Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO supports the Government of Jamaica through the FAO Jamaica Country Office (FAOJM) in advancing climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems, with a particular focus on strengthening the resilience of vulnerable rural communities and smallholder farmers to climate change and climate-related shocks.

Following the approval of the Funding Proposal (FP299) by the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), FAO together with Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will implement the project “ADAPT Jamaica: Enhancing climate change resilience of vulnerable smallholders in Central Jamaica” in response to a request from the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change (MWECC), acting as National Designated Authority (NDA) to the GCF. Implementation will be carried out in partnership with national institutions, and in accordance with FAO rules, procedures and applicable donor requirements.

The project is organized around four interrelated components:
•    Building capacity in climate-resilient agricultural production and post-harvest systems,
•    Accelerating climate adaptation of vulnerable smallholder farmers,
•    strengthening climate information services and early warning systems for agriculture, and
•    mobilizing finance, policy and business support for agricultural resilience.

For more information about the project, please review: FP299: ADAPT Jamaica: Enhancing climate change resilience of vulnerable smallholders in Central Jamaica | Green Climate Fund

Reporting Lines

The GESI Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the FAO Technical Officer designated as the ADAPT Jamaica Project Manager, and under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Jamaica, as well as the Assistant FAO Representative of Programme (AFAOR Programme) in Jamaica. Technical guidance will be provided by the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) at FAO. The specialist will collaborate closely with relevant FAO technical units and staff, as well as national counterpart institutions and project partners, to ensure effective implementation of GESI activities in accordance with FAO rules and procedures.

Technical Focus

The primary objective of this specialist is to lead the integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) across all components of the ADAPT Jamaica project, ensuring alignment with the project’s Gender Action Plan (GAP) and Gender Assessment, as well as FAO and GCF gender policies and strategies. The specialist will support inclusive project planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting – with a focus on empowering and benefitting vulnerable groups (women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized populations) in climate-resilient agriculture initiatives. This includes ensuring that all project interventions are gender-responsive and socially inclusive, in compliance with FAO’s gender policy and Jamaica’s relevant national strategies on gender and social inclusion.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Support project decision-making mechanisms and processes: Support in the preparation of documentation and inputs to the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and other coordination platforms, ensuring that gender and inclusion considerations are integrated into strategic planning, oversight, and decision-making processes.
•    Participate in the methodological approach of the project: Contribute to the development and review of project methodologies and tools, including integrating GESI dimensions into vulnerability assessments and surveys, to ensure that analyses of community vulnerabilities and needs fully incorporate gender and social inclusion considerations.
•    Lead the implementation of the project’s Gender Action Plan (GAP): Ensure that the GAP and gender-related actions are implemented across all project components and activities. This includes mainstreaming gender and inclusion considerations into work plans and field activities and ensuring timely delivery of GAP outputs in line with GCF and FAO requirements. The specialist will monitor progress on GAP indicators and adjust activities as needed to meet GESI objectives.
•    Lead the implementation of a gender analysis in the project’s target areas (e.g., by integrating gender-focused questions into baseline surveys and assessments). Analyse the data to identify key gender gaps and inform the refinement of the Gender Action Plan (GAP) and project strategies
•    Provide technical support on gender-responsive planning and budgeting: Work closely with the Project Management Unit (PMU) to integrate gender-responsive budgeting and planning into project operations. This entails advising on allocation of resources for gender and inclusion activities and ensuring that financial plans and reports reflect GESI priorities.
•    Ensure policy alignment: Maintain alignment of project activities with FAO’s and GCF’s gender policies, as well as Jamaica’s national gender equality and social protection frameworks. The specialist will ensure all project interventions comply with FAO’s Gender Equality Policy and relevant GCF guidelines and will incorporate national policies (e.g. the National Policy for Gender Equality) into project strategies.
•    Capacity building and awareness: Design and deliver tailored training sessions and workshops on gender sensitization, women’s empowerment, and prevention of Gender-Based Violence/Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (GBV/SEAH) for project staff, partners, and beneficiaries. These trainings should build awareness and capacities to implement activities in a gender-sensitive manner and uphold FAO’s zero-tolerance policies on harassment and abuse.
•    Stakeholder engagement and inclusion: Facilitate inclusive and participatory stakeholder engagement throughout the project. This involves ensuring that women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable or under-represented groups are actively consulted and engaged in project decision-making processes (e.g. community consultations, farmer field schools, training programs). The specialist will use culturally sensitive and gender-responsive methodologies to encourage participation from all groups, including potentially marginalized communities.
•    Coordinate with designated Gender Focal Points from the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining (MOAFM), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and other partner institutions to ensure systematic gender integration.
•    Promote gender-equitable participation and partnerships: Liaise and partner with local cooperatives, women’s associations, community-based organizations (CBOs), NGOs, and government entities to promote gender-equitable participation in project activities. The specialist will support initiatives that encourage women’s leadership and involvement (e.g. in Farmer Field Schools, producer groups, water user associations) and strengthen networks that empower women and vulnerable groups within the agricultural sector.
•    Data collection and knowledge management: Develop and implement tools for sex-disaggregated data collection and analysis and incorporate these into the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system. The specialist will ensure that all data on project beneficiaries and outcomes are disaggregated by sex and any other relevant social inclusion category and analysed. They will contribute to a gender-sensitive and gender inclusive M&E framework, including defining GESI indicators and monitoring progress against them.
•    Monitoring, evaluation and reporting: Contribute to regular project reporting by integrating gender and social inclusion aspects into progress reports, technical reports, and the project’s annual reports. This includes documenting results, lessons learned, and best practices in gender mainstreaming throughout the project. This may involve highlighting women’s empowerment or social inclusion success stories and preparing knowledge products or communications materials (in coordination with the Communications Specialist) to showcase the project’s GESI outcomes (e.g. briefs, case studies, or success stories aligned with FAO and donor visibility guidelines).
•    Grievance mechanisms and safeguards: Support the implementation of the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) with particular attention to handling issues related to gender-based violence, discrimination, or harassment. This includes operationalizing Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) protocols and ensuring a survivor-centred approach in all grievance and redress processes. The specialist will train project team members on proper referral pathways for GBV cases and ensure compliance with FAO’s safeguarding policies.
•    Risk management: Identify any gender-related risks that could affect project success (such as cultural barriers to women’s participation or potential negative impacts of project activities on vulnerable groups) and propose mitigation strategies to inform the overall risk management plan. The specialist will continuously monitor these risks and advise the project management on adjustments needed to ensure inclusivity and do-no-harm.
•    Communication and visibility support: Work in coordination with project Communications Specialist and the project team to develop communication materials and key messages that promote gender equality and social inclusion in the context of climate-resilient agriculture. This may involve contributing to press releases, speeches, briefings, or social media content that highlights the role of women and youth in the ADAPT Jamaica project and ensuring the visibility of GESI results in line with FAO and GCF communication standards. In coordination with project Communications Specialist, provide technical inputs to the development of the Representation’s communication strategy and knowledge products, ensuring inclusive messaging and visibility of gender-related outcomes.
•    Collaboration and other duties: Collaborate closely with other technical specialists on the project and the Representation to ensure GESI is integrated in their work streams. Participate in project team meetings, workshops, and field missions as required, providing expertise on how to address gender and inclusion issues in real time. Perform any other project-related tasks relevant to this consultancy, as required by the Project Manager and the FAO Representative.
•    Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in social sciences, gender studies, development studies, or a related field.
•    At least 5 years of relevant experience in development projects or programmes focusing on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social inclusion
•    Working knowledge (level C) of English.
•    National of Jamaica

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Excellent knowledge of gender equality and social inclusion concepts, and familiarity with tools for gender mainstreaming in agriculture/rural development projects
•    Proven ability to plan and facilitate participatory workshops, focus groups, and training sessions with diverse stakeholders (including women, youth, and vulnerable groups)
•    Demonstrated capacity to coordinate with multiple stakeholders (communities, government, NGOs) and build effective partnerships for GESI outcomes
•    Experience working with FAO, other UN agencies, or similar international development organizations on gender mainstreaming and social inclusion is highly desirable.
•    Experience working in Jamaica and/or the context of the Caribbean is a plus.
•    Excellent communication and report writing skills in English, including ability to document best practices and lessons learned in a clear and concise manner
•    High level of interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and integrity, with the ability to act with discretion when handling sensitive information.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

National Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist