Consultant for Gender Equality and Adolescent Action Plan

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF emphasizes a culture of belonging and growth, providing an attractive compensation and benefits package to its staff. The organization is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, aligning its strategies with global frameworks and national priorities.

Job Overview:
The consultant will lead the development of a Gender Equality and Adolescent Action Plan (2026-2029) and its mainstreaming strategy. This role involves mapping existing gender and adolescent plans in Rwanda, reviewing country program outputs, and integrating emerging priorities into the consolidated Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP). The consultant will also support capacity building for UNICEF staff and partners on gender and adolescent transformative planning and monitoring. The expected outcomes include a comprehensive action plan aligned with national priorities, enhanced internal and partner capacity for gender programming, and strengthened credibility with stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct a mapping and analysis of existing gender and adolescent plans and strategies at national and UNICEF levels.
• Identify gender-inequitable outcomes by reviewing existing data to determine root causes.
• Develop programmatic responses and strategies, including a solid plan of action with outputs, baselines, indicators, and targets.
• Document findings and create a capacity building package for gender and adolescent programming.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including UNICEF staff and implementing partners, to present and finalize the GEAP and mainstreaming strategy.
• Provide technical training to the Gender and Adolescent Taskforce and implement partners on gender transformative programming and monitoring.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher in Gender and Development work, social sciences, public health, or international development with experience in adolescent programming.
• At least 8 years of strong technical skills in gender and adolescent research, with the ability to support gender assessments or reviews.
• Proven ability to leverage evidence on gender and adolescent issues to design and implement effective programs.
• Strong analytical skills in gender program design and assessment, ideally at the national level.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong interpersonal and presentation skills.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree or higher in relevant fields such as Gender and Development, social sciences, public health, or international development, emphasizing experience in adolescent programming.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, demonstrating strong technical skills in gender and adolescent research, as well as the ability to support gender assessments or reviews. In-country experience in Rwanda is considered an asset, along with prior experience with UNICEF or UN agency program planning.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda is required. Knowledge of French is considered an asset, enhancing communication capabilities within diverse contexts.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy will last for 45 working days between January 1 and March 31, 2026, and will be conducted in-country. Applications will be assessed based on technical and financial proposals, with maximum scores of 75% for technical and 25% for financial applications. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including those from underrepresented groups. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including discrimination and abuse.