Gender and Social Inclusion Analyst * (Local recruitment Panama City, Panama)

Organizational context

(*This Vacancy Announcement is for a national officer position in Panama City, Panama at the NO-B level. It is open only to nationals of Panama. Duration of the assignment: 2 years)

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

The Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD) provides expert guidance on IFAD's strategic direction, thematic priorities, and technical quality of IFAD’s operations. It plays a critical role in providing technical expertise to operational teams to enhance development effectiveness, by generating and disseminating IFAD’s development knowledge and evidence on strategic themes and encouraging innovative application of cutting-edge global knowledge and evidence in IFAD investments to support countries tackle their most complex development challenges in fostering inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. SKD is composed of the (i) Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division (ECG); the (ii) Sustainable Production, Markets, and Institutions Division (PMI); and the (iii) Research and Impact Assessment Division (RIA).

ECG takes the lead in supporting the implementation of IFAD's Gender Policy as well as mainstreaming crosscutting themes of environment and climate, nutrition, gender, youth, and indigenous peoples into IFAD's portfolio, as well as implementing relevant policies in these areas, to strengthen the quality of IFAD’s operations and achieve improved impacts. ECG supports integration of the four corporate priorities of gender, nutrition, climate, and youth to demonstrate how they add value to each other and to the whole portfolio for more transformational outcomes. ECG contributes to the generation of evidence and knowledge on these cross-cutting themes and facilitates their use in IFAD projects and activities. In addition, ECG provides guidance and support to ensure the inclusion of groups with special needs and opportunities, particularly women, indigenous peoples, and rural youth as well as others into IFAD operations.

The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst provides professional assistance in technical areas and supports knowledge management and partnership building to increase the social inclusion impact of IFAD’s portfolio (loans, grants, and policy engagement) on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social inclusion.

Accountabilities/key results expected are:

• Technical and Country Programme Assistance
• Knowledge Management and Capacity Building Support
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
• Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization Support
• Managerial Functions

The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst works under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance of the Division Director and the Regional Director of the Regional Division to which s/he is mapped. S/he works under the direct supervision of the Lead Technical Specialist (Gender & Social Inclusion), with dual reporting to the Country Director/Head of the IFAD Sub-regional Hub. S/He works in close cooperation with Technical Specialist for Youth, Indigenous peoples, Nutrition as well as with other Technical Specialists and Country Programme Managers to ensure consistency, cohesion, and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support facilitating knowledge flows and building of communities of practice.

Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst may be required, but not extensively, to travel outside of their own country to perform the work of the Organization.

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. TECHNICAL AND COUNTRY PROGRAM ASSISTANCE: Based on proficient technical knowledge and analysis of current thematic conditions, emerging development challenges and the state of rural poverty at the assigned country level, the Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst provides technical assistance that contributes to improving the capacity of IFAD to address rural poverty, to enhancing national government policies and programmes and to ensuring IFAD is regarded as a trusted and valued partner.

S/he also facilitates the mainstreaming and provides the technical assistance on cross-cutting themeswithin his/her area of expertise.

Accountabilities may include:

• Supporting the implementation of operational commitments and programs related to: i) IFAD's Policy on Gender Equality and Women's empowerment; ii) IFAD Targeting Policy; iii) IFAD Policy on Engagement with Indigenous peoples; iv) IFAD youth action plan; and (v) IFAD Nutrition Action Plan, the latter regarding social inclusion aspects only;
• Providing technical support and backstopping on targeting, gender, indigenous peoples, and social inclusion of IFAD-financed projects and COSOPs;
• Contributing to reporting on progress on targeting, gender mainstreaming/transformation and social inclusion in projects, paying special attention to projects requesting special assistance during implementation;
• Supporting policy engagement on gender, indigenous peoples, youth, and other social inclusion topics in the countries of the region;

2. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING: The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst contributes to the development of viable and sustainable policy and project development at the country level through technical knowledge sharing for his/her area of specialization. S/He will support country level access to the latest sources of knowledge and innovation, contributes to strengthening national technical capacity and establishing new knowledge and advisory partnerships. S/he captures and uses more systematically IFAD’s field experience to better link impact evaluation to corporate and regional M&E work and integrate impact assessments, M&E and good practice findings into corporate learning opportunities to allow for cross-regional learning.

Accountabilities may include:

• Collecting and contributing to reporting on good practices and on gender mainstreaming, women's empowerment, and innovative/transformative approaches;
• Disseminating knowledge products, operational tools and guidelines on gender, youth, and social inclusion;
• Assisting in impacts assessments of selected projects;
• Supporting the development and management of a network of gender, and social inclusion officers/focal points from IFAD-funded projects and practitioners at regional level, and contributing to IFAD global KM processes in coordination with gender and social inclusion team;
• Participating in capacity development and training to support gender and social inclusion project staff, national partners, and service providers by providing technical support to IFAD partners at country level and contributes to enhancing gender and social inclusion dimensions in workshops and initiatives;

3. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION: The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst contributes to establishing and maintaining a network of peer contacts inside and outside IFAD to keep up-to-date on activities to support joint advocacy at the country level and for knowledge sharing to enhance the Fund’s profile as a highly competent and viable partner in development and mainstreaming cross-cutting themes into IFAD country programmes.

Accountabilities may include:

• Identifying key organizations and institutions to assist IFAD-financed projects in gender assessments and social inclusion and gender analyses;
• Liaising with national gender and social inclusion officers/focal points, providing technical support and backstop as required;
• Assisting in organizing country level events on IFAD-financed project experiences and results of gender and social inclusion with the country partners;
• Linking up country resource people and IFAD social inclusion team;

4. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING: The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst contributes to the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of technical activities and components of programs/projects to enhance country level programme and funding decisions based on accurate technical data.

Accountabilities may include:

• Participating in selected design, supervision and impact assessments missions;
• Contributing to evaluation processes as required;
• Contributing to gender equality and social inclusion aspects of portfolio reviews and analysis;

5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This may include management of consultants and staff under his/her purview.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Assignments require the provision of technical expertise and input for the full programme/project cycle as well as in knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. The work goes beyond technical analysis and synthesis to include professional inputs to project methodology and design of projects, knowledge sharing among peers and counterparts to enhance cooperation, complementarity and synergy and monitoring and evaluation to measure and report on lessons learned and best practices. The work is considered moderately complex requiring proficient technical analysis and reporting. Typically, the Gender & Social inclusion Analyst may be reviewed for technical accuracy, but more typically is reviewed for achieving the established work plan.

Representation / Work relationships

The work relationships of Gender & Social Inclusion Analyst are primarily for the exchange of information regarding development projects. Information-gathering and exchange in support of studies and thematic assignments may also include identifying reliable sources and establishing guidelines for obtaining information on national and sub-regional conditions and if needed contributing to sub-regional conditions and to convey methodological approaches and operational experience for implementation of activities undertaken on behalf of the Fund.

Competencies

Organizational competencies

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence
• Demonstrating Leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates
• Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients
• Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem solving and decision-making ability
• Managing time, resources, and information: Manages own time, information, and resources effectively
• Team Work: Contributes effectively to the team
• Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understanding between self and others
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships
• Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively

Technical/Functional competencies

• Technical knowledge on gender equality and social inclusion for the design and implementation support of development project and programmes (preferably investments).
• Ability to provide technical assistance /knowledge to different audiences.
• Ability to listen and respond to client needs.
• Ability to analyze, report, monitor and document new field-level methodologies and techniques in gender, youth, and social inclusion.
• Ability to contribute to team work.
• Produces structured and analytical reports.
• Captures experience and knowledge from IFAD portfolio in the country for knowledge products development and wider dissemination.
• Effectively applies project management tools and techniques.
• Interdisciplinary approach to work.
• Ability to work well with multicultural teams.
• Ability to set out a coherent argument in writing, presentations, and group interactions.
• Good working knowledge of Windows-based computing, and electronic communication.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in the field of specialization, e.g. social sciences, gender studies, sociology, economics, human or development geography, rural development. An advanced university degree may be substituted by a first university degree Bachelor or equivalent) plus at least four additional years of relevant professional experience, over and above the minimum number of years of experience.

Experience

• At least 2 years progressively responsible experience in, and demonstrated understanding of, gender and social inclusion issues in rural development initiatives.
• Good technical expertise, demonstrated by substantive work experience, and solid understanding of youth, indigenous peoples and social inclusion issues and impacts on rural development, ideally acquired by working on rural development or poverty reduction projects.
• Access to networks of technical and professional resources and expertise which can be brought to bear to IFAD's work on gender and social inclusion.

Language requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Spanish, with a very good working knowledge of English.

Other information

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.

IFAD is committed to achieving gender diversity. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

This position is open only to nationals of Panama.