Overview
The National Gender Specialist will lead and operationalize gender mainstreaming across all project components of the EU-funded Oil Palm Value Chains Development Project in Sierra Leone. The role focuses on ensuring inclusive, gender-responsive, and youth-sensitive value chain development.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct gender analysis of the oil palm value chain and identify key gender gaps, barriers, and opportunities.
- Develop a Gender Action Plan aligned with project objectives.
- Integrate gender considerations into production systems, processing facilities, technologies, farmer organizations, and cooperatives.
- Ensure gender-responsive targeting and beneficiary selection.
- Design and deliver training on gender mainstreaming, women’s economic empowerment, and gender-sensitive value chain development.
- Build the capacity of FAO staff, implementing partners, and government counterparts.
- Promote women’s participation in processing units, aggregation systems, and business development.
- Support development of women-led agribusiness initiatives.
- Develop gender-sensitive indicators and tools, and ensure collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data.
- Contribute to project reports and track progress on gender-related outcomes.
- Liaise with the Ministry of Gender, local authorities, and community leaders.
- Ensure the application of gender equality principles and the “Do No Harm” approach.
- Identify and mitigate risks related to exclusion or inequality.
- Prepare gender analysis reports, a Gender Action Plan, training reports, and periodic progress reports.
- Perform any other related duties as required.
Required Experience
- Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in: Gender mainstreaming in development programmes; Rural livelihoods, agriculture, or value chain development.
- Demonstrated experience in: Conducting gender analysis and developing gender action plans; Integrating gender considerations into programme design and implementation; Delivering capacity-building and training on gender equality.
- Proven experience working with: Government institutions, community-based organizations, and/or farmer groups; Multi-stakeholder or donor-funded programmes.
- Prior experience with FAO, EU-funded projects, or other UN agencies is highly desirable.
Qualifications
• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Rural Development, Agricultural Economics or a related field.
