Facilitation of a Vision and Strategy Development Exercise

Client of United Nation careers

1. Background and Objective

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) s mandate is to foster comprehensive, equitable, integrated and sustainable development through effective economic and social cooperation in the region. It assists its 21 Arab Member States in introducing policy reform and enhancing capacities to address inequalities and uses its convening power to provide a forum for that. The Commission s mandate is delivered through three interrelated core functions: (a) serving as a regional forum and consensus builder on regional and thematic development issues; (b) providing analysis, research and evidence based policy alternatives; and (c) providing advisory services to facilitate the formulation, adoption and implementation of development policies. About the Vision and Strategy Development Exercise Under the leadership of the current Executive Secretary, ESCWA is working on developing a programme Vision and Strategy for the organization, in line with the UN Department of Operational Support (DOS) Strategic Planning Guide and building on work already done under the ESCWA 2.0 transformation exercise and the UN80 realignment process. The overall goal of the initiative is to establish a Strategic Direction a Vision (the long-term destination), a Strategy (the pathway and priorities) and strategic focus areas that ensures ESCWA delivers coherent, anticipatory and transformative support to its member States, improves ESCWA s performance and visibility, and to motivate and empower staff. By developing the programme Vision and Strategy, ESCWA will have one unified message stating what change it intends to contribute to, why this change is needed and how ESCWA envisions this change to happen. 2. Duties and Responsibilities The objective of the consultancy is to: prepare a draft Vision and Strategy Map (covering Client Outcomes, Services, Processes, People/Knowledge, and Finance), following DOS Strategic Planning Guidance. In order to complete this task, the consultant will hold focus group discussions with selected Project Coordinators and interviews with Cluster Leaders regarding their experiences and expectations for the Vision and Strategy; design a concept note and agenda for a two day Strategic Planning Retreat with Senior Management, to be organized in January 2026; facilitate the Strategic Planning Retreat with Senior Management, and; based on the discussions at the Strategic Planning Retreat, propose the vision and strategy map including strategic focus areas