National Gender Advisor

Organizational Setting:

FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan executes the GEF-funded project Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity: Strengthening Azerbaijan’s system of protected areas through improved governance and management together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR). The project will contribute to strengthening the planning and management capacity of the system of Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs) in Azerbaijan, with a strategic focus on delivering project support to: (i) enhancing the financial sustainability of SPNAs; (ii) building information management systems for SPNAs; and (iii) establishing and administering buffer zones with more sustainable resource use in areas directly adjacent to SPNAs. The project will further deliver targeted planning and operational support to two SPNAs – Shirvan and Hirkan National Parks (NPs) – and their designated adjacent sanitary zones.

A Project Management Unit (PMU) is being constituted to oversee the day-to-day implementation of the project. The core of this PMU will comprise an International Team Leader (ITL), National Team Leader (NTL) and two Technical Field Officers (TFOs) – one for Shirvan National Park and one for Hirkan NP (and their sanitary zones). The PMU will, in turn, contract a range of service providers and/or enter into management agreements with partnering institutions to implement different project activities.

Reporting Lines:

Mr.Bariz Mehdiyev, Assistant FAO Representative

Technical Focus:

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Azerbaijan, direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative, the project international and national team leader, the technical supervision of the project LTO, and in close collaboration with the project team (i.e. monitoring expert) and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR) of Azerbaijan, the Gender Advisor will be responsible for consultatively preparing the project’s Gender Action Plan (GAP). The GAP will outline the gender equality goals for the project, identify the overarching high-level entry points for gender mainstreaming across the project, and define the specific implementation actions to address local gender issues linked to each of the targeted project sites and the project deliverables. Advisor will provide the following support to the project:

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Assess and describe the enabling legislative and policy environment, describe the gender equality challenges, and identify entry points for gender mainstreaming in the project. • Define the project’s gender mainstreaming objectives and the strategic approach to achieving these goals. • In consultation with, relevant stakeholder and institutions develop an action plan that operationalizes the project’s gender mainstreaming goals, including: o Describing the practical gender-specific measures and actions required to ensure women’s participation in, and beneficiation from, the project activities. o Clearly showing the integration and alignment of each of these gender-specific measures and actions with the project’s strategic focus areas (and their linked activities and outputs) in the Project Work Plan. o Identifying the time-bound, gender-specific indicators required to measure progress in the implementation of these gender measures and actions. o Quantifying or defining the baseline state for each of these gender-specific indicators. o Setting realistic, appropriate, and measurable targets for each of these gender-specific indicators. o Allocating responsibilities, and assesses the projected cost implications, for the implementation of each of these gender-specific measures and actions. • Describe the management requirements for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the project’s performance in implementing the action plan, including a description of the standardized methodology required to collect data for reporting on each gender-specific indicator. • Host at least two working sessions with selected SPBD staff, park management staff in Hirkan and Shirvan, PMU staff, selected service providers and project implementing partners to present the GAP and its implications/requirements for project implementation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements:

• Graduate university degree in social or natural sciences (or other relevant discipline), with a specialization in gender studies. • A minimum of 5 years practical experience in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming. • Fluent in Azerbaijani, with a professional working knowledge of English. • Nationality of Azerbaijan or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical Focus:

• Demonstrated expertise in mainstreaming gender in projects and programmes, especially in Azerbaijan. • Thorough understanding of the gender context in Azerbaijan, and experience working with government institutions and international or non-governmental organizations supporting gender and development work in the natural resources and sustainable development sectors. • Familiarity with gender analysis tools and methodologies in natural resources management and sustainable development. • Proven track record of drafting relevant materials (publication, reports, and related documentation). • Strong communication and presentation skills, and ability to liaise with various stakeholders, including government officials.