RFAs: Specialized Capacity-Building for Women in Leadership (Moldova)

Deadline: 11-Sep-2026

UN Women is seeking a qualified contractor to design and deliver specialized training, mentoring, and executive coaching for women leaders and aspiring women leaders in Moldova. The assignment supports the Academy for Women in Public Leadership and will focus on strengthening women’s leadership, strategic communication, negotiation, crisis management, mediation, and participation in public decision-making. The 18-month assignment is expected to run from October 2026 through March 2028. Training will be delivered in Romanian and/or Russian, while English will be used for coordination and reporting with UN Women.

About the UN Women Academy for Women in Public Leadership

The UN Women Academy for Women in Public Leadership in Moldova was established to address the continued under-representation of women in decision-making and public leadership positions. Although women represent more than half of Moldova’s population, they remain under-represented in many political and public decision-making bodies. The Academy is designed to strengthen women’s leadership capacities and create greater opportunities for women to participate effectively in public life. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to promote: - Women’s leadership and political participation - Gender-sensitive governance - Women’s empowerment in public life - Leadership skills for women in decision-making positions - Greater representation of women in public institutions What the Selected Contractor Will Do The selected contractor will be responsible for designing and delivering specialized capacity-building activities for women participating in the Academy.

The target participants include:

- Women Members of Parliament - Women in senior government positions - Women in middle-level government positions - Women mayors - Women councillors - Aspiring women candidates participating in the Academy’s pre-electoral track The contractor will develop training and coaching content that responds to the practical leadership challenges faced by women in Moldova’s public sector. Key Training and Coaching Areas The Academy is seeking specialized modules covering several priority areas. Crisis Management and Safe Leadership Training may focus on helping women leaders effectively manage crises while maintaining safe, responsible, and resilient leadership.

Potential topics include:

- Crisis preparedness and response - Decision-making under pressure - Leadership resilience - Risk management - Safe leadership practices - Managing difficult public situations - Maintaining effective leadership during crises Strategic Communication Strategic communication will help participants communicate clearly and effectively in political, governmental, and public settings.

Training may cover:

- Public speaking - Political and institutional communication - Message development - Communication strategy - Media engagement - Stakeholder communication - Communicating during crises - Building credibility and public trust Negotiation and Mediation Participants will develop practical skills for managing negotiations, resolving disputes, and building consensus.

Potential areas include:

- Negotiation strategies - Conflict resolution - Mediation techniques - Stakeholder management - Consensus building - Managing difficult negotiations - Collaborative decision-making Executive Coaching Executive coaching will provide individualized support to women leaders and aspiring leaders.

Coaching may address:

- Leadership development - Professional challenges - Strategic decision-making - Career development - Confidence and leadership presence - Management skills - Individual leadership goals - Navigating complex institutional environments Additional Training Modules Contractors may also propose complementary training or coaching modules that support the objectives of the Academy. Additional modules should be relevant to the needs of women leaders and aspiring women leaders in Moldova and should strengthen their ability to participate effectively in public decision-making. Possible complementary areas could include: - Leadership development - Public policy engagement - Team management - Stakeholder relations - Political leadership - Institutional decision-making - Gender-responsive leadership - Personal effectiveness Any proposed additional modules should clearly demonstrate how they contribute to the Academy’s objectives. Training and Coaching Format The assignment will use a combination of learning and support methods rather than relying solely on conventional classroom training.

The program may include:

- Group training sessions - Individual mentoring - Advisory support - Executive coaching - Practical leadership exercises - Tailored capacity-building activities The content should be adapted to the different professional backgrounds and leadership needs of participants. Language Requirements Training and coaching activities must be delivered in Romanian and/or Russian. English will be used for coordination and reporting with UN Women. Therefore, the contractor should be capable of delivering participant-facing activities in the required local languages while maintaining effective communication and reporting in English. Assignment Duration and Timeline The assignment is expected to begin in October 2026 and conclude in March 2028. The total assignment period is 18 months. During this period, the contractor will coordinate its activities closely with UN Women to ensure that training and coaching are delivered according to the Academy’s overall schedule. Coordination With UN Women The selected contractor will work closely with: - UN Women’s Programme Specialist - The Academy’s coordination consultant - Other relevant Academy stakeholders Coordination will be particularly important for planning training sessions, mentoring activities, and coaching. The contractor will need to ensure that activities are integrated into the Academy without creating scheduling confli