Organizational Setting

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes. It advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD) provides expert guidance on IFAD's strategic direction, thematic priorities and technical quality of IFAD’s operations. It plays a critical role in providing technical expertise to operational teams to enhance development effectiveness, by generating  and  disseminating IFAD’s development knowledge and evidence on strategic themes, and encouraging innovative application of cutting-edge global knowledge and evidence in IFAD investments to support countries tackle their most complex development challenges in fostering inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. SKD is composed of the (i) Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division (ECG); the (ii) Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division (PMI); and the (iii) Research and Impact Assessment Division (RIA).

ECG is composed of two clusters: (i) Environment and Climate Change Cluster; (ii) and the Social Inclusion Cluster. ECG takes the lead in integrating cross-cutting themes of environment and climate, nutrition, gender, youth, and indigenous peoples into IFAD's portfolio, with the aim of strengthening the quality and impact of IFAD’s operations. ECG also contributes to the generation of evidence and knowledge on these themes, and facilitates their use in IFAD-funded projects and activities. In addition, ECG provides guidance and support to ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups, particularly women, indigenous peoples and rural youth, into IFAD operations. Addressing environmental, biodiversity and climate change issues are inseparable from IFAD’s mission to overcome poverty.

Job Role

Consultancies play a critical role in the execution of IFAD’s mandate and our impact on the ground. Rosters are designed for junior and senior experts whose skills are required for specific project assignments. Given the different technical and time-duration nature of assignments, IFAD is looking for consultants of varying ability and experience.

Consultants may be contacted for specific assignment throughout the year and the remuneration will be commensurate with candidate's qualifications, experience and skills as well as the nature of the assignment in terms of:

• Responsibilities and complexities of the assignment.

• The degree of specialization required.

Consultants are not considered staff of IFAD. Consultancy assignments do not carry any expectation of employment, extension or conversion to another type of contract with the Fund. Consultants can be recruited for a maximum of 240 days in 1 calendar year and 960 days in 5 calendar years. 

Key Functions and Results

Reporting to the Lead Technical Specialist - Gender and Social Inclusion, the GEWE consultant will conduct the following activities where and when applicable to the specific assignment:

• Join design, supervision, implementation support, mid-term review, or completion missions and conduct tasks related to Gender, Targeting and Social Inclusion as indicated in the mission TORs;

At design:

Review the country context (legal, political, institutional, social, cultural and sector policies) relevant to GEWE in relation to the project thematic focus;

• Conduct a participatory gender-sensitive rural poverty and livelihoods analysis in the proposed project area(s) to identify and better understand the needs, priorities and expectations of poor rural people (including their livelihood strategies and outcomes, vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms, local poverty processes and rural institutions);

• Develop gender-sensitive TOCs, gender mainstreaming strategies, define implementation mechanisms, and other products needed to ensure that the project identifies opportunities to support GEWE and facilitates women’s participation in project interventions;

• Provide inputs into the M&E framework, project logframe and learning systems to incorporate gender and social inclusion perspectives, including the use of participatory approaches and disaggregated data and indicators, and to measure performance of the project strategies. Or review it when support is expected at implementation;

• Identify opportunities to mainstream approaches which address the root causes of gender inequality and disempowerment, such as household methodologies where possible, or assess the status of their implementation where and when applicable. Capture gaps and areas of improvements;

• Provide technical support, as required, for the Social Environment and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP) background report  with a focus on poverty, livelihood, gender, nutrition, youth, persons with disabilities and Indigenous peoples as appropriate.

At implementation, mid-term and completion:

• Identify implementation arrangements, risks and mitigation measures, costs and financing to ensure effective implementation of the gender strategy;

• Identify and describe factors and constraints that have influenced project implementation, including technical, bureaucratic, managerial, organizational, institutional and socio-economic policy issues, in addition to other external factors unforeseen during design, and how these have affected the project in terms of implementation delays and shortfalls, and impact on the beneficiaries;

• Assess how project M&E systems incorporate gender and social inclusion perspectives, including the use of participatory approaches and disaggregated data and indicators, conduct or guide analyses to ascertain the equitable distribution of project benefits, measure or support the measurement of changes linked to gender equality and empowerment and to measure performance of the project strategies;

• Document gender transformative efforts of the project and assess the prospects of sustainability of project benefits beyond project completion;

• Identify any potential for the replication or up-scaling of best project practices;

• Identify lessons from what worked and what didn’t work on gender, targeting and social inclusion;

• Contribute to the identification of gender-related good practices and stories from the field;

Other Activities

• Contribute to start-up workshops and other capacity development activities as required,

• Contribute to technical written sections of mission reports or to the development of other technical reports as required.

Key Performance Indicators

Assignments require the provision of authoritative technical expertise in the field of specialization. The Consultant Technical Specialists - Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) design and contribute to the delivery, implementation support and supervision of investment projects and country programmes. The impact on the overall IFAD country and regional programmes is significant in projecting the Fund’s role/capacity as a reliable, viable partner in development. Work is intricate in that it requires consideration of a wide range of technical factors and related data, national policies relevant for the economic policy concerns of the international organization. The Consultant Technical Specialist - Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) - might also monitor and guide the work of external consultants and might participate as expert in field missions and in the servicing of intergovernmental and expert group meetings of a technical nature.

The work is considered moderately complex requiring in-depth technical analysis and reporting. Typically operating as a Technical Specialist at the country or regional levels, the Consultant's work may be reviewed for technical accuracy, but more typically is reviewed for supporting the established work plan.

Working Relationships

The Consultant Techical Specialist - Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) works under the direct supervison of the Lead Technical Specialist - Gender and Social Inclusion, and also liaises directly with the Regional Gender and Social Inclusion specialists to provide support to IFAD programmes

The work relationships of Technical Specialists at this level are primarily for the exchange of information regarding development projects. Information-gathering and exchange in support of studies and thematic assignments may also include identifying reliable sources and establishing guidelines for obtaining information on national and sub-regional level conditions, and to convey methodological approaches and operational experience for implementation of activities undertaken on behalf of the Fund.

Job Profile Requirements

Organizational Competencies:

Level 1:

• Building relationships and partnerships - Builds and maintains effective working relationships

• Communicating and negotiating - Communicates effectively; creates understanding between self and others

• Demonstrating leadership - Personal leadership and attitude to change

• Focusing on clients - Focuses on clients

• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating - Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge & innovates

• Managing performance and developing staff 

• Managing time, resources and information - Manages own time, information and resources effectively

• Problem-solving and decision-making - Demonstrates sound problem-solving and decision-making ability

• Strategic thinking and organizational development - Personal influence

• Team working - Contributes effectively to the team

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php in a job related field (*):     

• Areas - Agriculture, Rural Development, Social Studies, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Economics, Management, International Relations. 

Work Experience: 

• At least five (5) years of professional experience in the design, implementation, supervision of projects in the field of gender equality, women's empowerment and social inclusion in an agricultural or rural context

• Position-specific experience: Experience with design and/or implementation of development programs for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Experience with gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation systems / framework. Experience in community work, livelihoods analysis, approaches to poverty reduction, gender transformation and social inclusion strategies in agricultural and rural development projects

• Experience with the UN or other international development organizations is highly desirable.

Languages:

• Required English (4 – Excellent) 

• Desirable: French, Spanish, or Arabic (3 – Good) 

Skills:

• Advocacy: Ability to leverage IFAD knowledge and/or communication materials to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD`s vision and strategic priorities to external actors

• IFAD governance & mandate: In depth knowledge of IFAD`s governance structure, mandate, strategic priorities and technical work

• Knowledge strategy & management: Extensive expertise in knowledge management & dissemination strategies

• Evidence-based policy: Know-how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation)

• IFAD partners: Knowledge of IFAD's partners' functioning and mandate , such as the public sector (e.g. governments and policy, institutions and system), non-state actors (NGOs, CSOs, Foundations, etc.) and private sector actors

• Resource mobilization: Know-how in resource mobilization strategies (including marketing and communication) for IFI, international public bodies and within the UN

• Adaptability: Adaptability and flexibility when facing new or unexpected situations, and to specific constraints and circumstances and managing complex processes

• Corporate approach: Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities)

• Interpersonal skills: Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with others (e.g. visitors, clients, callers, etc.), including senior individuals (e.g. high-level meeting participants)

• Problem solving: Strong systemic and structured thinking, ability to identify and dissect problems into components and formulate a comprehensive set of creative viable and sustainable solutions and strategies

• Synthesis: Outstanding ability to synthesize and simplify complex technical information for a variety of (non-technical) audiences

• Verbal communication: Clear, succinct and convincing verbal communication; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language

• Written communication: Clear, succinct and convincing written communication in the language needed for specific role; highly professional, balanced and diplomatic language (e.g. for drafting of position papers, briefings, etc.)

• Social & Environmental Safeguards: Know-how in Social & Environmental complianc as specified in the IFAD's Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP)

• Cross-cutting themes - Gender and social inclusion: Expertise specific to gender and social inclusion cross-cutting theme (e.g. youth, targeting strategies)

• Project/Programme mgmt (incl. coordination, design, development): Know-how in Project design and evaluation

Other Information

In the interest of making most cost-effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to candidates who's application is considered for the selection process. Candidates may be required to take a written test and participate in interviews.