National consultancy for Expert consultant on empowerment of marginalized groups and referral coordination (Phase I)

The Position:

Expert consultant on empowerment of marginalized groups and referral coordination (Phase I)

You will report to:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the designated UNFPA Programme Analyst.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the establishment and operationalization of a referral coordination mechanism for women's economic empowerment and to play a central role in designing and launching the Investment Facility for Economic Empowerment. The consultant will strengthen institutional coordination among government institutions, employment services, private sector partners, financial actors, and women's support organizations, and will accompany beneficiaries and employers from consultation and design through application, award, and post-award implementation. This first phase of the engagement covers the consultations in RS and Brčko District, the validation conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, the launch of the Investment Facility, the establishment of the referral coordination framework and the initial pipeline of beneficiaries, support to the Employment Bureau co-financing round of March and April 2027, and initial post-award support to awarded businesses and employment placements. The assignment consists of two interconnected workstreams: • Supporting self-employment pathways for inactive and marginalized women, including survivors of GBV. • Supporting preferential employment pathways for inactive and marginalized women, including survivors of GBV.

You would be responsible for:

• Workstream 1. Investment Facility for Economic Empowerment and the self-employment pathway The consultant will:
• • Liaise with the RS Gender Equality Centre to coordinate the consultation process on the design of the Investment Facility.
• • Plan and organize consultation meetings with relevant stakeholders, applying the consultation methodology implemented in FBiH and adapting it to the centralized institutional structure of RS.
• Coordinate all logistical arrangements required for the consultations.
• Jointly facilitate the consultations with representatives of the RS Gender Equality Centre.
• Organize and facilitate consultations with: - Relevant ministries in Republika Srpska. - Employment Bureau representatives. - Chambers of commerce and business associations. - Startup incubators. - Impact investors. - Selected private sector companies. - Employment Bureau branch offices in Trebinje, Bijeljina, Modriča, Doboj, and Prijedor. • Prepare a consultation report following each meeting, summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving the design and governance of the Investment Facility. • Replicate the consultation methodology in Brčko District and consolidate the findings from FBiH, RS, and Brčko District into one integrated investment model. • Refine the design of the Investment Facility on the basis of stakeholder feedback. Workstream 2. Preferential employment pathway The consultant will support the establishment of referral pathways connecting inactive and marginalized women with employers participating in preferential employment schemes. This includes: • Engaging employers to identify workforce needs and employment opportunities. • Coordinating with Employment Bureaus and relevant institutions at all administrative levels. • Establishing and supporting referral pathways between women's shelters, employment services, municipalities, and employers. • Identifying barriers to employment and proposing practical solutions. • Supporting the preparation of co-financing applications under Employment Bureau employment programmes. • Advising institutions and employers on sustainable employment pathways for project beneficiaries. Investment Facility validation conferences The consultant will support the organization and implementation of two stakeholder validation conferences: in Sarajevo, for stakeholders from FBiH, and in Banja Luka, for stakeholders from RS. The conferences will present the proposed Investment Facility, validate the consultation findings, and build institutional ownership among partner institutions. Participation will be by invitation only. In light of the October 2026 election period, the conferences will not be open to the media.
• Indicative implementation timeline
• September 2026. Coordinate and facilitate consultations across RS together with the RS Center for Equality; support the organization and implementation of the validation conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka; finalize the consultation reports; consolidate recommendations into the proposed Investment Facility design.
• October 2026. Support the official launch of the Investment Facility; establish operational cooperation mechanisms with ministries, employment services, women's shelters, municipal partners, private sector companies, and other referral partners.
• November 2026. Establish the initial pipeline of beneficiaries for the self-employment and preferential employment pathways; coordinate referrals from partner institutions; verify beneficiary eligibility.
• December 2026 to February 2027. Support women and employers in preparing for implementation by identifying viable business ideas and market niches, refining business concepts, providing entrepreneurship mentoring, mapping company workforce needs, preparing women for preferential employment, and supporting the preparation of Employment Bureau co-financing applications expected to open in March and April 2027.
• March 2027. Provide technical support throughout the application process by reviewing application packages, providing individual mentoring to applicants, advising participating companies, coordinating with Employment Bureaus, and improving the quality and competitiveness of submitted applications.
• April to July 2027. Provide continuous post-award technical support through regular mentoring and coaching sessions; monitoring of business development and employment outcomes; business counselling and troubleshooting; support to employers participating in preferential employment pathways; linking promising businesses with additional funding opportunities, including grants, accelerators, incubators, commercial finance, and impact investors; preparation of periodic progress reports; and assessment of beneficiary performance. By the end of the assignment, the consultant will document the status of each supported business and employment placement, together with the mentoring and monitoring arrangements required in the subsequent period.

Duration and working schedule

The assignment will be implemented over eleven months, from 10 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. The consultant will be engaged for 21 working days per month, corresponding to a maximum of 247 working days over the assignment period. The monthly schedule will be agreed in advance with the supervising UNFPA Programme Analyst and will reflect the intensity of each implementation phase, with peaks during the consultation, launch, and application periods.

All deliverables will be submitted electronically, in English and in editable format, to the supervising UNFPA Programme Analyst.

The consultant will produce, at a minimum:

1. Consultation methodology and work plan. Consultation methodology and detailed work plan for RS and Brčko District, adapting the approach implemented in FBiH to the centralized institutional structure of RS. Timeline: August and first half of September 2026.

2. Consultation reports for all stakeholder meetings. Individual reports summarizing key findings, lessons learned, and recommendations, submitted within five working days of each meeting. Timeline: September to October 2026.

3. Support for the organization of two stakeholder validation conferences. Agendas, invitation lists, facilitation inputs, and summary reports for the conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Timeline: September 2026.

4. Consolidated consultation report with recommendations. One integrated report consolidating the findings from FBiH, RS, and Brčko District. Timeline: October 2026.

5. Final design recommendations for the Investment Facility. Refined design and governance recommendations reflecting stakeholder feedback, supporting the official launch. Timeline: October 2026.

6. Referral coordination framework for economic empowerment. Operational cooperation arrangements with ministries, employment services, women's shelters, municipal partners, private sector companies, and other referral partners. Timeline: November 2026.

7. Pipeline of eligible beneficiaries. Initial pipeline for the self-employment and preferential employment pathways, with coordinated referrals from partner institutions and verified eligibility. Timeline: November to December 2026. 8. Technical support for Employment Bureau applications. Documented support to beneficiaries and employers, including reviewed application packages, mentoring records, and coordination with Employment Bureaus. Timeline: December 2026 to April 2027.

9. Periodic mentoring and monitoring reports. Reports covering mentoring and coaching delivered, business development and employment outcomes, and beneficiary performance assessments. Timeline: quarterly, April to July 2027.

10. Progress reports. Reports documenting implementation, beneficiary performance, lessons learned, and recommendations for programme improvement, including a final assignment report. Timeline: quarterly; final report by 31 July 2027.

Qualifications and Experience:

The assignment requires a professional who combines an economics or humanities background with strong systems thinking: the ability to connect disparate and otherwise unconnected institutions, services, and instruments so that they deliver as a cohesive whole. The requirements below are therefore designed to attract candidates who blend knowledge on empowerment of marginalized groups with complex ecosystem coordination, rather than specialist economic expertise.

• At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience in empowerment, employment/entrepreneurship, or social inclusion programmes for marginalized groups.

Education:

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in economics, business administration, policy, development studies, gender studies, social sciences/humanities, or another relevant field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in referral coordination across a diverse and broad range of stakeholders, connecting protection, employment, and economic development actors into one functioning system.

• Hands-on experience working directly with marginalized women, survivors of violence, and economically inactive women.

• Proven ability to navigate and collaborate with government partners, the United Nations system, and women's shelters.

• First-hand experience working with employment benefits and incentives for self-employment, including public co-financing instruments administered by employment services.

• Practical experience in entrepreneurship support, including business planning, mentoring, and facilitation of access to finance.

• Proven experience in programme design and implementation, and in monitoring and evaluation.

• In-depth understanding of the institutional and administrative structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including entity, cantonal, and Brčko District competencies for employment and economic development.

• Experience with investment and financing mechanisms, including grants, guarantee instruments, blended or catalytic finance, and impact investment, is considered a strong asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian), spoken and written.
• Excellent command of English, spoken and written

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Strong facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills.
• Results orientation, sound planning and organizing, and the ability to manage parallel processes under time pressure.
• • High ethical standards, including strict observance of confidentiality, data protection, and do-no-harm principles in all work concerning survivors of GBV.

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• N/A

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.