UN Women is seeking a Lead National Consultant to support a comprehensive Gender Audit in Ukraine’s public institutions|Apply by 16 May 2026

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is seeking a Lead National Consultant to support a comprehensive gender audit across the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and other state institutions. This consultancy is part of UN Women’s broader effort to strengthen gender-responsive governance, particularly in the context of Ukraine’s ongoing public sector reforms and alignment with international gender equality commitments.

The assignment is home-based, part-time, and spans approximately 60 working days between May and November 2026. It plays a key role in advancing institutional accountability for gender equality and improving how government systems integrate equal rights and opportunities for women and men.

Purpose of the Gender Audit Assignment

A gender audit is a structured assessment tool used to evaluate how effectively institutions integrate gender equality principles into their policies, operations, and decision-making processes. In Ukraine, this process is anchored in national frameworks, including the State Strategy on Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men up to 2030.

This consultancy supports state institutions in:

• Assessing internal policies and governance structures through a gender lens
• Identifying gaps in gender-responsive implementation
• Strengthening institutional capacity for gender mainstreaming
• Developing actionable recommendations and reform plans

The work directly contributes to Ukraine’s broader governance reform agenda and its alignment with European Union accession requirements, where gender equality is a key benchmark.

Key Responsibilities of the Lead Consultant

The Lead National Consultant will act as the principal technical expert coordinating the gender audit process, often working alongside other national specialists and institutional working groups.

Core responsibilities include:

1. Methodology Development and Planning

• Designing the gender audit methodology, tools, and analytical framework
• Developing questionnaires, interview guides, and desk review materials
• Leading validation workshops with government working groups

2. Data Collection and Analysis

• Conducting comprehensive desk reviews of institutional documents
• Supporting surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions
• Triangulating qualitative and quantitative data for analysis
• Ensuring consistency and reliability of findings across institutions

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building

• Facilitating technical meetings with government working groups
• Providing training and knowledge-sharing sessions on gender audits
• Supporting coordination between ministries and UN Women teams
• Engaging stakeholders in validating findings and recommendations

4. Reporting and Strategic Recommendations

• Leading the drafting of the gender audit report
• Identifying best practices, gaps, and institutional development areas
• Supporting the creation of gender equality action plans
• Presenting findings to government and institutional stakeholders

Deliverables and Timeline

The consultancy is structured around five key reporting outputs across the assignment period. Each deliverable is tied to specific working days and milestones.

Key outputs include:

• Regular progress reports on gender audit implementation
• Methodological tools and analytical frameworks for the audit
• Comprehensive gender audit report with findings and recommendations
• Validated institutional feedback and revised final report
• Action plan for integrating gender equality improvements

These outputs will be submitted in English, with supporting materials such as questionnaires, meeting notes, and analysis documents provided in Ukrainian where necessary.

Required Expertise and Qualifications

This role requires a highly experienced gender and governance specialist with strong analytical and institutional engagement skills.

Essential qualifications include:

• Advanced degree in gender studies, public administration, law, social sciences, or related field
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant post-master’s experience (often more in practice expected)
• Proven experience conducting gender audits or gender-sensitive institutional assessments
• Strong background in gender analysis, governance reform, or public administration
• Experience working with government institutions on gender equality frameworks
• Familiarity with national and international gender equality commitments

Key language requirement:

• Fluency in Ukrainian
• Working knowledge of English

Core Competencies for the Role

The consultant is expected to demonstrate a combination of technical, analytical, and interpersonal competencies.

These include:

• Strong analytical and report writing skills
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder institutional processes
• Ability to facilitate workshops and technical discussions
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Adaptability in dynamic policy environments
• Commitment to gender equality and human rights principles

Strategic Importance of the Assignment

This consultancy is part of a broader institutional transformation effort aimed at embedding gender equality into the functioning of public administration in Ukraine. It is not limited to compliance but focuses on structural change.

The expected impact includes:

• Improved integration of gender perspectives in government decision-making
• Stronger institutional accountability for equality commitments
• Enhanced capacity of ministries to implement gender-responsive policies
• Better alignment with international standards, including EU accession criteria

By conducting structured gender audits, state institutions gain evidence-based insights into how policies affect women and men differently—and what needs to change to achieve equal outcomes.

Final Perspective

This Lead National Consultant role represents a high-impact opportunity for professionals working at the intersection of gender equality, governance reform, and public sector development. It requires both technical expertise and the ability to guide institutions through complex reflective processes.

Within Ukraine’s evolving governance landscape, this assignment contributes directly to building stronger, more inclusive public institutions that are better equipped to deliver equitable outcomes for all citizens.

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