National Gender Officer

Terms of Reference

National Gender Officer

ABOUT US

With more than 35 years of experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specialising in international development. We have managed the implementation of over 2500 projects in more than 95 countries around the globe for clients such as DFID, DFAT Australia, the European Union, the World Bank and Global Affairs Canada. We work with governments, partner organisations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, economic and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies from 2017 to 2021.

BACKGROUND

Cowater International is seeking to recruit a highly qualified professional as national Gender Officer to support the Aus4Equality|Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Program.

GREAT is a flagship initiative of the Australian aid program.  The Program promotes women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in the ethnically diverse north-west region of Vietnam. The primary beneficiaries are women living in the provinces of Son La and Lao Cai, while an overarching emphasis is placed on the inclusion of women from ethnic minority communities as these provinces are home to twelve and twenty-six ethnic groups respectively.

The objectives of the Aus4Equality|GREAT Program are:

• Objective 1 – Empowering local women: Women living in local communities have increased capacity, space and choices to beneficially engage with agriculture and tourism businesses.
• Objective 2 – Inclusive businesses partnerships: Selected private sector actors within the agriculture and tourism sectors innovate to profitably and sustainably trade with more women entrepreneurs and operate in gender sensitive ways.
• Objective 3 – Improving sector governance and policy: Government agencies reinforce policies, and enact plans, regulations and services that enable more inclusive socio-economic development.

Our approach to women’s economic empowerment focuses on:

• Reach: Engaging women in all project activities and addressing barriers to participation.
• Benefit: Improve women’s access to assets, financial services and support services.
• Empower: Strengthen the ability of women to make strategic life choices and put these into action.

The Program has a portfolio of approximately 50 partners to deliver results, including private sector actors, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and research institutions. The Program aims to mainstream gender equality in all projects, with gender targeting the focus of specific interventions.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Reporting to the Gender Strategy Advisor, the Gender Officer will support the Program’s gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) approach. This will include managing specific initiatives, capacity building and gender inputs for the planned second phase of GREAT. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Day-to-day project management of specific gender initiatives under the guidance of the Gender Strategy Advisor including
  
  • Gender equality behavioural change campaign.
  • Capacity building for female People’s Councils delegates.
  • Capacity building and mentoring of local partners on GE/WEE and gender mainstreaming.
• Provide gender equality advice to ongoing projects of partners in the tourism and agricultural sectors.
• Monitor partner progress and reporting to ensure quality and achievement of GEDSI targets.
• Supportthe documentation of case studies on women’s economic empowerment.
• Support the Gender Strategy Advisor in providing gender inputs into planning for a potential second phase of GREAT including:
  
  • Gendered sub-sector studies.
  • Inclusion of people with disabilities
  • Gender-responsive business approach 

REQUIREMENTS

• 5 years of relevant work experience, preferably with direct experience working on international development projects.
• A good understanding of GEDSI issues in Vietnam and experience working on gender issues with ethnic minority groups.
• Experience in organising and facilitating training, capacity development and learning sessions.
• Ability to manage multiple demands and prioritise tasks, work effectively and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, and support other team members as needed.
• Strong communications skills in Vietnamese and English.
• Enthusiasm and the ability to work with, support and influence others.
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant area such as gender studies or international development.
• Willingness to travel, when feasible.
• Experience with women’s economic empowerment programs and previous project management experience are an advantage.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates are invited to send an application to [email protected]. Please indicate in the subject “Application for National Gender Officer”.

Applications should include:

• A cover letter including a response to the selection criteria
• A Curriculum Vitae
• Contact details of 3 referees

Deadline of submission: 5:00pm Hanoi time Friday 26 November 2021

Cowater is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people with a disability, and people from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.