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Vacancies

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor

Agency: AKF
Deadline: 12 January 2025 г.

Start Date: February 2025

Report to: 

  • Direct: PMU Manager
  • Technical Supervisor: AKF Global Lead, Gender Equality

Location: Kyrgyzstan, preferably Bishkek

Base: The position is seconded to Accelerate Prosperity and will be based at the office of AP Kyrgyzstan (preferred).

Travel: 50% of the time across Central Asia, 50% office offline

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) brings together human, financial, and technical resources to address some of the challenges faced by the poorest communities in the world. With an emphasis on women and girls, AKF invests in human potential, expanding opportunities and improving quality of life. AKF was established in the Kyrgyz Republic to support sustainable socio-economic development in mountain communities by building partnerships. AKF aspires to improve the quality of life and self-reliance of young people and women in the Kyrgyz Republic through inclusive and innovative community-driven solutions, constant learning, and integrity.

Accelerate Prosperity (AP) is a global initiative of the Aga Khan Development Network(AKDN) in Central and South Asia which offers creative financial solutions as well as pre and post-investment technical assistance to help grow early-stage businesses, startups, and innovative ideas. AP with the vision for an inclusive and prosperous society powered by entrepreneurs, intends to inspire rising entrepreneurs in emerging regions to grow new markets, create sustainable employment, and strengthen communities. AP program is mandated to facilitate the creation of sustainable and commercially viable Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) in priority sectors of Agribusiness, ICT, Education and ECD, Textiles, Hospitality, Green Growth, and Health. 

Businesses have both an opportunity and a role to play in gender inclusion. As interest in growing, and the number of women in leadership and entrepreneurial roles increases, there is a clear opportunity to help SMEs think about how to strategically leverage gender insights in areas such as sales, marketing, market research, customer care, and business operations. Despite emerging evidence documenting the business benefits of including women, gender inclusion efforts and evidence at the SME level remain scarce. While many businesses are motivated to adopt an inclusive approach, they often overlook the potential of how a gender-inclusive lens can help them enhance their internal operational performance. Other businesses may see the benefits of adopting gender-inclusive strategies and may be keen to increase their impact on women but lack the know-how and the technical support required to put this motivation into action. By investing in gender inclusion, businesses can generate opportunities for women while also furthering their business objectives.

Background

AKF and Accelerate Prosperity have secured FCDO funding for the project consisting of 2 components leveraging activities and initiatives from each ofthe  components:

Component 1: Central Asia Green Inclusive Growth Fund’s SME Investment Finance Facility (GIG-IFF) - the objective of the initiative is to increase access of startups, small and growing businesses (SGBs) to diversified investment through an established GIG Investment Finance Facility and other investors via intermediate outputs of:

  • GIG Investment Finance Facility established for Central Asia
  • Increased pool of investment-ready startups/SGBs available for financing from the GIG Investment Finance Facility and other investors
  • Increased availability of data-driven documented learning and evidence about innovative investments in women-led and green startups/SGBs 

Component 2: Central Asia Green Inclusive Growth Fund’s Business Development Services (GIG-BDS) - the overall objective of the action is to foster a green and inclusive entrepreneurship sector to support Central Asia in its transition toward a green and inclusive economy that tackles inequality, while supporting economic diversification covering all Central Asia countries, as Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Turkmenistan’s scope of work is under consideration and subject to the findings of the feasibility study).

The specific objective of this Project is to support entrepreneurs achieve improved competitiveness and success in starting, maintaining, and growing profitable, innovative, and green startups, and small and growing businesses (SGBs). The Action will achieve this through two intermediate outputs:

  • Innovative startups/SGBs supported through tailored training and advisory services in priority sectors
  • Blended digital platform (Virtual Accelerate) upgraded and expanded
  • Startups/SGBs supported raising investments, promoting market linkages, and trade
  • Increased availability of documented learning and evidence about women-led, people with disability-le,d and green entrepreneurship and trade

The creation of new start-up enterprises, the growth of small businesses, and a focus on youth, women, and people with disabilities-led ventures will be critical. The project aims to contribute to positive trends in Gross National Income, and Gender Development Index scores and contribute to relevant Sustainable Development Goals in the counties of focus.

The Aga Khan Foundation (Kyrgyzstan) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the position of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor (GESI Advisor), to be based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.  The incumbent will serve as a technical advisor and lead for the FCDO-funded project “Central Asia Green Inclusive Growth Initiative”, which will be implemented in Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. The GESI Advisor will provide technical support and ensure that gender equality and social inclusion are cross-cutting themes that are considered and addressed throughout the project implementation. She/he will guide the implementation of the project gender and social inclusion strategy and act as a resource to support AKF and Accelerate Prosperity’s partners and clients in improving gender equality policies and practices relevant to the project mandate. Specifically, the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor will support the integration of gender equality and social inclusion lens across a complex, multi-partner, multi-country regional project in Central Asia. 

This project is planned to be leveraged for possible funding from other donors and investors for Central Asia and may be added to the structure of the programme, also under management and oversight of the existing role as additional tasks on donor deliverables and project financial management. Restructuring will be explored as relevant to expanded responsibilities.

Job Description:

The Gender and Social Inclusion Advisor will be responsible for programme reporting and providing technical support, oversight role, design and leading the implementation of AP’s Strategy on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, as well as reporting to the donor and meeting compliance requirements of the projects, under the direct supervision of the Aga Khan Foundation Kyrgyzstan, AKF’s Global Programme Team and AKF UK. The incumbent will work closely and under supervision by the executive management team of Accelerate Prosperity as the main implementing partner under the projects. She/ He will play a pivotal liaison role with all internal and external stakeholders, spanning all work plans (WPs) and tasks of projects and their implementation. These include but are not limited to:

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Develop and execute gender equality and social inclusion strategy for Accelerate Prosperity in liaison with global and local program and project teams.
  • Help program teams analyze and integrate gender lens and social inclusion across all project activities and programs and provide strategic advice and support to individual clients, in refining their gender action plans;
  • Outline the business opportunity for the investee to invest with a gender lens as per the AP and FCDO funding requirements for this Project;
  • Define the barriers faced in conducting their business and how to integrate a gender analysis into investment decisions to support the growth of their business.
  • Provide recommendations to the AP PMU Team and country teams on how to assess investment opportunities with a gender lens to inform future competitions.
  • Providing regular analysis on gender equality and social inclusion issues as they affect the project, synthesizing and articulating the lessons, challenges, and risks for the project related to gender, and disability and applying these to ongoing project planning and implementation.
  • Analyzing current policies and practices within entrepreneurship ecosystems in all countries in liaison with country-specific gender teams within AKF/AP, to identify existing barriers that inhibit equal access to business opportunities and provide practical recommendations to the implementation teams and partners to address these barriers within the project scope.
  • Working with the PMU Manager, country program and MERL teams, and implementing partners to integrate gender equality analysis within all project planning, M&E systems, project implementation, and reporting.
  • Assist Country Directors of Accelerate Prosperity in adopting gender lens and socially inclusive investing in their financing portfolio in each country.
  • Assisting the implementing partners’ teams to identify specific activities to integrate gender, and social inclusion and provide support for their implementation.
  • Providing remote training, supplementary learning materials, and technical assistance to program and project staff across the partner countries in liaison with country-specific teams, to build their understanding of gender and social inclusion (people with disabilities).
  • Working with the PMU and implementing partners to ensure that the Promoting Learning Agenda integrates gender equality and women’s economic empowerment principles.
  • Providing technical support and capacity building to the partner institutions as needed.
  • Liaising with other relevant AKF/AKDN/AP management on a need basis.

Required Qualifications:  

  • Education
    • (Required) Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Gender, Social Inclusion, Development Studies, or Social Sciences such as sociology, anthropology, or a related field. 
  • Experience
    • (Required) At least 7 years of relevant experience in a similar role in a developing country context.
    • (Required) At least 3 years of experience applying gender analysis for designing and implementing development projects, preferably related to entrepreneurship, business development, SMEs, etc.
    • (Preferably) Experience with FCDO-funded projects.
    • (Preferably) Good familiarity with the broad objectives of the AKDN and AP specifically across Central Asia, and a sound background in conducting gender analyses and implementing gender equality activities in international development projects.
    • (Preferably) Experience in results-based monitoring and evaluation with particular attention to assessing gender equality and social inclusion results.
    • (Preferably) Experience in the Central Asian development context will be an asset.
  • Technical Knowledge
    • Knowledge of various gender integration/ social inclusion (people with disabilities) methodologies and best practices.
    • Excellent writing and reporting skills specifically for donor-funded projects.
    • Computer literate (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
    • Good knowledge of the project management cycle.
  • Soft Skills
    • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, and Russian is preferred. Other relevant local languages an asset (e.g., Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Kazakh, Turkmen, etc.).
    • Highly proactive and passionate about work.
    • Capable of producing high-quality results within often tight deadlines.
    • Ability to multitask and work under pressure.
    • Ability to distill large volumes of data in short periods of time.
    • Intellectual curiosity and demonstrated record of professional development/growth.
    • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work through complex models to determine the key assumptions, implicit caveats, and limitations.
    • Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with all levels of management.
    • Ability to travel frequently across Central Asia countries.

AKF offers a competitive remuneration package and a conducive working environment. We are an equal-opportunity employer - women are encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and CV with the subject line “FCDO PMU: GESI Advisor” by 12 January 2025  to akf.hr.kg@akdn.org

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews.

“The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is committed to safeguarding, which means it promotes respectful relations with and between all staff, associates, beneficiaries, and wider communities with whom it works, and takes all reasonable measures to prevent harm, including all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment (PSEAH), bullying, discrimination, harassment and abuse of power that may arise from contact with its staff, programmes or operations.

AKF also adheres to child safeguarding principles, as set out by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s), employment history, and any potential history of misconduct. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a full background check.

All employees of AKF are required to adhere to the organizational safeguarding standards and principles and at all times to act with dignity, and respect and to contribute to a safe environment free from any type of harassment, abuse, or discrimination.

For more information about AKDN, please visit www.akdn.org

For more information about AP, please visit www.accelerateprosperity.org