Consultancy - Gender Just Energy Transition

Job Description

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security.

The UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), based in Pretoria, South Africa, covers five countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. SAMCO collaborates with government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Private Sector to promote gender equality through norms, laws, policies, programs, and services that uphold women and girls' human rights and increase their economic participation.

SAMCO’s programs include increasing women’s political participation and leadership, securing women’s economic rights, strengthening women’s involvement in peacebuilding, ending violence against women, and promoting gender-transformative policies in government budgets.

UN Women is implementing a program to advance Gender Transformative strategies in the Just Energy Transition. The Gender-Transformative Just Transition Programme (GTJET) is a collaborative initiative involving the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the South African German Energy Programme, implemented by GIZ, and the Department of Electricity and Energy. The project aims to ensure women’s inclusion in South Africa's energy transition and climate change mitigation strategies, with a focus on community impact. Recognizing that women are disproportionately affected by climate change, the project emphasizes addressing gender inequalities in climate responses and transition solutions, aligned with the Paris Agreement.

The project supports South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, emphasizing sustainable development and low-carbon economies. The consultant will report to the Programme Specialist for Women's Economic Empowerment and receive guidance from the Deputy Representative.

Scope of Work:

The Consultant will undertake activities including:

• Conducting baseline assessments of targeted farmers.
• Developing tailored training materials based on needs assessment.
• Providing 3-5 days of training for 10 cohorts and developing mentoring plans.
• Offering at least five one-on-one coaching sessions per farmer.
• Organizing at least five field learning events.
• Producing monthly reports for UN Women for quarterly integration.
• Liaising with Nkangala District Municipality and local economic development teams for potential interventions.

Responsibilities:

The consultant will provide technical support to the municipality and capacity building for women farmers in Nkangala District, focusing on sustainable farming practices, climate change mitigation, and adaptation. The work aims to build resilience, improve productivity, and enhance market access for 200 smallholder farmers as part of the Mpumalanga Province Just Energy Transition Plan. Methodology and best practices will be documented for scalability and future reference.

Workplace and Travel:

This is a home-based consultancy with required travel to Mpumalanga. Travel costs will be covered per UN policies.

Deliverables:

• Work plan and Inception Report (3 days, 30%)
• Baseline assessment questionnaire and pre-intervention assessment (10 days)
• Training for 10 cohorts, mentorship plan, interim report (32 days, 40%)
• Follow-up sessions, farm visits, learning sessions, final report (20 days, 30%)

Competencies:

Core Values:

• Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Core Competencies:

• Gender sensitivity, accountability, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, leadership

See UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework for more details.

Functional Competencies:

• Programme management, budgeting, results-based management, data analysis, UN systems knowledge

Qualifications:

• Master’s in social sciences, gender studies, energy, climate change, or related; or equivalent experience.
• Additional project management certification is an advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years in program management, preferably in gender and women’s economic empowerment.
• Experience with energy transition, climate change, smallholder farmers, and UN systems is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English required; other UN languages an asset.

Additional Information:

UN Women promotes diversity and inclusion and adheres to a zero-tolerance policy on misconduct. Candidates requiring accommodations should mention this in their application. All candidates will undergo background checks, including credential verification.