External Consultant – Women-Friendly Framework Development

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Position: External Consultant – Women-Friendly Framework Development
Organization: ActionAid Jordan
Location: Amman, Jordan (with the possibility of remote work)
Duration: 10 working days over 3 weeks.
Type of Contract: Short-term Consultancy
Reporting to: Women Empowerment -Protection program Manager, ActionAid Jordan

Background

ActionAid Jordan, in partnership with Al Hayat RASED, has piloted the Women-Friendly Label (WFL) to promote gender-friendly workplaces and enhance women’s economic participation within SMEs and CSOs. As part of this initiative, as a result a draft WFL framework and a baseline assessment have been developed. To consolidate these efforts and ensure coherence, quality, and sustainability, ActionAid Jordan seeks to engage an external consultant to review the existing documentation and develop a final, donor-ready Women-Friendly Framework that is practical, guidance-oriented, and applicable beyond the project lifecycle.

 

Visibility and Communication Purpose
This consultancy is part of the project’s visibility and communication efforts. The Women-Friendly Framework will serve as a key communication and advocacy product to present project results, lessons learned, and good practices in a clear and accessible manner, in line with EU visibility and communication requirements. The framework will be used to support awareness-raising and dissemination among SMEs, CSOs, donors, and relevant stakeholders, including government entities.

Objective

The objective of this assignment is to support the development of a consolidated and high-quality Women-Friendly Framework. The consultant will be responsible for:

• Reviewing the draft WFL framework developed by Al Hayat RASED.
• Reviewing the final baseline assessment report and other relevant project documents.
• Developing a final Women-Friendly Framework that:
• Provides practical and actionable guidance for SMEs, CSOs, and relevant stakeholders.
• Aligned with donor (EU) requirements and standards.
• Can be applied, adapted, or referenced beyond the duration of the project.
• Includes annexes outlining internal assessment and verification processes for internal use.
• Ensuring the framework reflects gender equality in best practices, sector-specific realities, and key lessons learned from the baseline assessment.

 Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Document Review
  Review and analyze relevant project documentation, including:
• The draft Women-Friendly Label (WFL) framework developed by Al Hayat RASED;
• The final baseline assessment report;
• Any other relevant project documents shared by ActionAid Jordan. 

• Analysis and Technical Review
• Identify gaps, overlaps, inconsistencies, and areas requiring clarification or strengthening.
• Assess alignment between the draft framework, baseline findings, and donor expectations. 

• Framework Development and Consolidation
• Consolidate and refine the framework’s pillars/domains, principles, and guidance.
• Integrate practical examples, indicative indicators, and actionable recommendations to support stakeholder use.
• Develop annexes for internal use, detailing assessment methodology, scoring criteria, and verification processes related to the Women-Friendly Label (WFL). 

• Validation and Feedback Integration
• Submit a revised draft Women-Friendly Framework for review and feedback from ActionAid Jordan and key project stakeholders, including Al Hayat RASED and relevant donor focal points (as applicable).
• Incorporate consolidated feedback into the final version. 

• Final Submission
• Submit a polished, high-quality, donor-ready Women-Friendly Framework, including internal annexes, in line with agreed standards and timelines.

Deliverables

1 Revised Draft Women-Friendly Framework

·       An updated and consolidated draft of the Women-Friendly Framework, developed based on a review of:

o   The draft WFL framework developed by Al Hayat RASED;

o   The final baseline assessment report.

·       The draft will be submitted to ActionAid Jordan for technical review and feedback.

 

2 Final Women-Friendly Framework

·       A finalized, high-quality Women-Friendly Framework incorporating feedback from ActionAid Jordan and relevant stakeholders.

·       The framework will be guidance-oriented, practical, and applicable to SMEs, CSOs, and stakeholders, including for use beyond the project lifecycle.

·       The final version will be prepared for submission to the donor and potential sharing with relevant stakeholders, including government entities.

3 Annexes for Internal Use

·       Annex(es) detailing internal processes, including assessment methodology, scoring criteria, and verification mechanisms related to the Women-Friendly Label (WFL).

·       These annexes are intended for internal and technical use only and will not form part of the public-facing framework.

Duration and Level of Effort

The assignment is expected to take place between February and March 2026, with an estimated level of effort of 10  working days, to be agreed with ActionAid Jordan.

Required Qualifications

• Proven expertise in gender equality frameworks, organizational assessments, and/or women’s economic empowerment initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience working with SMEs, CSOs, and/or donor-funded projects, preferably EU-funded or similar international donor programs.
• Experience in developing or contributing to policy-relevant frameworks or guidance of documents that may be shared with or used by government entities is considered an asset.
• Strong analytical, research, and writing skills, with the ability to produce high-quality technical documents suitable for diverse audiences, including donors and government stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and deliver agreed outputs within established timelines. 

Payment

Installment	Milestone	Percentage of Payment
Single Installment	Upon final submission of all deliverables, including:   ·       Revised draft Women-Friendly Framework: Consolidated and updated draft framework based on review of the RASED draft and baseline assessment with initial recommendations for stakeholder guidance; draft annex(es) for internal assessment/scoring.   ·       Final Women-Friendly Framework: A finalized, practical, guidance-oriented framework incorporating stakeholder feedback, suitable for SMEs, CSOs, and other stakeholders, and ready for donor submission.   ·       Internal Annexes: Supporting documentation detailing assessment methodology, scoring criteria, and verification processes for internal use only.	100%

Application Process

Interested Consultant are invited to submit the following to Ari.jobs@ActionAid.org 

 with the subject line: “External Consultant – Women-Friendly Framework Development – ActionAid”

• Updated CV highlighting relevant experience in gender equality frameworks, organizational assessment, and women’s economic empowerment initiatives.
• Financial proposal detailing daily or total consultancy rate and any anticipated expenses.
• Brief methodology or approach (1–2 pages) outlining how the consultant intends to:
• Review the draft WFL framework and baseline assessment documents.
• Consolidate and structure the Women-Friendly Framework or any other documents