Individual International Consultant - Editor (Homebased)

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.

The UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Suva, Fiji, and works alongside over 20 other UN agencies in the region across 14 countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Under its Strategic Note 2023–2027, which is aligned with the UN Pacific Sustainable Development Framework and the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy, the Fiji MCO guides gender equality and women’s empowerment efforts across these 14 Pacific Island countries and territories, with programme presences in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

The Strategic Note is underpinned by UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan and focuses on four interlinked programme areas:

• Ending Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWG); 
• Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE); 
• Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action; and
• Governance and Participation in Public Life (GPPL) 

Under its Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) programme area, the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) hosts the Markets for Change (M4C) Project. M4C is a multi-country initiative that aims to ensure marketplaces in rural and urban areas of Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory—promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of market vendors, with particular attention to the needs and aspirations of women market vendors.

The M4C Project promotes gender equality through the economic empowerment of women market vendors and gender-responsive capacity building for marketplace duty bearers. The project brings together governments, market vendors and their associations, civil society organizations, and UN agencies. M4C is implemented by UN Women in partnership with UNDP, with generous support from the Government of Australia.

The programme targets a diverse group of market vendors producing a wide range of products (e.g., fresh produce, handicrafts, seafood, cooked food), including full- and part-time vendors, rural vendors, vendor farmers, vendors engaged in family businesses, and vendors with disabilities.  The project will be delivered over five years:

• Fiji and Vanuatu: January 2022 – June 2026
• Samoa and Solomon Islands: January 2022 – December 2026

M4C Phase II builds on progress and lessons learned from its predecessor pilot project, Partners Improving Markets (PIM), implemented from 2009–2012 in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, and more recently M4C Phase I (2014–2021) in Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Theory of Change (ToC)

Gender-equitable economic and sociocultural empowerment of women market vendors within the market environment can be attained if:

• Accessible, inclusive, and representative governance structures are established in project marketplaces to improve accountability and advance sociocultural and economic rights, particularly for women market vendors.
• Vendors themselves are directly empowered through training, mentoring, and economic interventions to strengthen their voice in marketplaces and in their daily lives.
• Strengthening market management, local government, and the policy environment enables more gender-responsive, transparent, and accountable decision-making processes and improved framework conditions, giving voice to women market vendors in arenas that affect their lives.
• Targeted support to gender-responsive structures and marketplace services reduces vulnerability to climate change, disaster risks, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and economic exploitation.

M4C is currently compiling its Annual Report for 2025 and the End-of-Phase II Project Report. To support this, the Project seeks the services of an International Consultant, specialized in English texts and experienced in editing programme and project-related documents.

The Consultant will be engaged for 60 working days to provide substantive editorial support across a range of M4C Project reports. The scope of work will be based on project needs and the Consultant’s availability within the contract period, for a pre-agreed fee.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) Representative, and in collaboration with the M4C thematic programme managers, the Consultant Editor will undertake the following tasks:

• Review, substantively edit, and rewrite—as needed—the draft M4C Annual Report (2025) and its Annexes to ensure the document is of high quality, reader-friendly, adheres to the 20-page limit (excluding annexes), and uses results-based language in line with UN Women standards.
• Review, substantively edit, and rewrite—as needed—the draft M4C End-of-Project Report (2022–2026) and its Annexes to ensure the document is of high quality, reader-friendly, adheres to the 20-page limit (excluding annexes), and uses results-based language in line with UN Women standards.
• Review, substantively edit, and rewrite—as needed—the draft M4C Annual Report (2025) and its Annexes for Solomon Islands Bilateral to ensure the document is of high quality, reader-friendly, adheres to the 20-page limit (excluding annexes), and uses results-based language in line with UN Women standards.
• Review, substantively edit, and rewrite —as needed—the draft M4C End-of-Project Report and its Annexes for Solomon Islands Bilateral (2025–2026) and for Samoa Bilateral (2022-2026) to ensure the document is of high quality, reader-friendly, adheres to the 20-page limit (excluding annexes), and uses results-based language in line with UN Women standards.
• Liaise with M4C team members at the Fiji MCO to clarify content and gather additional information to address any gaps in the draft Annual Report (2025) and End-of-Project Report (2022 - 2026).
• Ensure consistency in format and style of both reports, in accordance with UN Women standards.
• Incorporate team feedback and revisions into the final versions of both documents.

Expected Deliverables

UN Women is seeking the support of an International Consultant Editor to draft the following key deliverables:

• 2025 Markets for Change (M4C) Annual Donor Report with Annexes, ensuring it follows the same format and style as the 2024 M4C Annual Donor Report. The 2025 Annual Donor Report is due on 30 June 2026, as per the requirements of one of the principal funders, the Government of Australia.
• Final M4C End-of-Project Report for 2022 - 2026 with Annexes, ensuring it follows the same format and style as the 2022 Final narrative report. The M4C End-of-Project Report for 2022 - 2026 with Annexes is due on 31 December 2026, as per the requirements of one of the principal funders, the Government of Australia
• 2025 Markets for Change (M4C) Interim Report for M4C Solomon Islands Bilateral and M4C Samoa Bilateral with Annexes, ensuring it follows the same format and style as the 2024 M4C Annual Donor Report. The 2025 Interim Report is due on 30 June 2026, as per the requirement of one of the principal funders, the Government of Australia 

The International Consultant is expected to work and deliver the following results:

All deliverables, including their design, scope and prioritization will comply with survivor-centered standards for administrative data management.

Note:      The mentioned number of working days has been estimated as being sufficient/feasible for the envisaged volume of work to be completed successfully and is proposed as a guideline for the duration of assignment. It cannot and shall not be used as criteria for completion of work/assignment. The provision of envisaged deliverables approved by the UN Women designated official shall be the only criteria for Consultant’s work being completed and eligible for payment/s. 

Institutional Arrangement

UN Women will provide the consultant with background information relevant to the scope of work during the pre-assignment briefing.

UN Women will also cover the costs for printed materials as required throughout the duration of the assignment. 

The consultant is expected to work remotely using her/his own computer. 

All the documents, including consultation material and reports should be written in the English language. All documents and materials utilized will need to be returned to UN Women in electronic format. All materials will remain property of UN Women and cannot be used without UN Women’s permission.

As full consideration for the services performed by the Consultant under the terms of this consultancy UN Women shall pay the consultant upon certification that the services have satisfactorily performed according to the scope of work/duties and deliverables stated in the TOR. 

Upon receipt of the final deliverables and prior to the payment - the deliverables, related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women within one week.

Duration of the Work 

The total duration of the contract assignment is tentatively planned for 40 working days in 12 months effectively from January 2026 (or as soon as possible).

Duty Station

The consultancy is home-based. The consultant is expected to work during standard working hours Fiji time. 

There is no travel involved.

Performance Evaluation

The Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Financial Arrangements 

Payments will be disbursed to the consultant in four instalments, upon submission and approval of deliverables set forth in the section “Expected Outputs and Deliverables” above, and certification by the team of thematic Programme Managers for M4C that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

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:

• Attention to Detail: Ensuring accuracy in grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze and synthesize information effectively
• Time Management: Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with UN processes and systems 

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree or other advanced degree in one or more of the following disciplines: social sciences, international development, and/or communications or similar.
• A first-level University Degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least seven (7) years (with Masters’ Degree), or nine (9) years (with first-level University Degree) of high-level progressive work experience in program development, writing, editing, and communicating complex programmatic information in reader-friendly formats and styles. 
• Demonstrated abilities and track record writing and editing high quality English-language program and project documents.
• Excellent understanding of and experience with gender-sensitive and results-based programming.
• Understanding of international development, resource mobilization, and the UN context is an asset. 
• Knowledge and working experience in at least two of the program areas listed for UN Women MCO would be an asset
• Must be capable of effectively using MS Word and Excel. 
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, including ability to use Internet and email. 

Languages:

• Fluency in verbal and written English is essential and required.

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.)

How to apply:

• Personal CV or P11 (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 (maximum length: 1 page)
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
• UN Women Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.

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.