Consultant for strategic planning

1. Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The successful performance of the incumbent will effectively contribute to the development of a high quality gender transformative UNCF and UN Women SN 2027-2029. In particular, the consultant is expected to carry out the following functions and activities:

1. Providing technical support on gender mainstreaming in the development of the UNCF (2027-2031) (20 working days)

• Use and extend where available evidence-based country analysis on the 2030 Agenda and SDGs from a gender and ‘leaving no one behind’ perspective, including review of current country-level progress and challenges related to the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, CEDAW and other human rights treaties, and relevant normative frameworks and other documents such as Viet Nam Country Gender Equality Profile and other relevant technical reports produced by UN Women and other UN agencies.
• Coordinate with UN Women portfolio leads and programme managers to provide written inputs on gender issues in CA sections, ensuring high quality written inputs in the final documents.
• Provide strategic advice to UN Women on the formulation of CF strategic outcomes, ensuring robust gender mainstreaming and gender specific results in the formulation of UNCF 2027-2031, following guidance on UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard on planning. 
• Synthesize and incorporate inputs from diverse stakeholders on gender equality and women’s empowerment priorities based on, government priorities and stakeholder consultations
• Coordinate with Programme Management Specialist and programme managers, participate in discussions of UN working groups and result groups on the evaluation and formulation of UNCF and ensure UN Women’s inputs are well reflected in the working and final documents. 

1. Provide technical support and coordination for the development of UN Women Strategic Note (2027-2031): (40 working days)

• To ensure continued relevance of UN Women’s interventions in response to national priorities and overall UN mandate, the formulation of SN is to include a context analysis to capitalize on relevant analysis/evaluations conducted at the country level, so as to ensure that lessons learned inform the new planning process. Following the UN Women guidance for the SN development, the SN will be based on the global UN Women Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and aligned with UNC for Viet Nam. This includes the following key aspects:
• National context and political developments in Viet Nam in lined with the common country analysis of the new UNSDCF 2027-2031.
• Outline of the current and emerging trends related to gender equality and empowerment of women (GEEW) in Viet Nam as well as the linkages to ASEAN and global
• UN Women’s mandate towards achieving goals and objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs with the focus on the principle of leaving no one behind, CEDAW and other relevant normative frameworks to promote GEWE in Viet Nam.
• Overview of the work of other UN agencies and international partners in Viet Nam in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment and key opportunities and gaps that could be addressed through strengthened coordination.
• Key lessons learned from the previous SN as well as the relevant evaluations, audit and midterm review and reviews of UN Women’s programmes in the country over the past few years and provide recommendations on how to build on the experience gained.
• The consultant is expected to work closely with the Country Representative, Programme Management Specialist and Programme Managers to:
• Conduct a desk review of the current UN Women programme in Viet Nam, with practical and substantial recommendations to enhance strategic positioning and comparative advantage of UN Women Viet Nam CO vis-à-vis other key players. The strategic position should be aligned with the new CF Outcomes and Outputs and highlight the comparative advantage of UN Women. 
• Facilitate initial internal and external consultations with key stakeholders to validate the preliminary findings of the desk review, obtain additional insights on key GEEW gaps, challenges and opportunities, and key lessons learned that will inform the new SN.
• In collaboration with programme team in Viet Nam CO, the Consultant will analyze and present the results of the desk review and draft a theory of change in close consultation with the Programme Management Specialist.
• Draft the strategic priorities for the new SN 2027-2029 in line with UNSDCF 2027-2029 and the UN Women Global SP 2026-2029.
• Support the development of the new SN 2027-2029 in line with the outcomes and programmatic areas of UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan including the log frame.
• Support the office to undertake a partnership analysis to identify key strategic partners of UN Women Viet Nam CO that are crucial for implementing the programme at the country level.
• In consultation with the operation and programme team of Viet Nam CO, develop a budget for the SN period (based on available and resource to be mobilized) 
• Facilitate the office to undertake and complete a risk analysis (issues that may interfere with fulfilment of commitments, including those that are external e.g. security risks, political instability as well as those that are internal) and identify mitigation strategies. 
• Support Viet Nam Office in facilitating consultations to support the validation of the new SN in Viet Nam (development of the agenda and facilitate the online discussion). 

1. Deliverables