Permaculture Blue Mountains

Reference Number: 60011029

Country: United Kingdom
City: London
Department: Banking 
Team: Southern & Eastern Europe and Caucasus & Central A 
Closing Date: 12 September 2008

Special Contract of minimum 1 year with potential to extend.

Role Overview:

EBRD wishes to engage a Gender Action Plan Co-ordinator at a senior level who will assist the Bank, and particularly its Gender Steering Group in implementing its Gender Action Plan (GAP). The Bank's Gender Action Plan seeks to increase the economic participation of women,particularly in business and in decision making roles in its countries of operation.

EBRD's mandate is to promote transition to market-based economies and sustainable development in its countries of operation from Central Europe to Central Asia. Gender equality increasingly has been recognised as an important component of the development and transition processes, in particular to better leverage the untapped potential of women in emerging markets. The Third Millennium Development Goal specifically refers to the need to promote gender equality and empower women. In 2003, the heads of the Multilateral Financial Institutions ("MFIs"), including EBRD, signed a statement affirming their respective institution's commitment to promoting gender equality within their respective organisations and in their work to assist member countries.

The Bank is now seeking to develop a structured approach to promoting economic opportunities for women within its scope of activities and in keeping with its transition mandate, in order to better measure the positive ongoing actions as well as to enhance this dimension through a deliberate effort to mainstream gender equality issues within the Bank's operational activities.

EBRD Gender Action Plan: 

In May 2008, the Bank adopted an Action Plan to mainstream gender issues overall within the Bank and to improve gender equality.

The Action Plan takes into account the gender dimension in the Bank's new Environmental and Social Policy, which shall come into force in November 2008. Recommendations for action range from the mainstreaming of gender within the Bank's operational activities through awareness raising and training, to strengthening project due diligence practices related to gender, implementing pilot projects in countries of operation and investigating the potential for new initiatives addressing any gender-related imbalances as an obstacle to transition. A Steering Group with members from various Bank departments will steer the implementation of the Action Plan by the Bank.

Implementation arrangements:

The assignment, based in London, will start as soon as possible, initially for one year, with an option for extension for a second year. The GAP Co-ordinator will be based in EBRD Headquarters in London and will report to the Chair of the Bank's Gender Steering Group. The incumbent will be part of the Bank's Gender Steering Group and will, throughout the assignment, work in close collaboration with relevant staff from banking teams, Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), Environment and Sustainability Department (ESD) and the TurnAround Management (TAM/BAS) Programme.

For the assignment to be successful, it will be vital for the GAP Co-ordinator to work with EBRD staff in a collaborative and participatory manner, taking the role of resource person, adviser and facilitator. In developing proposals and recommendations, the GAP Co-ordinator will ensure that these are appropriate for the Bank's specific transition and sustainable development mandates, its project-based nature and its private sector focus.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables:

The primary responsibility of the GAP Coordinator will be to implement the Gender Action Plan under the guidance of the Steering Committee and its Chair, specifically the role will include:

• Reporting to and participating in the Bank's Gender Steering Group
• Taking a central coordinating role in the implementation of the Gender Action Plan
• Supporting the Banking department, ESD, and OCE (and any other department as required) in defining and implementing specific initiatives under the Plan, including the implementation of pilot programmes in two or three priority countries and/or sectors
• Monitoring progress on the implementation of the Action Plan and advising the Steering Group on further development of the Plan in the light of her/his own experience as well as lessons learnt during this process
• Co-ordinating with Human Resources Department and Gender Steering Group, the implementation of gender awareness training

The specific tasks of the Gender Action Plan Co-ordinator will be driven by the Action Plan:

• Identifying new opportunities to promote gender equality: work with Banking, OCE and ESD at identifying and incubating new project opportunities, taking the following stages approach: (i) Review existing Bank activities with a gender component. (ii) Based on the Steering Group's identification of two or three priority countries where a pilot programme could be implemented, co-ordinate and provide strategic advice, expertise and guidance on different issues during the implementation of the pilot programmes. Report to the Steering Group on the conclusions of the pilot programmes with a view to implementing further projects in other EBRD countries of operations. (iii) Additional studies may be needed to be conducted to improve understanding of the specificities of both a country-based and/or a sector based approach to maximising the gender equality transition impact of EBRD projects. These studies could also help identify areas for policy dialogue, as well as design features and implementation strategies of Bank initiatives in this area. Baseline studies across the region as well as within the Bank's priority thematic areas would also provide a comparative framework on which further work could/should be focused and monitored. Work with EBRD staff to define the scope of such additional studies, which may be conducted externally or internally
• Awareness Raising and Capacity Building within EBRD: design, in cooperation with the Steering Group, an appropriate training programme, draft Terms of Reference for consultants/staff to deliver the training, manage the consultant selection process as well as manage the selected consultant during implementation of the training
• Co-ordinate with the Gender Steering Group and relevant internal departments to implement a training programme on gender awareness

Essential Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

Candidates are required to have the following essential skills, experience and qualifications:

• Advanced degree from a leading university in Social Sciences and/or Business.
• At least 12 years work experience in banking or project implementation in/with an IFI, commercial bank, or development agency
• Experience in addressing gender issues for business
• Experience with developing/implementing business opportunities in EBRD countries of operation, preferably with a focus on gender equality, diversity and/or women's development issues in emerging markets
• Experience in raising gender awareness/diversity and change management within organisations comparable to EBRD
• Experience in providing strategic advice
• Excellent project management, project co-ordination and organisational skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with EBRD staff and management from a variety of backgrounds
• Excellent written and oral English language skills

The following attributes would be desired:

• Good knowledge of transition economies, preferably EBRD countries of operation
• Knowledge of languages of EBRD countries of operation
• Knowledge of/familiarity with EBRD's operational activities
• Experience in the financial sector will be an advantage

Competencies and Personal Attributes:

• Ability to operate sensitively in multicultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues
• Ability to communicate effectively with senior government and business contacts
• Ability to plan and organise work unsupervised
• Ability to work to and meet tight deadlines Willingness to travel to and work in EBRD countries of operation.

This job description is not limited to the responsibilities listed and the incumbent may be requested to perform other relevant duties as required by business needs.

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