International Consultancy - Consultant in Community Development

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead United Nations agency focused on delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Established in 1969, UNFPA operates in over 150 countries and has a mission to promote the health and rights of women and young people. The organization is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly in areas related to reproductive health, gender equality, and population dynamics. UNFPA's strategic plan for 2026-2029 outlines its response to a complex global environment, aiming to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to strengthen and expand community mutuals and women's associations in Djibouti City and five regions, contributing to the transformation of social norms, promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights, prevention of gender-based violence and female genital mutilation, and economic empowerment of women. The consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Women and Family and the Ministry of Health to enhance community mechanisms for prevention, service orientation, and social norm transformation. The role involves developing the economic dimension of these structures by identifying local value chains, structuring cooperatives, and designing innovative income-generating activities tailored to local realities. The consultant will also ensure that mutuals function as spaces for solidarity, social mobilization, health information, violence prevention, service orientation, and collective economic initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct mapping and institutional diagnosis of community mutuals, women's associations, and cooperatives in Djibouti City and five regions.
• Strengthen the organizational, institutional, and operational capacities of existing mutuals and community associations.
• Support the establishment and operationalization of women's community mutuals in Djibouti City.
• Integrate sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence prevention, and female genital mutilation orientation into mutuals' plans and activities.
• Establish functional links between community structures, the Ministry of Women and Family, the Ministry of Health, and their decentralized services.
• Implement a participatory mechanism to monitor social norm changes and community commitments.
• Identify economic opportunities and value chains with realistic potential for women in Djibouti City and each region.
• Support the structuring of cooperatives and the development of innovative income-generating activities.
• Enhance women's skills in collective entrepreneurship, management, production, marketing, and sustainable economic initiative development. 1
• Collaborate with health ministries to map accessible health services and facilitate links between mutuals and health structures.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• At least seven years of experience in community development, strengthening community-based organizations, or local economic development.
• Proven experience in supporting mutuals, women's associations, cooperatives, or community networks.
• Practical experience in value chain analysis and development, and designing income-generating activities.
• Experience working with women in rural, isolated, or economically vulnerable areas.
• Knowledge in sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, gender issues, or social norm transformation.
• Experience collaborating with ministries, decentralized services, local authorities, and economic actors.
• Experience in training, coaching, mentoring, and skills transfer.
• Experience in Djibouti, the Horn of Africa, or a similar sociocultural context is an advantage. 1
• Experience with UNFPA or another UN organization is a plus.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in social sciences, public health, gender studies, community development, or a related field is required for this position. This educational background is essential to understand the complexities of community dynamics, gender issues, and health-related challenges faced by women in Djibouti.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of seven years of professional experience in community development, with a strong focus on strengthening community-based organizations and local economic development. Candidates should have a proven track record in supporting mutuals, women's associations, cooperatives, or community networks, as well as practical experience in value chain analysis and the design of income-generating activities. Experience working with women in rural or economically vulnerable areas is crucial, along with knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence issues.

Languages:
Fluency in French is mandatory, and a good command of English is also required. Knowledge of Arabic, Somali, or Afar is considered an advantage, as it can facilitate communication with local communities and enhance the effectiveness of the consultancy.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to be full-time and may involve frequent travel to various regions within Djibouti. The position is open to both national and international candidates, and UNFPA encourages applications from women, individuals from minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups. The organization promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation, and selection for all, regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request to support their participation in the recruitment process.