International Consultant to support the facilitation of the 2024 Staff Retreat

Hiring Office:

Purpose of consultancy:

UNFPA Turkmenistan is finalizing its current programme cycle for 2021-2025. In line with newly endorsed UNFPA People Strategy and the UN 2.0 skills set for the staff[1] to be fit for the purpose UNFPA Turkmenistan CO team needs a booster in revitalizing the better team spirit through learning techniques of building trust and healthy relations among each other. 

The team composition has been changes by about 50% staff turnover since the latest exercise on assessment and development of the Team chart in 2019.   For UNFPA human resources are of critical importance to advance in-country programmatic and advocacy agenda and remain relevant to cover the emerging national development priorities. Due to the growing demand for advocacy and partnerships, support to 2030 Development Agenda, joint UN work considering the UN Reforms, and finding sustainable solutions for upscale programming, UNFPA should have strong comparative advantage and presence in the country. This includes the need for increased staff capacities to provide the adequate support for 2030 Development Agenda and for UNFPA mandate in the upper middle-income country. Thus, the UNFPA team will experience growing demand for relevant skills and competencies, as well as coherent work of a team and highly productive staff members.

The Office places a high priority for increased visibility of UNFPA team in the country, region and globally to demonstrate progress in the lives of women and young people. In addition to technical robustness, this will require strong motivation, team cohesion, working for a common cause mind-set, changing some ineffective approaches and work for success.

In this light, UNFPA CO is keen on initiating a skills mapping exercise to identify the untapped potential, talent and strengths at an individual and team levels. The outcomes of the exercise will lay the foundation to sketch a roadmap for the staff and team development and get prepared for the new country programme cycle. The consultant will work in close collaboration with all staff at all levels management, programme and operations teams (12 participants).

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

Total assignment duration is 8 working days:

• 4 days desk work for preparations for on-site workshop (analysis) in collaboration with the team (office will provide the consultant teams structure and individual profiles). All staff must complete online assessment.
• 2-day retreat that will include full facilitation based on the assessments and staff consensus on follow up activities. 
• 2 days for a post-workshop report in writing.

Duration and working schedule:

Place where services are to be delivered:

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g., electronic, hard copy etc.):

Upon the completion of consultancy assignment, the consultant should report to UNFPA on achievement of the following deliverables:

• Provide assessment results for individual staff and team profiles (12 participants) by September 30^th, 2024.
• 2-day workshop facilitations on 2-3 October 2024 and access to resource materials 
• A short report with recommendations by October 20^th, 2024.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Supervisory arrangements:

Expected travel:

Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies, including language requirements:

Qualifications

• MS degree in the field of economics, psychology, social sciences, strategic marketing management and/or other related social science field.
• Clear understanding of strategic consulting, change management, leadership development and coaching concepts. 
• 5 years of experience in consulting, coaching for international organizations and knowledge of Inter-Cultural Intelligence is desirable.
• Proficiency in skills mapping, competency analysis.
• A demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to facilitate, consult and coach people in multi-cultural environment.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of Russian is an advantage.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g., support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any: