Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist

Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Specialist USAID Vietnam Urban Energy Security Scope of Work

Position: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist Level of Effort: Estimated 26 days Period of Performance: on/about June 1, 2020 – July 31, 2020 Base of Operations: Hanoi, Vietnam Project Background

As Vietnam experiences steep increases in energy demand and rising air pollution challenges, there is growing recognition that cleaner, more reliable sources of energy are needed and greater capital investment is necessary. The Vietnam Urban Energy Security Project works closely with GVN at multiple levels to improve enabling frameworks, mobilize investment, and increase the adoption of innovative solutions for advanced, distributed energy.

The specific objectives of this activity are to assist Vietnamese cities to:

Improve enabling policies, regulations, and city-level plans/programs for the deployment of resilient, distributed energy services;
Mobilize public and private sector investment for the deployment of advanced, distributed energy systems;
Increase adoption of innovative technologies, practices, business and financing models for advanced, distributed urban energy solutions.

As the Vietnam Urban Energy Security Project Team kicks off implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency activities, it seeks to assess the role gender plays in the energy sector, and aims to identify strategies for designing, implementing and evaluating project activities in order to promote gender equality and social inclusion.

Overview

The Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Specialist will work with the Chief of Party, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager, and the Technical team to develop a gender action plan for integrating gender considerations into work planning and technical design, as well as promoting gender equality throughout program activities.

Objective

The objective of this assignment is to complete a gender assessment that identifies opportunities to promote gender equality throughout project activities and develop a gender action plan that provides guidance on integrating gender into the project’s technical approaches. This assessment should consider desk research and stakeholder interviews to determine the impact of clean energy on gender equality and should reference case studies and best practices for implementing clean energy activities in a way that is responsive to gender considerations and ensures results are beneficial to all.

Activities

The Gender Specialist is expected to undertake desk research as well as stakeholder engagement to understand the potential impacts on gender the project activities might have. The Gender Specialist should also consider current gender disparities that the current energy sector perpetuates or enables, and identify ways in which the Vietnam Urban Energy Security Project might be able to reduce such disparities through achieving project goals.

In undertaking the gender assessment, the Gender Specialist should identify critical stakeholders that are most likely to be impacted by the project’s work, and key partners that could play an important role in helping ensure the project achieves its gender equality goals.

The gender assessment undertaken under this scope of work should provide the Project Team with an actionable guide to ensuring project activities are designed, implemented and evaluated for gender equality. This guide, or gender action plan, should provide information about the impact of renewable energy and energy efficiency activities on gender equality; should identify opportunities for achieving project targets and objectives in a gender inclusive manner; and recommend appropriate gender indicators to ensure the Project Team can evaluate its gender impact.

Timeline

Activity	Estimated LOE	Estimated completion date
Kickoff	0.5 days	June 1
Desk research	4 days	June 8
Draft outline	1.5 days	June 15
Interviews	4 days	June 15
Gender assessment draft	5 days	June 30
Gender assessment finalization	2 days	July 15
Gender action plan draft	5 days	June 30
Gender action plan finalization	2 days	July 15
Integration into MEL Plan	2 days	July 17
TOTAL	26 days	July 17

Deliverables

At the completion of the gender assessment, the Gender Specialist should successfully deliver the following:

Desk research report including methodology, sources, findings, short case studies, and key gender considerations for renewable energy and energy efficiency activities
Outline of gender assessment and gender action plan for review and approval
Key stakeholder list and interview guide, including proposed questionnaire; Consolidation of data collection results with interview notes attached.
Gender assessment report detailing the impact of renewable energy and energy efficiency activities on gender, identifying opportunities to mitigate gender impacts and providing recommendations on how the project can promote gender quality
Gender action plan that provides the Project team with key information on how to operationalize gender equality and social inclusion through project activities and operations
Integration of gender indicators and/or action plan recommendations into project Monitoring, Learning, Evaluation Plan as appropriate.

Qualifications

Experience carrying out gender assessments, preferably for clean energy projects
Experience developing effective gender action plans, particularly those working in renewable energy and energy efficiency at the municipal level
Familiarity with renewable energy and energy efficiency activities
Familiarity with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plans, particularly those for USAID-funded projects, or for other international donor-funded projects
Familiarity with gender considerations and impacts of clean energy activities in Vietnam
Proven ability to develop succinct and effective action plans based on desk research, interviews, and other methodologies
Effective written and spoken communication in both English and Vietnamese
Ability to work independently

Application Instructions

Applicants should apply via Form site at this link: https://fs9.formsite.com/daisuppliers/itlfchkr5h/index.html

Select the position in which you are interested in applying for, fill out the required information and upload CV. Only finalist candidates will be contacted. Only applicants that apply via this link will be reviewed. No phone calls or in-person applications will be accepted.

About DAI

DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments. More information about DAI can be found on the DAI website (www.dai.com).