OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

CONTEXT

With more than 50 years of experience developing the capacity of member states, IIEP-UNESCO is the only specialized organization with the mandate to support education policy, planning and management in the UN system. IIEP’s Africa office (IIEP Dakar) contributes to this mission by producing rigorous analysis and data-driven evidence, developing cutting-edge analytical tools, and delivering technical assistance to identify, facilitate and promote the adoption of effective solutions to Africa’s most pressing education challenges.

Over the past decade, IIEP has strengthened its commitment to reducing gender inequalities by integrating this issue in its activities. Since 2014, it has also been one of the Institute’s strategic priorities in line with UNESCO Strategy for gender equality in and through education (2019-2025) which focuses on a system-wide transformation to benefit all learners equally.

At the backbone of its strategy and commitment to reducing inequalities in education, IIEP UNESCO co-leads the Gender at the Centre Initiative – GCI together with UNGEI. Launched in 2019 at the G7 Summit, the GCI aims to strengthen the gender mainstreaming capacities of education system stakeholders and support the development of resources to achieve gender equality in and through education. The initiative is currently being developed in eight pilot countries in sub-Saharan Africa and seeks to expand to other countries in the region, in partnership with the GCI Alliance gathering partners such as UNICEF, GPE, Plan International, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), the African Network Campaign on Education for All (ANCEFA) and the African Union – International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA), the G7 donors (France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, European Union) and the participating countries.

Long Description

In 2024, GCI will enter into its second phase (2024-2026) with the objectives of:

1. Generating clear data and evidence to ministries and civil society so that they are better equipped to achieve gender equality in and through education.
2. Building technical capacity, promote better commitment and jointly develop effective tools for gender responsive education policy making, planning and management.
3. Contributing to the development of a strong, coordinated and active movement for gender-transformative education that holds governments and actors accountable)
4. Acting as a catalyst to increase demand for gender equality in and through education.

Long Description

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES

To support the institute’s efforts to strengthen gender equality in its activities at the global level and the implementation of GCI, IIEP-UNESCO is looking for a senior consultant with significant expertise in gender and educational analysis, planning and policies as well as gender mainstreaming in education. The consultant, under the global authority of the Head of IIEP-UNESCO Dakar and the direct supervision of the Head of the Gender at the Centre Initiative, will:

1. Support the GCI Lead in the ongoing development of strategic direction and resource mobilisation for GCI’s new phase of work:
   1. Contribute to discussion and documentation relating to GCI’s strategic direction
   2. Input into resource mobilisation processes and strategy

2. Collaborate with the GCI team and IIEP colleagues in the provision of country-specific technical support:
   1. Lead the development and implementation of the GCI 2024 Action Plan in Nigeria, liaising with the Federal Ministry of Education
   2. Support the development and implementation of the GCI 2024 Action Plan in one other GCI country (TBD)
   3. Contribute to other GCI technical support as required, in particular through the Technical Assistance Partnership with GPE/UNGEI
   4. Contribute to other non-GCI technical supports as required.

Long Description

3. Contribute to the production and dissemination of data, knowledge, and global goods on gender in education.
   1. Contribute to the development of a handbook on gender transformational education policy making.
   2. Contribute to any methodological tool developed under GCI or IIEP gender activities.
   3. Contribute to the GCI research to fill the data gaps relating to gender in education that have been identified as priorities.

4. Support the GCI and trainings teams in Paris, Dakar and BA in the development, coordination and delivery of training and in the facilitation of a gender and education community of practice.
   1. Contribute to the mainstreaming of gender in the evolving IIEP global training offer (2 specialized gender courses and mainstreaming gender in the core training offer)
   2. Taking into account the findings from previous editions of the Community of Practice in Gender and Education, lead the development and implementation of this activity strand in the new phase.

5. Contribute to activities to strengthening IIEP gender mainstreaming and moving forward a gender-transformational agenda at IIEP.
   1. Contribute to capitalising on and disseminating GCI’s results, tools/methodologies, and innovations internally.
   2. Contribute to improvement of measurement mechanisms at IIEP.
   3. Support the development of internal tools/methodologies to strengthen gender equality.
   4. Support the development and delivery of internal trainings.

6. Contribute to the visibility of the IIEP’s outputs in the international education sector and identify potential partnerships.
   1. Strengthen GCI’s visibility and partnerships.
   2. Contribute to the visibility of IIEP/GCI outputs and knowledge, especially in the international English-speaking education sector.
   3. Identify and concretize opportunities for partnership on gender in and through education.

Contribute to capitalising on and disseminating GCI’s results, tools/methodologies and innovations.

7. Support and contribute to any transversal Gender and Equity/GCI-wide activities upon request.
   1. Support the M&E of GCI phase 2 and Technical Assistance Partnership/GPE
   2. Contribute to the final evaluation of GCI Pilot Phase

DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINE

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Academic qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in gender, education, economics, social sciences or related fields

Years of relevant work experience

• Ten (10) years of experience in the field of education and gender equality
• Demonstrated professional experience in gender analysis in education, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated professional experience in the design of education policies or education sector development plans, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated experience working with ministries of education and development partners in Sub-Saharan African countries.
• Demonstrated experience of working with professional communities of practice, ideally education or gender related.
• Demonstrated experience in mainstreaming gender equality at institutional level.

Competencies

• Gender mainstreaming expertise in education planning and ability to integrate gender perspectives into policies, programs, and projects.
• Analytical skills. Ability to assess existing policies and identify opportunities for gender-responsive improvements and to contribute to the development of gender-sensitive education policies.
• Capacity Building expertise. Design and deliver training programs on gender-responsive planning for education stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Engagement. Establish and maintain effective partnerships with Ministries of Education NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Project management. Experience in managing and overseeing projects with a focus on gender-responsive planning.
• Communication skills. Effective written and verbal communication skills to convey complex gender concepts to diverse audiences.
• Monitoring and Evaluation. Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of gender-responsive initiatives.