Job Description

Job Purpose:

• The Gender Specialist will provide technical leadership and support to ensure gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social inclusion are effectively integrated into the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Pastoralist Programme.
• The role focuses on addressing gender-based barriers affecting pastoralist communities, promoting equitable access to resources, and strengthening the participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in programme activities.

Key Responsibilities

Gender Mainstreaming & Programme Design:

• Lead the integration of gender and social inclusion (GESI) principles across all pastoralist programme components.
• Conduct gender analysis to identify gender gaps, power dynamics, and cultural norms within pastoralist communities.
• Support the development of gender-responsive strategies, workplans, and budgets.
• Ensure programme interventions are inclusive of women, men, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

Capacity Building & Technical Support:

• Build the capacity of programme staff, partners, and community stakeholders on gender equality, safeguarding, and inclusive practices.
• Develop and deliver gender training modules and toolkits for field teams and community facilitators.
• Provide ongoing technical guidance to ensure gender-sensitive implementation at the field level.

Community Engagement & Advocacy:

• Work closely with traditional leaders, women’s groups, youth associations, and community-based organizations to promote gender equity.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of women-led and youth-led pastoralist groups.
• Advocate for positive gender norms and women’s economic empowerment within pastoralist value chains.

Safeguarding & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention:

• Support the development and implementation of safeguarding and GBV prevention strategies.
• Ensure referral pathways for GBV cases are established and communicated at the community level.
• Promote safe, respectful, and inclusive programme environments for all participants.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting:

• Develop gender-sensitive indicators and tools for monitoring programme outcomes.
• Track and report on gender-related results, lessons learned, and best practices.
• Contribute to donor reports, case studies, and success stories with a strong gender lens.
• Support learning and adaptation based on gender data and community feedback.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Policy Support:

• Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, donors, and development partners on gender-related initiatives.
• Support alignment of programme activities with national gender policies and international best practices.
• Represent the organization in gender-focused meetings, workshops, and forums.

Key Deliverables:

• Gender analysis and inclusion reports.
• Gender mainstreaming action plans.
• Training materials and capacity-building sessions.
• Gender-sensitive M&E tools and reports.
• Safeguarding and GBV prevention inputs.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Sociology, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Development, Social Policy, or related field is an added advantage.
• 3–5 years’ experience in gender programming, preferably within pastoralist, rural development, agriculture, or humanitarian settings.
• Proven experience in gender analysis, mainstreaming, and community-based interventions.
• Strong understanding of gender issues in pastoralist and rural contexts in Nigeria or West Africa.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong analytical and facilitation skills.
• Excellent communication and report-writing abilities.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse communities.
• Experience with participatory approaches and community engagement.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and basic data collection tools.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and GBV principles.