Job Description

The Position:

Syria continues to face significant humanitarian and recovery needs, while recent shifts in the operating environment have created opportunities for increased engagement of civil society actors. Local civil society organizations (CSOs) and women-led organizations (WLOs) are increasingly recognized as key partners in humanitarian response and early recovery. However, their effectiveness is often constrained by limited institutional and technical capacities, fragmented coordination mechanisms, and high staff turnover. Among the key technical areas for improvement, gender mainstreaming programming is identified.

In this context, there is a critical need to move beyond ad hoc capacity-building efforts toward more structured, sustainable, and contextually grounded approaches to gender transformation. This includes strengthening organizational systems, policies, and practices through comprehensive gender analysis, gender audits, and the development of practical tools that can guide implementation and monitoring.

UNFPA seeks to engage a national consultant to develop and roll out a Gender Transformative Toolkit tailored to the Syrian context, and to support selected CSOs and WLOs through targeted capacity-building. The consultancy will combine evidence-based analysis, participatory consultations, and hands-on technical support to develop and roll out the Tool kit.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Head of the Gender Program at UNFPA Syria.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Objectives of the Consultancy:

• Develop a comprehensive, context-specific Gender Transformative Toolkit, including practical guidance, gender audit tools, and monitoring mechanisms, informed by consultations and existing evidence.
• Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and WLOs to apply gender-transformative approaches through tailored training tools, and ongoing technical support, using the newly developed tool kit.
• Support selected organizations in developing and implementing Organizational Gender Action Plans aligned with the Gender Transformative Tool kit.
• Enhance the institutionalization of gender-responsive and gender-transformative systems, policies, and practices to enhance women’s leadership, participation, and influence in humanitarian action and recovery processes.
• Enhance organizational ability to address the root causes of gender inequality, including prevention of gender-based violence and promotion of women’s mental health and psychosocial well-being.

You would be responsible for:

Phase 1: Development of a Gender Transformative Toolkit

1. Review existing gender analyses, policies, tools, and other relevant literature.
2. Conduct consultations with the selected CSOs and WLOs to understand current practices and capacities in gender transformative programming, identify gaps and challenges, and gather inputs to inform the framework (esp. in terms of cultural, operational, and humanitarian constraints/nuances). List of selected SCOs and WLOs will be agreed upon with UNFPA.
3. Produce and Inception report outlining methodology, workplan, data collection tools, and stakeholder consultation plan. The inception report will also include an initial outline of the gender transformative framework and the principles/literature it will draw on.
4. Develop the Gender Transformative Toolkit:

• Conceptual framework: Comprehensive, aligned with international frameworks, and adapted to the Syrian context – draws on the results of the consultation, centers CSOs and WLOs.
• Practical tools: guidance on implementation of the framework (how to, examples, etc.)
• Audit & self-assessment tools: gender audit tools to assess existing policies and practices against the framework; checklists, templates, indicators, etc. for monitoring and evaluation of framework implementation.

Phase 2: Roll Out of the Gender Transformative Tool kit

1. Develop and deliver training materials on gender transformative approaches, implementation and effective use of the toolkit.
2. Conduct Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) evaluations with 10 organizations to identify strengths, gaps, and priority areas for gender transformative programming.
3. Provide tailored technical support to selected organizations in developing Organizational Gender Action Plans.

Duration and working: This consultancy is expected to be completed within 60 working days within three months from signing the contract.

Place where services are to be delivered Remote work and in-person

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered: All deliverables will be submitted electronically (in both Arabic and English Languages) to the Head of Gender Program, UNFPA Syria.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Master’s degree in gender studies, social sciences, development studies, or related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the gender field.
• Proven knowledge of gender equality frameworks, the Syrian context, and UNFPA’s mandate.
• Previous experience in developing gender-related framework and gender mainstreaming training materials
• Experience in delivering training and capacity building for organizations.
• Strong qualitative research and analytical skills.
• Experience working with UN agencies or international organizations is desirable.

Languages:

• Excellent writing and communication skills in English and Arabic.
  

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.