work experience in conducting industry / market research and analysis and designing strategies to advance partnerships and mobilize resources, especially with the private sector and through innovative financing mechanisms is required.   30 At least 1 year of work experience in designing/structuring, coordinating and supporting multi-stakeholder engagements and convenings to advance strategic partnerships is required/desired. 15 Experience working in the fields of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is an advantage.   10 Total Obtainable Score 100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Interview Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points will be considered as technically qualified candidates who may be contacted for the interview.  Interview Score: 100   How to Apply (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc ) A cover letter that indicates the reason to apply for the position and previous related working experience Academic certificate *Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Please merge all documents into one document to attach. The Statement of Diversity and Inclusion At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need. It is important for UN Women to create an accessible and inclusive workplace for everyone. If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please direct your request and inquiries to . Kindly note the email will only be used for any disability-related accessibility requests and not for sending the application itself. UN Women China Office offers a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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 to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)