Background:
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 Moldova Country Office works to strengthen the capacities of local private companies and business associations, as potential partners to the implementation of women’s economic empowerment agenda, specially increased women’s access to economic opportunities through trainings, coaching and financial support, as well as through supporting best practices of the private sector.
Association of Women Entrepreneurs from Moldova (AFAM) is an NGO with national cover with the mission to support growth of the female potential in entrepreneurship and management in the Republic of Moldova. Created in May 2013, AFAM is an association that promotes women in business, supports their advancement in corporate management, and facilitates their economic and social empowerment.
AFAM is a member of the public-private dialogue platform — the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova — where it actively contributes to the promotion of pro-business reforms. AFAM is a unique national level platform that brings together women practitioners with expertise and experience to share and inspire other women entrepreneurs.
In 2024, AFAM became the co-chair of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality (NCEEGE), established within the Economic Council. Within this Council, AFAM advocates for the implementation of the actions outlined in the Roadmap for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, developed with the support of the Council’s members — including business associations, donor organizations, and state institutions.
In this context, the presence of a dedicated national communications consultant is crucial to strategically promoting the role and work of Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality under the same communication platform of National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, AFAM, and the Economic Council to the Prime Minister.
The consultant will be reporting to AFAM and UN Women WEE Programme Specialist AFAM and UN Women Officer, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues. The consultant will provide a monthly time sheet and report on tasks performed.
Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work
The Communications Consultant will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic communication plan to promote the work and visibility of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, AFAM, and the Economic Council. This support will be fully aligned with UN Women’s strategic priorities and its mandate to promote gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and inclusive economic governance. The consultant’s work will contribute directly to the implementation of national policy commitments, such as the Programme for Promoting and Ensuring Equality between Women and Men in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2023-2027, as well as UN Women’s programmatic interventions targeting equal pay, access to finance, business support, enabling infrastructure, and support to women entrepreneurs under ongoing flagship initiatives.
through content creation, media engagement, and public outreach, as follows:
Develop a comprehensive communication strategy that reflects and supports the mandates, goals, and priorities of AFAM, the National Council, and the Economic Council, with a focus on promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, ensuring strategic alignment with UN Women’s mandate, the national roadmap for women’s economic empowerment, and key ongoing campaigns (e.g., “Zero Difference, 100% Transparency”, #TogetherWeGrow, others) Ensure consistent and visible communication about the importance of promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment and the roadmap, priorities, and achievements; Translate policy work into accessible messages, making reforms and strategic goals understandable and relevant to the broader public; Develop and disseminate targeted content (press releases, social media, success stories, reels, video reports, newsletters) that highlights the impact of the Council’s initiatives; Emphasize the voices of women entrepreneurs, champions of change, and beneficiaries of UN Women programs. Manage and update online platforms (social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, as well as AFAM and National Council websites) to ensure visibility and consistency of messaging; Build public and stakeholder support through storytelling and regular media engagement; Coordinate with media outlets to secure coverage, interviews, and editorial support for events and advocacy efforts; Provide communication support for events; Monitor and evaluate the impact of communication activities using relevant metrics and feedback tools to be reported on a monthly basis with recommendations and action plan to increase the outreach and reactions Facilitate dialogue with partners, institutions, and the media, ensuring that the voices and priorities of women entrepreneurs are heard and understood. Conduct assessments of communication needs, challenges, and gaps, including stakeholder mapping and communication flow analysis; Design and produce tailored communication and visibility tools and materials (e.g., key messages, visual identity elements, templates, digital and print content) to enhance outreach and public engagement; Document the implementation process and provide a final report outlining the activities carried out, key results achieved, identified challenges, and practical recommendations for improving communication practices and sustainability of efforts in the future. Reporting on activities carried out, achievements, and challenges, recommendations for future steps.By professionally managing communication, the national consultant would help position the National Council, AFAM, and the Economic Council as key drivers of inclusive economic reform and social progress in Moldova. The expected deliverables are:
Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
This consultancy is hybrid (home-based alternated with office-based at AFAM) assignment and requires part-time format of working. As part of this assignment, there might be requests for field visits. No travel costs will be covered by UN Women under the current assignment. All travel costs should be covered by AFAM.
Performance Evaluation
Consultant’s performance will be evaluated against such criteria as: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered. All reports must be provided in English, electronically.
Financial Arrangements
Payment will be disbursed every month upon submission and approval of deliverables and timesheets with actual days worked. The payment shall be made upon certification by UN Women and AFAM that the services have been satisfactorily performed. The number of days worked is to be determined solely by UN Women.
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.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 Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
Excellent command of Romanian and English, Russian will be an asset; Excellent writing skills in Romanian and English in preparing briefs, reports, human interest stories, news, articles and similar work for various audiences; Experience in web content management (uploading articles, photos, videos, updating existing information on website); Ability to work in an independent manner and organize the workflow efficiently; Good command of graphic design software such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop etc. would be an asset. Experience in managing and updating social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and website content; Familiarity with tools and methodologies for monitoring and evaluating communication effectiveness; Solid understanding of and hands-on experience in communications and outreach/advocacy; Ability to produce well-written text; Ability to achieve results and to work in teams; Ability to use Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource; Ability to work under pressure and within limited time frames; Ability to consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude; In-depth knowledge of gender equality and women’s rights issues will be an asset.Education and Certification:
Master’s degree or equivalent in foreign languages/literature/journalism/communication and public administration or in any other relevant domain 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 progressively responsible experience in journalism, communication, public information, or advocacy, preferably in the areas of gender equality, economic empowerment, or public sector reform is required; At least 2 communication strategies or campaigns successfully designed and implemented is required; Experience supporting at least 5 public events with tailored communication materials (e.g., press kits, talking points, social media packages) is required; Demonstrated ability to translate complex policy and technical language into accessible and engaging messages for various audiences, evidenced by at least 3 examples of communication products (e.g., press releases, policy briefs, social media content, newsletters, explainer videos) developed for non-technical audiences, is required. At least one previous assignment involving communication support, advocacy, or content development related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, or related public policies is considered an asset. Previous experience working with public institutions, international organizations, and/or women-led organizations is considered an asset;Languages:
Fluency in Romanian, English is required. Russian is an asset.APPLICATION PROCESS AND SUBMISSION PACKAGE
Interested candidates are invited to submit applications with the following documents.
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) Any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials (Examples of campaigns/materials/products elaborated by the candidate or under his/her coordination; Portfolio with 2-3 visuals to illustrate command of graphic design software, if any).Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, 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.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
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.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.