GENDER EXPERT (CONSULTANCY)

OVERVIEW

The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is a regional non-profit research and policy institute established in 2010. The organisation works to bridge the gaps between research, policy, and practice in development across Africa. It promotes sustainable development through evidence generation, advocacy, stronger political commitment, improved resource allocation, effective interventions, and enhanced governance and accountability.

AFIDEP is one of thirteen African think tanks participating in the Africa Think Tanks Platform (ATTP) through the Building Resilience and Impact through Dialogue and Galvanizing Action for Evidence-Informed Policymaking (BRIDGE) Africa consortium.

AFIDEP seeks to engage an individual consultant as a Gender Expert to ensure that gender considerations are systematically integrated into the project's human capital development and climate change studies. The consultant will contribute to a landscape study examining country investments in policies, programmes, and interventions related to education, training, and skills development for harnessing the Demographic Dividend (DD) and Gender Dividend (GD).

The assignment aims to strengthen the quality, inclusiveness, and policy relevance of research by integrating gender and intersectional perspectives into study design, analysis, reporting, and evidence-to-policy engagement.

PROJECT: Africa Think Tanks Platform (ATTP) Project

JOB TYPE: Consultancy

ASSIGNMENT DURATION: 30 days between October 2026 and August 2027

Application Deadline: Tuesday, 27th October, 2026

POSITION: GENDER EXPERT

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Gender Mainstreaming in Research Design

• Providing technical guidance to ensure study designs, analytical frameworks, tools, methodologies, and indicators are gender-responsive.
• Integrating gender and intersectional analysis, including age, location, disability, and socioeconomic status, into relevant research components.
• Supporting the development and review of gender-sensitive quantitative and qualitative data-collection tools and indicators.
• Advising on ethical, inclusive, and context-responsive approaches to engaging women, young people, and other relevant groups.
• Supporting the identification and refinement of gender-responsive indicators, analytical questions, and evidence requirements for monitoring, learning, and reporting.

2. Gender Analysis for the Landscape Study

• Applying a gender perspective to assess the responsiveness of relevant policies, programmes, and investments.
• Analysing gender-related gaps in access, participation, retention, transition, completion, and outcomes in education and skills systems.
• Assessing investments in gender-equitable education, technical and vocational education and training, and skills development.
• Supporting gender analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and interpreting findings.
• Contributing to cross-country comparative analysis to identify good practices, implementation gaps, and transferable lessons.

3. Reporting, Policy Engagement, and Capacity Strengthening

• Drafting and reviewing gender-sensitive report sections, policy briefs, recommendations, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Providing technical support during stakeholder consultations and policy dialogues to ensure gender perspectives are adequately represented.
• Translating gender evidence into clear, feasible, and actionable policy and programme recommendations.
• Designing and facilitating capacity-strengthening sessions for the project team on gender mainstreaming and intersectional analysis.
• Maintaining concise records of technical inputs, consultations, and capacity-strengthening support provided.
• Preparing technical inputs, including annotated comments, reviewed tools, gender analysis notes, presentation inputs, and other agreed advisory outputs.
• Supporting documentation of key findings, lessons, and recommendations arising from gender-responsive analysis and stakeholder engagement.

4. Expected Deliverables

The consultant will provide technical guidance to strengthen the integration of gender and intersectionality across the project's research and policy work. Expected deliverables include:

• Reviewing study designs, research tools, and analytical frameworks.
• Contributing to the analysis and reporting of the landscape study.
• Informing the development of policy and stakeholder-engagement materials.
• Strengthening the project team's capacity to apply gender-responsive approaches.
• Providing periodic progress updates and a final summary of key contributions, lessons, and recommendations.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Experience:

Applicants must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• An advanced degree, preferably a Master's degree or PhD, in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Economics, Education, Public Policy, or a related field.
• At least eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in gender analysis and mainstreaming in research, policy, or development programmes.
• Demonstrated expertise in gender and education or skills-development systems, including technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
• Demonstrated knowledge of Demographic Dividend (DD) and/or Gender Dividend (GD) frameworks.
• Strong experience in policy and programme analysis in African contexts.
• Proven experience conducting or contributing to multi-country or regional studies.
• Strong analytical skills and experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with a record of producing policy-relevant outputs.
• Experience working with think tanks, regional consortia, or donor-funded programmes is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong analytical, systems-thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate complex gender issues into clear and actionable recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder-engagement, facilitation, and technical communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary, multi-country team.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet agreed deadlines.

WORKING ARRANGEMENTS AND DUTY STATION

• The assignment may be undertaken from Kenya, Malawi, or remotely/hybrid, as agreed with AFIDEP.
• The consultant will work closely with the designated AFIDEP team and participate in virtual or in-person meetings, consultations, and the high-level policy dialogue as required.
• Any required travel must be agreed upon and approved by AFIDEP in advance.
• AFIDEP will provide agreed access to relevant institutional systems, documents, meeting facilities, and counterpart personnel required for the assignment.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested individual consultants should submit the following:

• A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) demonstrating the required qualifications and relevant experience.
• A technical proposal or brief statement of approach.

Applications should be submitted by email to:

Email: recruitment@afidep.org

For more information and the application details, visit: https://afidep.org/about/work-with-us/

Closing Date: Tuesday, 27th October, 2026

Only complete applications received through the designated channel and by the stated deadline will be considered.