Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Project aims to enhance the institutional capacity of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to design, implement, and finance low emissions and climate-resilient projects. The project is implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the National Designated Authority (NDA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. The GCF project focuses on capacity building, strategic frameworks, pipeline development, and knowledge sharing to support climate action in Laos.

Job Overview:
The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will play a crucial role in ensuring that the GCF Readiness project is fully gender-responsive and socially inclusive. This position involves mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) across all project components. The specialist will provide technical leadership, ensure compliance with national and FAO/GCF policies, and deliver capacity strengthening to the NDA, line ministries, and project partners. The role requires conducting gender analyses, developing training modules, facilitating workshops, and ensuring that gender considerations are integrated into project outputs and funding proposals.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive gender analyses to assess climate-related gender inequalities in Lao PDR and identify gender-specific risks and opportunities for inclusive climate action.
• Develop training modules on GCF Gender Policy, gender mainstreaming in project design, and gender-responsive safeguards.
• Facilitate training workshops for NDA and ministerial focal points, coaching staff on integrating gender into project documents.
• Ensure the updated GCF Country Programme incorporates robust gender analysis and provide gender-responsive inputs to assessments.
• Provide technical guidance on women's access to climate finance and contribute gender inputs into funding proposals.
• Ensure compliance with GCF Gender Policy and FAO policies, verifying that deliverables meet gender inclusion requirements.
• Collaborate with national project staff and coordinate with gender institutions and civil society groups.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree in Sociology, Gender Studies, Public Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field. A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in gender mainstreaming or social inclusion is required. Candidates should have a working knowledge of English and Lao, both written and spoken, and must be nationals of Laos.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree in a relevant field such as Sociology, Gender Studies, Public Management, Development Studies, or Social Sciences is required. The educational qualifications must be obtained from an institution accredited or recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED).

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 7 years of professional experience in gender mainstreaming, social inclusion, or related fields. Experience in developing training curricula and facilitating capacity-building programs on gender and social inclusion is essential. Proven experience working on gender mainstreaming in development projects, particularly in climate change or environmental sectors, is preferred.

Languages:
Fluency in Lao (written and spoken) is mandatory, along with a working knowledge of English (written and spoken). Additional languages may be beneficial but are not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The FAO does not charge any fees during the recruitment process. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. Candidates must be medically fit for appointment and meet any residency or visa requirements. The position may involve full-time engagement, and the appointment is subject to security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security clearances.